Strategic Opportunities Support (SOS)

The goal of the Strategic Opportunities Support (SOS) Center is to advance clinical and translational research at UCSF by providing resources specifically aimed at catalyzing research and career development activities in clinical and translational sciences. The SOS Center has been designed to be a catalyst for researchers to explore novel areas and to test the limits of innovative technologies and methodologies. It is meant to accelerate the conversion of scientific discoveries from laboratories to the clinic and into practical medical advances for patients and communities that need them the most. The Center will provide pilot funding for research and career development activities in clinical and translational sciences. Mentoring resources will be provided and the Center will serve as a one-stop mechanism to identify pilot funding sources for clinical and translational research. The Center will also enhance the careers of investigators who are interested in obtaining expertise and skills required for modern clinical and translational research. Multidisciplinary clinical research programs will be fostered through opportunity funds administered by the SOS Center. The SOS Center will provide a transparent, peer-reviewed process that awards funds to encourage and to enable research and career development in clinical and translational research.

Apply for CTSI-SOS funds through RAP!

Learn More & Apply.

Spring 08 Application Deadline:
April 14, 2008

CTSI - SOS is part of the newly formed umbrella funding organization - "Resource Allocation Program" (RAP). Our participation in RAP will make it easier for researchers to search and apply for funds across several funding agencies. It will also improve the review process.
Read More.

Learn how to acknowledge CTSI on SOS publications/projects.

Contact:

Inquiries may be directed to:
Emanuela Volpe
SOS Center Program Administrator
E-mail: sos@ucsf.edu
Phone: 415-514-0301

2007 First Round Awards A Huge Success!

In the initial round, the Strategic Opportunities Support (SOS) Center evaluated over 250 submitted letters of intent and awarded more than $1 million in funds to 23 team projects aimed at stimulating research and career development activities in clinical and translational sciences.

Read more about the 2007 awardees:   Spring 2007   Fall 2007

Grant Areas

• Pilot Research Project for Junior Investigators in Basic & Clinical/Translational Sciences This category is for new and junior faculty who achieved independent status. These Pilot Projects support preliminary research using human subjects, tissue, or clinical data to address questions related to disease pathogenesis, diagnosis, or management.

• Novel Clinical/Translational Methods Catalyst Awards These grants are used to support training or research activities leading to the development of novel non-technological methodologies for clinical/ translational research.

• Translational Technology Awards These pilot projects involve innovative and promising translational technologies to enhance clinical and translational research.

• Technology Mini-Symposium Awards The objective of these awards is to provide support for small-scale scientific meetings that emphasize the applications of cutting edge technology to translational research. Highest priority will be given to technologies and meeting formats that will promote interactions between diverse disciplines. Award Amount $2,500.

• Multidisciplinary Research Project Planning Awards These grants are used to support development of complex cross-disciplinary research projects, through funding of activities leading to large grant applications, such as a PO1 grant.

• Multi-center Start-Up Planning Awards These grants are used to support development of complex research projects, through funding of activities leading to large grant applications, such as R01 for a multi-center clinical trial.

• Under-Represented Faculty in Clinical and Translational Research Awards This program is directed at fellows and assistant professor faculty from economically under-represented and/or ethnic or racial minority backgrounds. The goal is to encourage fellows and junior faculty from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to remain in academia for their career, and thus increase the diversity of our faculty.

• Flexible Mini-Sabbatical/Leave Awards As a multidisciplinary research career develops, faculty often need to learn new methods and skills. The Flexible Sabbatical/Leave Program is designed for clinical and translational research faculty, and will relieve them of non-research responsibilities for 3-6 months.

• Global Health Awards This category is for pilot projects that involve innovative research in the area of global health. Awards are intended for junior faculty who are encouraged to develop interdisciplinary projects in collaboration with senior UCSF investigators across schools and to take advantage of established infrastructure for international research. The award amount is limited to $25,000 for one year.