The Developmental funds of the CCSG represent one vital component of the UAB-CCC Core grant by empowering the Center director to respond to and provide leadership for the scientific needs and priorities of the Center. The UAB CCC uses these funds in three primary ways. First, New Investigator funds are combined with other Center funds (e.g., gift account) and funds from departments and other Centers to provide attractive recruitment packages for faculty important to the Cancer Center's research enterprise. These recruitments may represent a build-up for a new research initiative, expansion of an existing program or replacement for departing or retiring faculty. The second use of these funds is for our Pilot Grant Program with an emphasis on young or new faculty and inter- and intra-programmatic collaborative research programs. The CCC fully funds 3 pilot grants annually ($30,000 each) and contributes to 3 others (Core grant - $10,000 and ACS Institutional Research Grant - $30,000) in 2 separate annual competitions. Our Scientific Advisory Committee reviews and critiques these applications for Cancer Center research priorities and potential for extramural funding. The recipients of these funds have an excellent track record of successful grant funding (more than $10 million in extramural direct costs) and adding to the scientific growth of our programs. Third, development funding is used to invest in new research technologies that the Center membership find of significant value yet cannot afford to implement individually. This investment manifests itself as expansion of the capabilities of a current shared facility or the creation of a new shared facility centered on the new technology. During the last funding cycle of the UAB-CCC there were fifteen new investigators supported by CCSG Development dollars, thirty-two junior investigators received pilot funding, 16 collaborative programmatic grants were awarded, including six focused on HIV-associated malignancies, one new developing shared facility was started, and another four received significant upgrades in technology. All the efforts of the CCSG Development dollars were implemented to further the mission of the Center and provide added value to the CCC membership.
The Developmental budget provided by the CCSG allows the UAB CCC Director flexibility in targeting the funding to high priority needs of the Center. The funding is most often used in the areas of strategic faculty recruitment, funding innovative research projects, spurring collaborative research programs and investing in new technologies that will be made available to the membership through new or existing shared facilities.
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