Why is the Foundation doing this program?
The Foundation is implementing this program to continue the life-long work of its benefactor, Wallace H. Coulter. Wallace was an engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur who believed that the results of research must be taken to the stage of a commercially viable product in order to truly benefit humanity. Believing that the contributions of engineers to solving biomedical problems were generally under-recognized, Wallace mentored and encouraged young engineers to dream, take risks, and be innovative.

What do you mean by translational research?
That’s actually a difficult question to answer succinctly. Different people have different perceptions of what is meant by translational research, and volumes have been written about it. From the Foundation’s perspective, translational research is research that has some or all of the following characteristics:

· It is driven primarily by considerations of use and practical applications of the research results, as opposed to basic research, which is driven primarily by a quest for knowledge.

· It envisions the development of a practical solution that addresses a particular clinical problem or unmet clinical need.

· It often envisions as an endpoint the development of a particular product.

· The research results generally include intellectual property that can be protected by patents.

· It involves clinical application as a goal, and therefore requires a transition (a translation) of the research from the research laboratory to the clinic (“bench to bedside”).

· It involves commercialization as a goal, and therefore requires a transition (a translation) of the technology (technology transfer) from the academic institution to a commercial entity for final product development, manufacturing and sales.

Who else is funding this type of research?
We know of no other private or public source with a specific focus of funding translational research in biomedical engineering. Of course there are many other private and public sources that may involve funding translational research and/or biomedical engineering as elements of their programs.

How many awards will you fund each year?
The Foundation does not have a fixed number of awards that it will fund each year, nor do we have a specific “payline” like the NIH. The Foundation plans to approve and fund all of the excellent applications, and has resources available to do so.

How much will be expended for this program?
No specific dollar amount has been designated for this program. The Foundationhas resources available to fund all of the research awards approvedwithin this program.

It has been more than six years since I received my doctoral degree, but I had to take time away from my career due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness, military service, maternity leave). Will it be possible to get a waiver of the strict
6-year eligibility requirement under these circumstances?
The Foundation will maintain some flexibility in evaluating situations such as this. Such waivers of eligibility requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For such consideration, the applicant should contact the Foundation before beginning the online application process.

What about grant requests from a PI who is not in the BME department but is doing BME research?
The BME PI must have a primary appointment in the BME department.

What about adjunct faculty?
Adjunct faculty would not be eligible.

How will the research award selection be made and by whom?
The final selection of research awards will be made by the Foundation’s executive committee. The selection will be based upon Foundation personnel review of all applications, as well as on the recommendations of a panel of independent expert reviewers external to the Foundation.

If a project is not selected the first time, can it be re-submitted?
Yes, the Foundation anticipates annual cycles for this program, so an application can be modified and re-submitted for funding in a subsequent cycle.

Will you fund overhead on the grant?
The Foundation will pay overhead (indirect costs) of up to 20% of eligible budget items for each grant. This overhead is paid on top of the direct costs, i.e., a grant with an annual budget of $100,000 in eligible direct costs could request up to $20,000 in indirect costs, for a total annual budget of $120,000. The details of direct and indirect cost calculations are contained in the online budget form that will be submitted as part of the application.

Can a research project also have NIH funding?
Prior NIH funding is acceptable, and applicants are encouraged to seek funding from the NIH and other private and public sources post Coulter Foundation funding. Funding from the NIH that is concurrent with the Coulter Foundation project funding would not be appropriate if it supports the same research project to achieve the same specific goals and milestones. However, it would be acceptable if it supports related but clearly distinguishable goals and milestones.

What about research that is being partly funded by a corporation?
It is not the purpose of this funding to support corporate research. If a corporation is already involved in funding a project, it would most likely have already obtained a license or option to the technology, which would mean that the project would be beyond the stage of appropriateness for this funding.

Are there further funding resources for successful grant projects after your grant is over?
Attracting follow-on funding from other public and/or private sources to supportsuccessful projects after the Foundation funding is considered to be the primary short-term measure of a successful project. The Foundation does not make any commitment for further funding.

What if a researcher who has a grant leaves the university-can he take the grant with him?
Possibly, but requests for such transfers must be submitted to the Foundation in writing for Foundation approval.

Will the Foundation have a claim on the intellectual property?
No, the Foundation will not claim any rights to intellectual property.

Since this program focuses on technology transfer and commercialization, how do I deal with the disparate issues associated with patenting vs. publishing my results?
This issue goes beyond this particular award program, and needs to be addressed in the context of the policies, procedures, and cultures of each particular partner institution. While there are indeed some requirements associated with patenting vs. publishing that are seemingly at odds, in our experience both can be done effectively without significant negative impact. It boils down to a matter of sequence and timing – the important thing is to file a patent application first before publishing. While this may require some delay in publication, the delay can be short (e.g., 30-60 days) and manageable.