Extramural Grants

The Pacific Meso Center at the Pacific Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute

Extramural Research Grant Policy

The Pacific Meso Center at the Pacific Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute’s (PMC/PHLBI’s) mission is to serve mesothelioma victims by supporting translational research that improves victims’ lives and longevity, by approaching malignant pleural mesothelioma a chronic, treatable disease. The exploration of innovative ideas forms the foundation of PMC/PHLBI’s unique research program and holds the promise of future treatment breakthroughs. PMC/PHLBI believes that a collaborative research effort can accelerate the acquisition of knowledge more effectively and efficiently than a simple aggregate of independent research projects which have no thematic integration. In this regard, PMC/PHLBI always is soliciting exceptional and innovative research ideas for both collaboration and funding. PMC/PHLBI’s extramural research grant applications encompassing novel ideas that fall into one of PMC/PHLBI’s designated priority areas (see below) may be submitted directly to PMC/PHLBI by investigators who hold a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, DO, DrPH or equivalent) at any academic or not-for-profit institution in the United States or Canada. Such grants periodically will be considered for active funding to the extent allowed by PMC/PHLBI’s budget, which is determined by the generosity of our many donors. Grants submitted to PMC/PHLBI may be related to bench or clinical work but must have a reasonable potential for providing imminent translational impact for mesothelioma patients in terms of diagnosis, treatment, or quality of life. All grants will be reviewed in a two stage manner, first by PMC/PHLBI’s appropriate scientific advisory board and then by PMC/PHLBI’s Board of Directors for ultimate funding decisions.

• Applicants will be judged on:
  • Scientific merit
  • Suitability based on PMC/PHLBI’s priorities and current projects
  • Potential benefits for mesothelioma patients
  • Investigator experience
  • Research environment
  • Collaboration with PMC/PHLBI’s laboratories (if any)
  • Mesothelioma investigator career development plan (if any)
• Research priorities include but are not limited to:
  • Thermal therapy
  • Immunology and immunotherapy
  • Tumor microenvironment and its modification
  • Stem cell and gene therapies
  • Intra-operative therapies
• Due to limited resources, PMC/PHLBI’s policy allows only 2-5% indirect institutional costs for non-salary research costs depending on the projects specific needs
• Grants should be submitted using PHS 398 forms which are available at the NIH website at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html and limited to no more than 12 pages in length excluding supporting documentation such as references, appendices, budgets, biosketches, and letters of support.