PURPOSES & GUIDELINES

The SAGES Research Awards are open to any principal investigator who is a SAGES member, including Candidate members. SAGES would like to especially encourage grant funding to young investigators/candidate members in the hopes that funding through SAGES will lead to additional extramural funding.  Awards are conferred on a competitive basis by submission of a grant application, which is reviewed and evaluated by the SAGES Research Committee and approved by the Governing Board. 

AVAILABLE GRANTS

Grants are limited to no more than $30,000 each, for a period of one year, and are made to the principal investigator.  The purpose of these grants is to stimulate original research in gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery.  The study may be either "bench" research or clinical.  In the spirit of supporting the goals of our membership, applicants are encouraged to review: Urbach DR, Horvath KD, Baxter NN, Jobe BA, Madan AK, Pryor AD, Khaitan L,Torquati A, Brower ST, Trus TL, Schwaitzberg S. A research agenda for gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery. Surgical Endoscopy 2007 for a recent review of key research questions.  Part of the grant review process includes evaluation of the importance of the research question.  The review committee will incorporate these published rankings to determine the importance of submitted topics.

GRANT GUIDELINES

It is assumed that some of the resources required to conduct the project are available through the investigator's institution. The research grant serves to provide supplemental support for personnel (not including the salary of the principal investigator), equipment or services required to complete the research. 

Awards are based on the scientific merit of the project as well as the investigator's capability and the likelihood that the project will be completed successfully.  Considerations include the investigator's experience, background, availability of patient material and other resources.  In the case of a junior investigator, the experience and background of the Co-PI mentor will be considered. 

Investigators are required to submit semi-annual updates to SAGES Research Committee during the course of the research, starting one year after the grant has been awarded.  At the conclusion of the project, the investigator is required to submit a report to the Research Committee. An abstract must be submitted for the SAGES Scientific Session which immediately follows the successful completion of the work.  Additionally, upon acceptance of the abstract for presentation at the SAGES Scientific Session, a manuscript on the study and your findings must be sent to Surgical Endoscopy. A manuscript must also be sent to the SAGES office in order for the grant to be considered complete.  

Since research facilities are factored into funding decisions by the Research Committee, the primary investigator must inform the SAGES office if he or she leaves his or her institution during the course of completing this research.  The SAGES Research Committee chair will work with the investigator to determine if the research funds will stay with the initial institution or move with the investigator.  SAGES reserves the right to make this final decision. 

SAGES Research Committee understands that studies may need modification during the execution phase.  If a study design is modified, the primary investigator MUST notify the committee.  The committee will then review the suggested changes and decide whether they will continue to fund the new study. 

INDIRECT COST POLICY

The monies SAGES awards for research grants are intended for use as seed money only and no indirect costs may be charged against these awards.

INSTRUCTIONS-NEW FOR 2009

SAGES grants must be submitted online and you must logged in as a member to submit a grant application. To begin, click here.

DEADLINE - Grant applications must be uploaded by Friday, November 21, 2008 at 5PM Eastern. No changes can be made after this time.  A decision for funding will be made by January 2009 and announced during the award ceremony at the SAGES 2009 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, April 22-25, 2009.

FAQs

For a list of FAQs, please click here.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For more information, email research@sages.org or call (310) 437-0544, ext. 102.