Call for Applications: $100,000 Mesothelioma Research Grants

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation announces the availability of its 2009 round of mesothelioma research grant funding.

Continuing its efforts to stimulate translational research for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, the Meso Foundation is again soliciting applications for funding of innovative projects that address issues for the treatment of the disease. Eligible projects may relate to benchwork, translational or clinical research, must not be presently funded or pending review, and may be conducted through any not-for-profit academic, medical or research institution, in the U.S. or abroad.

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation's ability to award grants results from the generosity of private donors, who give to the Foundation in order to make a direct impact on the tragedy of the disease. Therefore, the Foundation seeks exceptional projects for which the Foundation's funding is demonstrated to be essential and not duplicative.

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation's Science Advisory Board will review and score the research proposals, and make a recommendation to the Foundation's Board of Directors as to the relative ranking of the projects, and the extent to which they merit funding. The Foundation has historically been able to support an awards-to-applications percentage of approximately 25% reflecting the Foundation’s deep commitment to funding highly deserving research. This round, the Foundation will again endeavor to fund as many high quality projects as its resources allow.

The award for any project will be for two years up to $50,000 per year. The Foundation will review and monitor the study's progress and results, requiring a ten month progress report, and a presentation and full progress report at the close of the second year. Funding will be continued for the second year only upon satisfactory progress obtained in the first year.

The National Mesothelioma Virtual Bank (NMVB), http://www.mesotissue.org/,will provide facilitated access to the resource to Meso Foundation-funded researchers.  They will receive expedited review of requests to use the NMVB, and at no cost they will have direct access to materials already in the bank, as well as enhanced collections from the main sites of materials not already in the bank which they need for their research.

Please be advised that the Meso Foundation does not pay institutional indirect costs.

Encouraged mesothelioma projects include, but are not limited to, benchwork/translational/clinical investigations of:

1. Strategies for early detection of new or progressive disease;

2. Definition of targetable differences between normal and transformed mesothelium and development of novel strategies for treatment taking advantage of these targets;

3. Therapeutic intervention, including but not limited to;

4. Determination of clinical/molecular determinants for prognosis;

5. Pain management.

Applications will be scored on the following criteria:

1. Scientific merit

2. Originality

3. Study design

4. Clinical or scientific impact

5. Practicality and feasibility.

CLINICAL PROTOCOLS AND PROPOSALS INVOLVING ANIMALS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE APPROPRIATE IRB OF THE UNIVERSITY, HOSPITAL OR INSTITUTE BEFORE THE MESO FOUNDATION FUNDS ARE AWARDED. A COPY OF EITHER THE APROVAL LETTER(S) OR OF THE REQUEST FOR APPROVAL MUST ACCOMPANY THE APPLICATION.

Applications are limited to 10 pages (not including biographies) and are due no later than August 15, 2009. Notifications will begin December 15^th, awards will be activated by December 31, 2009.

To apply, mail an original application and six copies to:

For an easily printable Word version of the Meso Foundation Grant Application, please download here. For a sample of the terms and conditions letter to which all grantees will be required to agree, click here. For additional information, including a listing and descriptions of prior Foundation grants, please review the Meso Foundation's, www.curemeso.org website or call (805) 563-8400 x7273.