We ask that proposals follow NIH style formatting and include:

• NIH Style Biosketch for all PIs

• Research Plan (3 pages) that includes subsections: Significance, Innovation, Approach, Milestones, and Relevance to HUB Innovation Awards Program

• 1-page Budget (total amount not to exceed $100,000 in direct costs over 1 year)

• Data management plans in NIH format

Applications must adhere to the following formatting specifications:

• 11-point Arial Font

• 0.5 inch margins on all sides

• Single spaced

Additional information regarding NIH formatting can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application and https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/forms-directory/biosketch.

Award recipients agree to provide a written update detailing research progress and expenditure of funds must be submitted to NIH staff and the HUB eight months after the start of the funding period. Awardees are expected to attend HUB Annual Meetings and present their research findings at the meeting coinciding with the conclusion of their award period.

A mandatory 2-page summary of all work completed during the award period must be submitted to the HUB within 60 days of the funding period’s end. Summaries should include key results and accomplishments, next steps for the project, and an overview of the project’s contribution to the HUB’s mission of advancing biomaterials development and translation. All presentations and publications resulting from work funded by a HUB Innovation Award must acknowledge support from the HUB.

PIs are only allowed to submit one proposal as the contact PI but may be included on other proposals as collaborators. Recipients of HUB awards agree to participate in HUB activities, including attendance at the annual meeting, contribution to planning committees, and participation at HUB webinars and workshops. Lastly, proposals must include computational tools and/or emphasize high translational potential.

PIs are required to submit IRB/IACUC/IBC approvals should they be selected for funding. Data management plans in NIH format should be addressed, as necessary, in a separate document.

All proposals will undergo a competitive review process and will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Translational Potential

   • What unmet clinical need or niche does the proposed project address?

   • How does the project advance the application and utility of the biomaterial in that clinical context?

2. Computational Approaches (if applicable)

   • How are computational methods or models employed to support or accelerate biomaterials development?

   • What is the added value of these techniques to the overall project?

3. Strength and Synergy of Collaboration

   • What distinct expertise, tools, or resources does each collaborator contribute?

   • How will the collaboration enhance the pace or quality of biomaterials development and translation?

4. Significance and Innovation

   • What is the clinical importance of the proposed application and its urgency for translation?

   • How does the project introduce novel concepts, strategies, or technologies to advance biomaterials research?

5. Scientific and Technical Approach

   • Is the research plan well-conceived, methodologically sound, and feasible within the proposed timeline?

   • Are potential risks identified and addressed?

6. Relevance to HUB Mission

   • How well does the proposed work align with the HUB’s overarching goals of advancing biomaterials innovation, development, and clinical translation?