DEVELOPMENTAL FUNDS ABSTRACT The Developmental funds of the CCSG represent a vital component of the UAB-CCC Core grant by empowering the Center Director to respond to and provide leadership for the strategic 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 an enhancement of a new research initiative, expansion of an existing program or replacement of departing or retiring faculty. During the current cycle the recruited investigators have been awarded over $1.9M in extramural funding. 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 and seed funding for multi-project grants such as SPOREs and P01s. The CCC contributes to 3-4 junior faculty grants in collaboration with our American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant. 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 $4.1M 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 developing shared facilities centered on the new technology. In the current funding cycle the Microbiome/Gnotobiotic Shared Facility received Developmental Funds as did the Pharamacometrics facility During the last funding cycle of the UAB-CCC there were five new investigators supported by CCSG Development dollars, seven junior investigators received pilot funding, 6 putative PO1 teams received developmental funding, 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.
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