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Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Funds for Investigator-Initiated Clinical/Translational Studies

This Lurie Cancer Center funding mechanism supports underfunded or unfunded clinical trials for highly innovative, investigator-initiated, cancer-relevant clinical studies.

The goal of the Lurie Clinical Translational Resource Allocation Committee (LCTRAC) is to support innovative, investigator-initiated trials and novel translational research conducted at the Lurie Cancer Center that may serve as the foundation for larger, nationally funded studies.This mechanism is developed to encourage investigator-initiated trials developed by Lurie Cancer Center faculty or studies that our faculty have major role in, as well as correlative studies that are conducted in conjunction with a clinical protocol. The LCTRAC will give consideration to applications that meet Lurie Cancer Center priorities:

  1. Peer-reviewed grant or foundation-funded trial/research based on the concept of a Lurie Cancer Center investigator
  2. Lurie Cancer Center investigator-initiated trial/research with partial or no support
  3. Externally sponsored studies in which an LCC investigator plays a key role (e.g., study wide testing is being done at an LCC investigator lab) or an LCC investigator is extending concepts of the trial.

Awards will be provided for up to $50,000 per study. Allowable expenses include:

  • Clinical research coordination, data management and regulatory support
  • Non-standard testing
  • Research lab supplies and equipment
  • Research lab personnel effort

The award may not be used to cover PI salary. Funding increases may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed bimonthly. Protocols must have been reviewed and approved by the Lurie Cancer Center Scientific Review Committee to be eligible for this support. Applications must be complete to be eligible for review. A complete application includes:

  • LCTRAC Application, including a full budget
  • SRC-approved protocol
  • SRC approval letter, including comments and SRC merit score
  • PI Track Record (a summary document listing accrual information/target accrual and number of patients accrued to date for all of the PI’s respective Disease Team studies that have been submitted to the SRC over the past three years)

Please submit all documents to LCCAdministration@northwestern.edu. Please direct any questions regarding this funding opportunity to Renee Webb.

Awardees will be followed for progress and outcomes, including publications, abstracts, national presentations, later phase studies, and peer-reviewed funded research.