Developmental Funds Core - 002

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Developmental Funds: Project Summary/Abstract Developmental Funds are a critical component of this CCSG. These funds are used to shape the future Membership of the Koch Institute, to seed future research directions within the four Programs, and to ensure that the Center's Core Facilities meet the needs of the Membership. Developmental Funds are used in support of three distinct areas: Faculty Recruitment, Faculty Pilot Projects, and development of new Core Facilities. The recruitment and support of early career development of new faculty is one of the principal goals of the CCSG Developmental Funds. Historically, this has been a highly successful use of these funds, which are leveraged with additional support from MIT. New Investigators are recruited through a stringent evaluation process (see Program Planning and Evaluation Core section). As part of the recruitment process, a start-up package is negotiated that includes salary support, initial equipment purchases as well as funds for laboratory operating expenses for up to three years. These funds are necessary to allow the new faculty members to establish their laboratories and obtain independent funding. Start-up support for new faculty came from CCSG funds (typically 1/3 of the cost) with the balance coming from the Dean of Science or Engineering and the Provost. Recent start-up packages have been approximately $1.5M in total support. The Developmental Funds of this CCSG are also used to fund Pilot Projects in new research directions. The ability to provide funding for Pilot Projects is a highly effective mechanism for the Director and Program Leaders to influence the progress of cancer research at MIT and to rapidly respond to new opportunities and new strategic directions. It also represents a means to bring different Koch Institute Members together in collaborative projects. Pilot Projects are expected to be novel and early-stage. They are often high risk/high reward in nature, and it is anticipated that the funding will allow for the generation of preliminary data that might form the basis of future grant applications. The final use of these funds is for the development of new Core Facilities, in particular the expertise to operate state-of-the-art-instrumentation and provide new leading edge services, all based on the ever- changing scientific demands of Center Members. This need reflects the emergence of new technologies both at the outset and over the course of the proposed funding period. CCSG Developmental funds allow flexible response in all three categories and they have played, and will continue to play, a key role in leveraging Institutional funds.