The March Bioethics Research Series featured a panel discussion on bioethics funding mechanisms, including insights on the review process at NIH and ways to pitch bioethics projects to general funding calls. Covering a range of disciplines, with both early stage and established investigators, the panel featured Winston Chiong, MD, PhD; Dan Dohan, PhD; Jennifer James, PhD, MSW, MSSP; and Alex Smith, MD, MPH, MS. Some recommendations for early stage scholars included the NIH bioethics supplement mechanism and the K99/R00 with the K99 being one of the few opportunities at NIH for non-USA citizens. Mission-drive foundations have served as a source of funding for many scholars and the GEMSTAR R03 NIH mechanism has funded clinicians with an interest in bioethics. The panelists all agreed that while luck plays a part in funding, it’s always worth applying – even if you aren’t awarded, the application process can help forge future collaborations and build institutional support for your research. Your local colleagues are a good place to start for feedback; UCSF Bioethics could help arrange mock review sessions for interested faculty.
