PGRN Agena Bioscience Genotyping Grant
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Grant Award: Genotyping up to 960 reactions
The PGRN is seeking proposals for a genotyping project funded by PGRN and Agena Bioscience. Applicants should submit a proposal that takes advantage of genotyping via the Veridose Core 2.0 (https://www.agenabio.com/products/panel/veridose-core-panel/) and CYP2D6 CNV reagents of 15 pharmacogenes for up to 960 reactions (estimated to be approximately 800 patient DNA samples including controls and repeats). Proposals must include a scientific question(s) related to the value of pharmacogenetics for health outcomes.
Proposals should include genotyping of a population that includes samples from at least 33% participants of non-European genetic ancestry. It is understandable that investigators may elect to focus on a subset of pharmacogenes in this panel that are most relevant to their drug(s) of interest. However, for those genes they will not explore and publish on, they are strongly encouraged to make the data available, assuming they have appropriate consent for such sharing. The goal is to encourage the broadest scientific use of the data generated to benefit the pharmacogenomics research community.
Proposals will be reviewed based on scientific merit and significance, the degree to which the proposal helps advance pharmacogenomics knowledge and qualifications of the investigator team. It is anticipated that one PGRN-Agena Bioscience grant will be awarded this year. Multiple sites may be allowed to collaborate for the award, and groups may consider more than one scientific question addressed with the approximately 800 samples.
Eligibility
Applicants must be PGRN members. Trainee members are eligible with faculty sponsorship documented in a letter of support. An individual can be listed as a principal investigator (PI) or co-principal investigator (co-PI) on only one proposal to the PGRN Research Grant opportunities in each funding cycle.
Site/Investigator must have access to a MassArray system for testing as only reagents for the Agena Pgx panels are being provided in this grant mechanism. If your institution does not have access to this technology, please reach out to Agena Bioscience (https://www.agenabio.com/contact/), who can help you identify a potential partner.
DNA samples should be extracted from whole blood, saliva, or buccal swabs at a minimum concentration of 5ng/uL.
Proposal (no more than 4 pages, excluding references, budget justification, biographical sketches, and letters of support)
The following sections should be included in your proposal. Applicants have flexibility in the organization, but all the following sections are required.
1. Aims, Background and Significance
2. Statement of diversity and inclusion of understudied populations - including description of the study population and knowledge gap to be filled with the research.
3. Research strategy and approach – Including statistical analysis.
4. Sample and data access attestation – the investigators attest that the DNA samples for the proposed study are on hand, and they have access to the clinical/research/phenotype data to be used in the study.
5. Timeline
Investigator(s) Biographical Sketch/CV
A brief (max 5 pages) NIH or equivalent biographical sketch is required for all investigators with funded effort on the grant. NIH biographical sketch format, instructions, and examples can be found here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm. If a biosketch is not available a CV (5 pages max) can be provided.
Budget and justification (half page)
Provide an overview budget justification that describes how the project will be funded/supported beyond the genotyping reagents provided by this award. Budgets should be realistic and any additional funds available to support the project should be discussed at a high level. A detailed budget for items that are part of the infrastructure that supports the project, but are outside of the scope of the grant, are not required.
Institutional overhead is not allowed for this grant as the sponsor will provide in-kind support for genotyping reagents only.
Letters of Support
Your application should include letters of support from collaborators and other significant contributors, if relevant.
Attestation of access to a Mass Array System and resources to run panels
All proposals should include attestation of access to a MassArray system and access to financial resources to run the Agena Veridose 2.0 Core panels on the MassArray system. If there will be no costs to the investigators to run the samples this should be stated. If the PI or other investigators have this resource in their laboratory, they can so state. If the investigator does not have a MassArray system, a letter or support must be provided from a laboratory that has a MassArray that will perform genotyping. Please contact Agena for investigators that have MassArray systems, if one is not readily available.
Criteria for Review
Proposals will be reviewed by an Expert Review Panel organized by the PGRN Scientific Committee. Scorable criteria include significance, study design and analysis, diversity of the study population, and feasibility of completion during funding period. Investigators will be assessed as acceptable or not, consistent with new NIH criteria. Each proposal will be reviewed by at least two reviewers and applicants with competitive scores will be reviewed for prioritization for funding by the entire review panel. Reviewer comments will be summarized and shared with all applicants after the final funding decision. The final selection for funding will be made by the PGRN Executive Council.
Application Due Date, Project Period, and Deliverables:
The grant is due by midnight, Pacific Time March 1, 2025. The project period for this grant is 1 year from the time of fund distribution.
Deliverables:
· A one-page final progress report will be due at the end of the 1-year.
· Presentation of data is required within 24 months after award notification and will include:
Pre-print or manuscript within 30 months of award. Writing or analysis support from Agena Bioscience is available upon request. All published work supported by this grant must include the following acknowledgement: “This project was supported (or supported in part) by the PGRN Agena Bioscience Grant.”