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GNAC Award

Pilot Funding in Comparative Medicine

This is your opportunity to generate critical preliminary data, strengthen ongoing studies, improve data quality, and position your work for larger funding—such as NIH grants.

📅 Applications are accepted year-round, first group will be reviewed May 29, 2026
🔬 Funding supports GNAC-based research only
📩 Submit your proposal as a single PDF to: jpaik@uw.edu

  • The Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM) is offering small pilot awards of $10,000 – $15,000 each to
    fund 3-4 highly innovative projects
  • The purpose of the award is to provide funding for studies using the Gnotobiotic Animal Core (GNAC, https://uwgnotobiotics.org) to obtain preliminary data for new grant proposals or to expand current gnotobiotic studies to improve data quality
  • Funds can be used only for costs to conduct research in the GNAC (e.g. per diem, rederivation, research support fee etc)

Eligibility

  • Faculty at the University of Washington and research institutions in Seattle area
  • Preference will be given to research that generates significant insights into the microbiome field and has the potential to secure larger funding such as NIH grants

Application Guidelines:

(11 pt font (Arial or Helvetica), single spaced, 0.5-inch margins)   

(1)   Proposal cover page:

a. Title of Proposal
b. Name and title of PI and co-PIs

c. IACUC protocol number (if applicable)

(2)   Description of proposed research (2 pages max):

a. Background and Significance (include Rationale, Significance, Innovation, and Impact)

b. Approach.                                                                                                                                                                                i.  Specific Aims, Approaches (methods), potential pitfalls and alternative approaches, statistical analyses              ii.  Timeline (should be completed within 1 year)

c. Eligibility statement                                                                                                                                                                i.  Description of how the support will lead to additional external funding, commercial applications, and/or                 manuscripts                                                                                                                                                                                  ii.  For NIH funded investigators, description of how the proposed research will significantly contribute to                    ongoing work in the laboratory

d. References

(3)   Budget page (1 page max)

                  a. Itemized Budget Current rates can be found here: Rates

                  b. Budget Justification

(3)   NIH Biosketch of PI and co-PIs (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm)

(5)   Review Process

  Reviewers will evaluate the submission based on:

        • Scientific merit, innovation, and impact of the proposed research
        • Consistency with the mission of the GNAC
        • Feasibility of completion within the grant period (one year from the beginning of the project)
        • Likelihood that successful completion of the project will result in a publication and/or additional funding  

         Push your research forward—apply today!

      📩 Submit your proposal as a single PDF to: jpaik@uw.edu