Idea Award

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The WiNSC Idea Awards are designed to facilitate rapid adoption of cutting-edge WiNSC core resources and methods. This mechanism will support highly targeted usage of services within the WiNSC and will be rigorously selected from a monthly review process. Idea awards are geared towards rapid implementation and turnaround of key missing data sets in manuscripts or in preliminary data critical to establish feasibility or new conceptional evidence in extramural grant proposals. Requested amounts should not exceed $15,000 per award. Questions about WiNSC awards can be directed to WiNSC Program Manager Alicia Weich at winsc@medicine.wisc.edu. 2025 deadline: Applicants invited on a rolling basis.

Completed applications with budgets should be emailed to winsc@medicine.wisc.edu with the “Idea Award Application” in the subject line. Since these awards are utilized for cores and services within WiNSC, submission through your Institution’s Research and Sponsored Programs office is not (likely) required.

Idea Award Application Details

Aging investigators from across the world are encouraged to apply for the Idea Award. Before submitting your application, please visit the WiNSC Core pages and contact the Core leaders to discuss experimental design and feasibility.

Each application will include:

1. Proposal title
2. Principal Investigator(s), including the name, degree, position, academic institution, department of all PIs
3. Biosketch
4. Abstract (200 words)
5. Scientific research plan that describes the relevance to aging, metabolism and translational potential and provides specific information on how the award would accelerate their progress and advance their research (1-2 pages)
6. Budget and justification that includes project scope (e.g. sample numbers, mouse numbers, cell numbers, etc.) including costs or samples as discussed with the leaders of the appropriate WiNSC Cores (no more than 2 pages)

Completed applications should be emailed to WiNSC Program Manager Alicia Weich at winsc@medicine.wisc.edu.

Awardee Responsibilities

Principal Investigators (PIs) of funded projects will provide a final scientific and financial report after six months from the start-date of the project. PIs of funded projects will receive mentoring as needed throughout and beyond their Award. PIs of funded projects may be asked to present their research at the Annual Conference organized by WiNSC. Award recipients will report to the Administrative Core any publication that resulted from their pilot project, additional funding obtained to continue the work, and new collaborations.