USC Office of Research

The University of Southern California (USC) is committed to enhancing and expanding its current institutional infrastructure through increased support of faculty teams interested in pursuing funding from federal agencies and other external sponsors. A critical aspect of many funding opportunities requires planning and the development of collaborations among researchers across disciplines, departments, and even institutions, resulting in a cohesive research program and singular objective that would not be feasible through a standalone research project.

The aim of this Request for Proposals is not to fund specific research projects, but rather to support teams of faculty who aim to plan and establish or foster a community of researchers at USC and potentially at external, partnering organizations, organized around a broad topic of shared interest. Support will be provided for groups of investigators to communicate, plan, and coordinate their efforts across disciplinary, organizational, institutional, and geographical boundaries. The objectives are to facilitate open communication and exchange of information and resources; to integrate research, infrastructure, and the activities of a multidisciplinary team of scientists working independently on topics of common interest; to nurture a sense of community amongst researchers; and to minimize isolation and maximize cooperation so as to eliminate unnecessary duplication of efforts.

Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is a new federal agency established in 2022. It supports transformative high-impact research to drive biomedical and health breakthroughs — ranging from molecular to societal — to provide transformative solutions for all patients. ARPA- H is an important new potential funder for research projects. President Biden’s FY23 omnibus appropriations bill provides $1.5 billion for ARPA-H through FY 2025 ($500 million or a 50% increase over FY 2022). ARPA-H is intended to complement NIH’s investments. The challenges faced and novelty required for developing ARPA-H applications have motivated the development of this Request for Proposals.

Nomination Submission

Nominations must be submitted via our Grant Portal.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact us at rii@usc.edu.

Previous Awardees

The USC Research and Innovation (R&I) Alternative Methods to Animal Research Award supports innovative, interdisciplinary, collaborative research that involves faculty groups across USC schools to develop alternative methods to animal testing, based on the concept of the “3Rs” (Replace, Reduce, and Refine). We encourage applicants to visit the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Alternatives to Animal Testing website, as well as the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Test Method Evaluations for recommendations on test methods accepted by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) and U.S. and international regulatory authorities. The ICCVAM is focused on the development and evaluation of alternatives to animal use for chemical safety testing and provides guidance to evaluate new methods and approaches, develop tools, and compile reference data for use by test method developers. The NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) supports the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), which evaluates and prepares recommendations on test methods proposed for regulatory use. Test methods recommended by ICCVAM and accepted by U.S. and international regulatory authorities include ways to assess hazards for eye and skin irritation, acute toxicity, and skin sensitization.

Nomination Submission

Nominations must be submitted via our Grant Portal.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact us at rii@usc.edu.

Previous Awardees

The University of Southern California (USC) is committed to enhancing and expanding its current institutional infrastructure through increased support of faculty teams interested in pursuing funding from federal agencies and other external sponsors. A critical aspect of many funding opportunities requires planning and the development of collaborations among researchers across disciplines, departments, and even institutions, resulting in a cohesive research program and singular objective that would not be feasible through a standalone research project. The aim of this Request for Proposals is not to fund specific research projects, but rather to support teams of faculty who aim to plan and establish or foster a community of researchers at USC and potentially at external, partnering organizations, organized around a broad topic of shared interest. Support will be provided for groups of investigators to communicate, plan, and coordinate their efforts across disciplinary, organizational, institutional, and geographical boundaries. The objectives are to facilitate open communication and exchange of information and resources; to integrate research, infrastructure, and the activities of a multidisciplinary team of scientists working independently on topics of common interest; to nurture a sense of community amongst researchers; and to minimize isolation and maximize cooperation so as to eliminate unnecessary duplication of efforts.

Nomination Submission

Nominations must be submitted via our Grant Portal.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact us at rii@usc.edu.

Awardees

The Ming Hsieh Institute for Research on Engineering-Medicine for Cancer (MHI) sponsors the Ming Hsieh Institute Research Award, which aims to make USC an international leader in translational research that bridges basic science, engineering, computing, and medicine. The MHI was established in 2010 through a generous gift from Ming Hsieh, a graduate of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, founder of Cogent Systems and Fulgent Genetics, USC Trustee, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors. The MHI’s main goal is to support integrated interdisciplinary translational research that speeds discovery and creates pathways to rapidly improve the lives of cancer patients. Its commitment to supporting new and creative approaches and breakthrough interdisciplinary ideas drives advances in engineering, computing, and science into treatments and cures for cancer. The Ming Hsieh Institute Research Award (MHIRA) aims to promote the integration of engineering, scientific and medical research that together generates novel thinking and the interdisciplinary and collaborative research needed to speed discovery and be translated into real improvements in human health.

Nomination Submission

Nominations must be submitted via our Grant Portal.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact us at rii@usc.edu.

Previous Awardees

Previous awardees can be found at Ming Hsieh Institute for Research on Engineering-Medicine for Cancer.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs across multiple federal funding agencies, also known as America’s Seed Fund, are one of the largest sources of early-stage capital for technology commercialization in the United States. These programs enable US-owned and operated small businesses to conduct research and development that has a strong potential for commercialization. The SBIR program, as established by law and reauthorized under Public Law 114-328, Section 1834 and Public Law 115-232, is intended to meet the following goals: stimulate technological innovation in the private sector; strengthen the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increase the private sector commercialization of innovations developed through federal research and development funding; and foster and encourage participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by women and socially or economically disadvantaged persons. The STTR program aims to foster technology transfer through cooperative research and development between small businesses and research institutions. Federal SBIR/STTR funding programs are phased. The main objective in an SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal is to establish the technical merit and feasibility of the proposed research and development efforts. For small businesses that have already demonstrated scientific and technical merit and feasibility, an SBIR/STTR Phase II project continues R&D efforts to advance the technology toward ultimate commercialization. Fast-Track projects incorporate a submission and review process in which both Phase I and Phase II applications are submitted and reviewed together as one application to reduce or eliminate the funding gap between phases. At the conclusion of an SBIR/STTR Phase II project, it is expected that the small business will fully commercialize their product or technology using either non-SBIR/STTR federal or non-federal funds. Applicants are expected ultimately to secure substantial independent third-part investor funds from another company, venture capital firm, angel investor, foundation, university, research institution, state or local government, or any combination of the above.

Nomination Submission

Nominations must be submitted via our Grant Portal.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact us at rii@usc.edu.

Previous Awardees

Integrating sustainability as a core value in USC’s strategic planning is a critically important institutional commitment. In addition to implementing impactful sustainability initiatives across USC’s campuses, great opportunities exist to expand and enhance USC’s research strengths and capabilities in sustainability.

Nomination Submission

Nominations must be submitted via our Grant Portal.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact us at rii@usc.edu.

Previous Awardees