Major Research Awards
West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence
Supporting biomedical research at Partner Undergraduate Institutions
Applications Now Open! Submit by May 29, 2026
Previous Major Research Awardees
See who has received funding in past years
Program Overview
Major research awards will be funded for up to two years beginning August 1, 2026 based on applications submitted by Partner Undergraduate Institution (PUI) biomedical researchers. Tenured or tenure-track faculty members from all network partner institutions are eligible to apply. Non-tenure track faculty members are not eligible to apply.
Important: Project Investigators of Faculty Research Development Awards (FRDAs) are eligible and encouraged to apply for one of the major research awards. If the major research award is funded, the FRDA will not be awarded.
Research Theme
The current research theme for WV-INBRE is Cellular and Molecular Biology with an emphasis on any biomedical disease (e.g., addiction, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity). Not all applications have to strictly comply with the overall theme, but this theme is a broad umbrella and should be able to encompass most projects.
Funding Details
Budget Limits
- Standard projects: Up to $100,000/year direct costs
- Natural products or SMART Core projects: Up to $125,000/year
- Indirect costs allowed based on institutional rate
Eligibility
- Tenured or tenure-track faculty at partner institutions
- Must have mentor/collaborator at MU or WVU
- 50% release time required for research
Application Components
All applications must be completed using the most recent PHS 398 forms from NIH.Download forms →
Page Limits: Research Plan (Specific Aims + Research Strategy) limited to 10 pages for new projects. Competing renewals allowed up to 12 pages total. Combine all documents into a single PDF file for submission.
Allowable Expenses
✓ Allowed Expenses
- Salaries for PI, students, and technicians
- Supplies, reagents, and research-relevant software
- Services (animal care, next generation sequencing)
- Travel for research conferences (up to $2,000, presenter only)
- Equipment ($5,000 - $25,000)
- Publication costs
ℹ️ Important Notes
- Mentor fees ($5,000/year) are paid separately - do not include in budget
- PI must receive 50% release time - request 50% salary or institutional support
- IRB or ACUC approval required before funding if applicable
Award Requirements & Milestones
Year 1 Milestones
- Attend a national research meeting
Year 2 Milestones
- Attend and present at a national research meeting
- Submit one manuscript for publication
Note: Continued support in the second year depends on evidence of progress. If milestones are not met, the project may be terminated.
Questions & Contact
Application Submission
Letter of Intent
Submit by March 11, 2026 including project title, brief description, and mentor name
Prepare Application
Complete PHS 398 forms with all required sections and institutional signatures
Submit
Send single PDF to Stan Hileman at smhileman@hsc.wvu.edu by May 29, 2026