I-CIS Innovation Grants

The Clinical Immunology Society (CIS) and the Jeffrey Modell Foundation are pleased to announce the I-CIS Innovation Grant – Vicki Modell Award, which offers an award to an individual in the third or fourth year fellow (at the time of the award start) with a concentration or focus on primary immunodeficiency and inborn errors of immunity. The 2025 Fellowship Award will provide one individual with a one-year grant in the amount of $50,000.

The objective of the grant is to support the development of academic clinical immunology research careers of fellows-in-training who have demonstrated commitment to the study of primary immunodeficiency as a career path in the United States and Canada. Funding is to support the education and research endeavors of this individual. This award is made possible by a generous unrestricted grant from the Jeffrey Modell Foundation.

Below are the instructions for submitting an application for the 2025 I-CIS Innovation Grant – Vicki Modell Award.

The deadline for the award application is February 3rd. For more information, please contact Madeleine Hanan, CIS Executive Director, mhanan@clinimmsoc.org, 414-224-8095.

Please read the instructions very carefully.

Please note that the deadline cannot be extended for any reason.

AWARD APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applications must be received on or before February 3rd.

ELIGIBILITY AND GUIDELINES:

• Applicants must hold an MD, DO or MD/PhD degree and plan to pursue a career in primary immunodeficiency. PhD post-doctoral fellows with a primary focus in studying inborn errors of immunity (IEI) will be considered.
• Applicants must be a 3^rd or 4^th year fellow-in-training at the start of funding, with a concentration or focus on primary immunodeficiency and be in good standing within the program.
• Applicants must be a member of CIS.
• Applicants must be enrolled in one of the recognized specialty boards in the US (i.e. allergy, immunology, hematology, infectious diseases, rheumatology, etc.); or PhD doctoral trainee under the mentorship in a lab or program with an established IEI investigator.

CONDITIONS OF THE AWARD:

• The award is $50,000 for one year.
• Award begins July 1, 2025 and ends June 30, 2026.
• Funds may be used for any combination of salary and/or lab support.
• Award may only be used for salary support and direct costs. Institutional indirect or general overhead costs cannot be covered.
• At the start of this award, the recipient may not have >$100,000 in direct cost funding or notice of award funding for a mentorship K awards or equivalent.
• During the period of this award if the recipient accepts other grants or other external funds of more than $15,000 that provide stipend or salary support for the same work outlined in the application, the funds must be returned to CIS.
• Recipient must make proper acknowledgements in presentations and publications resulting from the research sponsored by the award. Awardee will also notify the Grant Committee of any publications resulting from the work supported by the I-CIS Vicki Modell Award.
• The institution is responsible for documenting its role in terms of supporting the education and research efforts as well as providing adequate research capacity, including space and equipment, for the award recipient.
• The recipient must submit a final written progress report to the CIS at the conclusion of the award period. It is also expected the recipient will present the final results of their research at a future CIS Meeting.
• Awardee’s institution is required to submit a financial progress report at the conclusion of the award period.
• The CIS may discontinue an award if it is documented that the purpose or the terms of the award are not being fulfilled. In this event, the recipient will be notified in writing of this determination, the reason, and the effective date.

REVIEW PROCESS:

• Applications will be reviewed by Investigators of CIS (I-CIS) steering committee members with the inclusion of individuals with specialized knowledge.
• The I-CIS Innovation Grants Committee will score the applications (recusing themselves from any applications which would represent a conflict of interest). The scores will be compiled and the applications discussed on a conference call.
• Application review decisions are final.

REVIEW CRITERIA:

• Scientific merit of project
• Commitment to the field of primary immunodeficiency and inborn errors of immunity
• Environment and mentor
• Career plan (potential impact on the care of patients with primary immunodeficiency)

ONLINE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Award applications must be submitted online. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

The online short-form application will include:

I. Applicant Biographical Sketch (NIH Format)

a. Must include a full disclosure of all grants or awards currently received or pending.

II. Applicant's Personal Statement (not to exceed one page)

a. Summarize your training to date.

b. Comment on your specific clinical and research interests.

c. Describe the percentage of time allocated for your responsibilities (including research, teaching, clinical and administrative duties).

III. Career Development Plans (half page minimum; not to exceed one page)

a. Describe current and future plans for overall career development including training and research goals. Include specifics of how this award will contribute to your career development.

IV. Letter of Recommendation from Clinical Research or Lab Supervisor (not to exceed one page)

a. This section should be prepared jointly by the lab director and the training program director.

b. Describe the training environment that will support the clinical and research development of the applicant. Include details of current or upcoming projects.

V. Specific Aims Page

VI. An Outline of the Current Research Project NIH format (Font size 11 points or larger, single space, and at least ½” margins; not to exceed three pages)

a. Documentation, if applicable, upon receipt of the funds that the proposed research was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or human subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the grantee institution.

b. Description of Budget and Budget Justification NIH format

VII. Primary Mentor Biographical Sketch (NIH Format)

VIII. Financial Conflict of Interest Statement(s)

a. For each investigator, list real or potential financial conflicts of interest with the proposed studies. Financial conflicts of interest would include direct payments from corporate entities related to the proposed studies and/or investments that would benefit the investigator or the investigator’s family as a result of the proposed studies.

IX. Letters of Recommendation (not to exceed two pages each)

a. One letter of recommendation from Division Chief or equivalent

i. Details on the Institutions’ commitment to the applicant;

ii. Applicant’s qualifications for an academic career and availability of funding for applicant’s academic training expenses;

iii. Applicant’s training/career development plan (specify skills to be acquired)

Grant Timeline:

• Award applications are due no later than February 3, 2025
• Award selection will take place by early April
• Public Grantee announcement will be made at the CIS Annual Meeting

Applicants should direct questions to Madeleine Hanan at the CIS National Office:

mhanan@clinimmsoc.org