MDRC Heart-Brain-Diabetes Interdisciplinary Study Program (HB-DISP)
Apply for the 2026-27 Program
Application Due Date was Wednesday, August 6, 2025 (11:59 PM)
The Heart-Brain-Diabetes Interdisciplinary Studies Program (HB-DISP) is sponsored by the Michigan Diabetes Research Center (MDRC) and the Stanley and Judith Frankel Institute for Heart and Brain Health (Frankel IHBH) Its purpose is to promote new interdisciplinary collaboration between TWO or more members of the University of Michigan faculty from distinct disciplines to focus their combined research strengths on cutting-edge areas in how metabolic diseases impact the heart and/or brain. The intent is to foster synergistic collaboration between faculty members to advance scientific inquiry.
Grant proposals may be in the areas of basic biomedical or clinical research (Type T1 or T2 translational, bench to bedside) and should address key questions in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, or control of cardiovascular and/or neurological diseases as they relate to metabolism or metabolic diseases (for example: obesity, metabolic syndrome, counter-regulatory proteins). Clinical T3 and T4 translational research proposals are not eligible. The goal of the HB-DISP is to enable investigators to generate a sufficient body of preliminary information for a successful application for major research funding from NIH or other national granting agency.
Eligibility
A minimum of two Co-Principal Investigators is required for DISP applications. Individuals who hold instructional, research, or clinical track independent faculty positions at the University of Michigan are eligible to apply as Co-Principal Investigators. At least one Co-Principal Investigator should be at the rank of assistant professor or below. Applicants who are not currently independent but will transition to independence during the period will be considered if there is a clear, written institutional commitment to independence on this timeline. The intent of this grant is to foster new interdisciplinary collaborations on campus. However, applications for new research initiatives from productive scientists with previous collaborations are not excluded from consideration. Each Co-Principal Investigator must provide critical intellectual as well as technical input into projects funded by a DISP grant. Individuals who receive the 2024-25 MDRC DISP grant are not eligible to receive a 2024-25 MDRC Pilot/Feasibility Grant. The proposal cannot overlap with current or pending extramural support.
Proposals
DISP proposals should be for two years of support, with total requested funding up to $100,000 per year direct costs. That is, the combined budgets proposed for all Co-Principal Investigators must not exceed a total of $200,000 for the two year period. We anticipate selecting two awards to fund.
Diabetes-relevant proposals that do not fit into the HB-DISP focus area should apply for the standard DISP mechanism. If such proposals are submitted to the HB-DISP, they may be considered for the standard DISP mechanism, albeit with the standard DISP budget of $100,000 over two years.
Each proposal will receive extramural peer review by recognized experts in the area of the proposal from the United States and abroad. Revised proposals from previous cycles are considered new applications and will be reviewed as such. The MDRC Grants Program Advisory Council of expert investigators reviews the DISP applications together with their respective peer evaluations and ranks the applications based on scientific merit and relevancy to diabetes research before final funding decisions are made. Funding for projects will depend on the successful renewal of the Michigan Diabetes Research Center application. Funding of DISP proposals that receive favorable review is anticipated to begin December 1, 2025.
DISP grant awardees are queried annually by MDRC administrative staff and are required to provide information on the publications and funding that stem from the DISP grant as this information must be reported to NIH. DISP grant awardees are also expected to present their research at the Annual Caswell Diabetes Institute Metabolism, Obesity, Nutrition and Diabetes Symposium generally held in the spring. If awarded funding, junior faculty will need to identify a mentor and investigators outside the diabetes field will need to identify a diabetes advisor.
To apply through competition space
Visit https://umms.infoready4.com/#applicationGrid/1979532
- Download the DISP Application and other Required Application Materials located on the right-hand side of the page under Supporting Documents. The HB-DISP Application file contains detailed application instructions.
- When you are ready to submit your application, select “Apply” from the right-hand menu in this Competition Space opportunity. Log in with your uniqname and Level 1 (Kerberos) password.
- All details are automatically saved as you enter them. When you are ready to submit, click "Submit Application" at the bottom of the page. You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been submitted.
QUESTIONS?
Please contact Shay Aboutawila, [email protected] or Cicely Luca, [email protected]
