M-CERV Seminars and Seed Grants

Microbiology across Campuses Educational and Research Venture (M-CERV) is a recently created organized research unit with a primary mission of enhancing research associations among the numerous microbiologists on the UT campuses in Knoxville. M-CERV’s goal is to engender large project planning and grant applications not presently practical in any one local unit of the university.

Seminars

M-CERV is soliciting nominations for seminar presentations during FY2009-2010 for the express purpose of promoting multidisciplinary interactions among Knoxville’s microbiologists and related scientists. The budget for each speaker will be $3,000 including a $1,000 honorarium and post-seminar reception expenses. 

How to Apply
Nominations should not exceed one-two pages and must detail how the proposed visitor will impact M-CERV’s mission and goal (see above). Nominations should be sent electronically to the M-CERV co-directors, Dr. Jeff Becker at jbecker@utk.edu and Dr. Buddy Moore at rmoore1@utk.edu no later than Friday, September 25, 2009.

Seed Grants

M-CERV is also soliciting proposals for seed grants that will facilitate inter-campus and inter-disciplinary microbiology-related research projects.

Projects funded by M-CERV will be expected to result in substantial subsequent extramural grant applications and funding. A requirement for the application will be participation by more than one tenure-line investigator from different administrative units, one of whom will be UTK-based. ORNL investigators must be funded through an affiliated UT department or program.

Support will be available for items such as a graduate research assistant, a post-doctoral fellow, supplies, and equipment. The awards will be for FY2009-2010 and must be expended during the fiscal year. Projects that show significant progress during the first year will be considered for a second year of funding if additional data is likely to engender a high probability proposal submission.  Awards are limited to $25,000 for the current fiscal year. Cost sharing is not required but is encouraged.

Note: M-CERV funding for the current year is provided solely by the UTK Office of Research. In the event that M-CERV funding leads to grant awards from external sources, M-CERV investigators from units other than UTK agree to return 33% of the resulting F&A costs to future support of M-CERV. This requirement may be negotiated if there is an initial cost-sharing by the non-UTK unit.

How to Apply
The proposal will consist of a 2 to 3-page description of the microbiologically-related research to be performed, the potential for extramural funding should the seed grant lead to excellent preliminary results, and a PHS-style biosketch of the applicants including current funding and funding history. Grant applications will be evaluated by a panel of experts appointed by the M-CERV co-directors.

Complete applications should be sent electronically to the M-CERV co-directors, Dr. Jeff Becker at jbecker@utk.edu and Dr. Buddy Moore at rmoore1@utk.edu no later than Friday, October 2, 2009.

Contact Information

Jeffrey M. Becker, Ph.D.
Professor and Head,
Microbiology Department
F339 Walters Building
Phone: (865) 974-3006
Email: jbecker@utk.edu