On behalf of the Center for Biomedical Data Science, the OVPRI presents the following CBDS UO-OHSU Collaborative Project Awards solicitation with an initial deadline of July 3 for the letter of intent.
Overview
The Center for Biomedical Data Science (CBDS) is a collaborative platform for Oregon’s leadership at the interface of human health, biosciences and data science. The Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon (UO) represent two of Oregon’s mostvisible projects whose aims are to improve human health and help science advance society. CBDS serves as a bridge between the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s intensive research programin precision cancer early detection and precision oncology with UO’s strengths as acomprehensive research university with growing focus in areas such as bioengineering, datascience, and innovation and entrepreneurship in the Knight Campus.
A key mission of CBDS is to support research collaborations between the institutions that willprovide a foundation for significant external grant funding. In service of this goal we are launching CBDS Collaborative Project Awards, which are significant seed funds to support collaborativebiomedical data science research between UO and OHSU. Up to three successful projects will bechosen for support of up to $100,000 each for 24 months, with a key deliverable beingfoundational data and research framework for application for significant additional federal funding.
Scope
Successful applications will focus on a project proposal that focuses on a key challenge in humanhealth and biosciences that uses innovative approaches that integrate data science, and ifsuccessful will lead to increased probability of additional funding. Consistent with guidelinesprovided by CBDS philanthropic funding sources, proposed projects must involve researchdirected to detection, characterization, interception and/or treatment of cancer. Project teamsmust include at least one PI from UO and at least one PI from OHSU. A goal of this mechanism isto build teams of researchers who may have not yet worked with one another, includingindividuals who have knowledge and expertise that would be beneficial for cancer researchprojects but who have not previously worked on cancer research. As such, the RFA will comprisethree phases: Phase 1 will involve submission of a letter of interest to participate, listing researchareas and expertise. Previous research on cancer is not required. Letters of interest will allowparticipants to proactively self assemble in teams. Letters will also be utilized in Phase 2 toanswer questions, connect potential collaborators, and possibly develop virtual sessions forfurther matchmaking. Phase 3 will then involve the submission of applications from teams ofresearchers.
Key Information
Please submit completed application materials to CBDS@ohsu.edu.
- Phase 1. Letter of Interest: July 3, 2025
- Phase 2. Facilitated Team formation: August 1, 2025
- Phase 3. Proposal deadline: August 29, 2025
- Notification of award: October 3, 2025
- Award amount: Up to $100,000 for 24 months (up to $50,000 for work at UO andup to $50,000 for work at OHSU)Eligibility Teams consisting of at least one PI from UO and one PI from OHSU
Award Details
Funded awards will receive support of up to $100,000 for a period of 24 months. For each award,up to $50,000 will be provided for work performed by UO and up to $50,000 will be provided forwork performed by OHSU. A primary outcome is for cross-institution teams to work together todemonstrate collaboration, and to create a foundation (such as preliminary results) for furtherfunding. An expectation for the funding period is that teams will be actively working towardsubmission of a larger grant proposal by the end of the funding period.ELIGIBILITYCBDS Collaborative Project Awards are only available to teams consisting of at least one PIfrom UO and at least one PI from OHSU. Awards are intended to support collaborative projectsthat require data science or computational analysis. Projects should describe how computationalapproaches will be used to address both biologically- and computationally- oriented questionswithin the field. Awards may not overlap with funded work and may not be used as bridgingsupport for projects for which funding has lapsed.
Eligibility
CBDS Collaborative Project Awards are only available to teams consisting of at least one PIfrom UO and at least one PI from OHSU. Awards are intended to support collaborative projectsthat require data science or computational analysis. Projects should describe how computationalapproaches will be used to address both biologically- and computationally- oriented questionswithin the field. Awards may not overlap with funded work and may not be used as bridgingsupport for projects for which funding has lapsed.
Potential Work and Research Areas
The following research areas provide example themes and areas, but are not meant to be anexhaustive and exclusive list. Research project proposals that fulfill the goals of the RFA asstated above are welcomed.
- Immunodiscovery, immunoengineering and immunotherapy
- Aging as a unifying theme in cancer
- Human New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to complement the use of animals inresearch, including in silico and in vitro models
- Multi-omics data integration and analysis using machine learning
- Artificial intelligence innovations in biomedical image analysis
- Innovation in these scientific areas relevant to cancer research involving
- Algorithm development
- Data mining, curation, and visualization
- Data analysis, processing, multimodal integration, and workflows integrating AI agents
- Machine learning, interpretable and/or explainable AI, graph and network theory
- Mathematical modeling and simulations
Proposal Requirements
Phase 1 – Letter of Interest
Letters of Interest should be a maximum of 1 page, and should include an abstract/summary thatwill be shared among participants in this process. If an inter-institutional team is submitting theLetter of Interest, the Letter should include a description of the project team, plans for how theinter-institutional team will work together, and a summary of the research plan. The Letter mayalso describe needs that the team is looking to address by adding new collaborators. This willhelp with identification of additional team members in a facilitated matchmaking process.
PIs may submit Letters of Interest that describe expertise and resources that the PIs couldcontribute to project teams, and ideas for new directions that could nucleate formation of newteams. This will allow PIs who may not yet belong to an inter-institutional team to participate in afacilitated matchmaking process for team formation.
The abstracts/summaries included in the Letters of Interest will be distributed to all other PIs whosubmit LOIs, and also to PIs who are identified by CBDS leaders as being potential teammembers. Letters of Interest will be accepted and distributed on a rolling basis to maximizeparticipation in the team formation process.
Biosketches may be submitted with Letters of Interest to help facilitate matchmaking and teamformation.potential team members may virtually meet each other. CBDS leadership and staff will also usethe Letters of Interest to identify, and facilitate introductions to, potential team members.
Phase 2 – Team formation
PIs may proactively contact colleagues to form teams and plan their responses to the RFA. PIsmay also reach out to CBDS staff if there is a desire to receive help with identification of potentialteam members. We will consider holding sessions in the research areas listed above so that potential team members may virtually meet each other. CBDS leadership and staff will also usethe Letters of Interest to identify, and facilitate introductions to, potential team members.
Phase 3 – RFA submission
Abstract (maximum 250 words) – summary of the proposal
Research Plan (maximum 3 pages):
- Overall goal/hypothesis and importance
- Background and preliminary data, and source of data
- Innovation of the proposed research with a specific focus on integration of human health, data science and bioscience
- Specific aims with measurable accomplishments and milestones for each 6-month period
- Research design & computational methods, including application of existing software anddevelopment of novel methods
- Description of team’s complementary expertise and collaboration plan
- Plans to obtain continuing support for the proposed research
- Literature cited (does not count toward the 3-page limit)
Biographical Sketches of Investigators: Link to NIH biosketch forms
Review Criteria
Teams selected to move forward will have their proposals reviewed by a panel consisting of members from both institutions. Each proposal will be evaluated for:
- Significance or impact on relevant biological questions using computational approaches.
- Innovation in the integration of data science, biosciences and human health.
- Likelihood to facilitate long-term collaboration between the institutions.
- Development of methods for novel algorithms, tools, processes, or informaticscapabilities that have impact for a wider community of researchers.
- Likelihood of leading to follow-on funding, whether extramural or otherwise.
Post Award Requirements
- Funded projects are required to:
- Provide a data description, sharing, and management plan
- Share analysis-ready data at start of project
- Document research deliverables
- Present results and findings at group meetings
Contact Information
Questions or inquires can be sent to Terry Lo at OHSU (lte@ohsu.edu) and Alexis Harris at the UO (aeharris@uoregon.edu).