Clinical Research Seed Grant

Sponsored by SVS Foundation

Application deadline: March 1, 2025

The SVS Foundation offers the Clinical Research Seed Grant in recognition of the importance of clinical investigation in vascular disease. 

It is vitally important to patients and to the specialty that vascular surgeons play prominent roles in both industry and investigator-initiated clinical trials.  The Clinical Research Seed Grant program has the following goals:

  • Encourage the interest and development of clinical investigators among the SVS membership, particularly junior members or those with limited prior experience as Principal Investigators
  • Provide direct support for pilot clinical projects that have potential to develop into larger studies fundable by industry or governmental sources

Scope

Clinical research, preferably patient-oriented: research conducted with human subjects or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects.

Applications addressing one of the SVS Clinical Research Priorities are particularly encouraged. Small-scale clinical trials and ancillary studies in the setting of existing clinical trials (industry or NIH-supported) will be accepted. Relevant examples include:

  • Ancillary studies coupled to existing clinical trials. A letter of support from the primary trial sponsor is required.
  • Pilot clinical trials of any type
  • Studies on the natural history of vascular disease, pathophysiology, or mechanisms underlying success or failure of vascular interventions
  • Application of quality-of-life, functional status, and resource utilization measures to assess the impact of vascular interventions
  • Development and validation of clinical risk-prediction models or diagnostic tools
  • Studies addressing the nature of disparities in care and outcomes

Funding

The $25,000 grant is for direct costs for a one-year period. Costs for laboratory assays, imaging studies (as appropriate), data collection and statistical support are allowable. Principal investigator salary, institutional overhead expenses, major equipment and travel expenses are not allowed. 

Eligibility

The Principal Investigator for the Clinical Research Seed Grant must be 1) an SVS Active Member within the first 10 years of practice or 2) an SVS Early Active Member - a fellowship- or integrated residency-trained, board-eligible, vascular surgeon within the first 10 years of practice with a full-time faculty position with an SVS Active Member serving as mentor.

The Principal Investigator may submit only one application for the Clinical Research Seed Grant. Residents and fellows are not eligible.

SVS Foundation is invested in a process that assures diversity, equity and inclusion for our award and scholarship opportunities. We encourage enthusiastic, eligible applicants from all aspects of gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity to apply.

Application Process

The application deadline is March 1 of each year. Decisions regarding the grant will be sent to applicants in May. 

Applications will be reviewed by the SVS Clinical Research Committee. 

An Application Form must be completed and the following materials in PDF format must be uploaded via the online application submission site.  Applications may be rejected if formatting requirements are not followed, or application is incomplete.

  1. Application Form Includes:
    • Principal Investigator (PI) name and contact information
    • PI’s SVS membership status (SVS Active Member or SVS Early Active Member)
    • Project title
    • Project IRB Status (Approved or In Process)
    • SVS Active Member Sponsor name and contact information (required only if PI is a SVS Early Active Member)
    • Institution Representative name and contact information (where research is taking place and where award funds will be sent) 
  2. Research Plan and Specific Aims of Project
    • Not to exceed 8 pages total
    • 1 page - Specific aims
    • 6 pages - Significance, innovation and research strategy (includes tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, charts), references
    • 1 page – Budget
  3. NIH Biosketch of Principal Investigator and any Co-Investigators 
  4. If PI is an SVS Early Active Member, the application should include letter of support from the SVS Active Member serving as mentor.
  5. If the project includes co-investigators, significant collaborator or consultant, the application should include letter(s) of support from these individuals. 

Reporting Requirements

At the completion of the study, or by the end of the one-year award period, the awardee must submit a report to the SVS Clinical Research Committee. The report should include the following information:

  • A brief summary of the outcome of the project (i.e. accomplishments, patients enrolled, how results related to original goals), the lessons learned, and the value of the seed grant and how it impacted your career
  • A list of publications related to the seed grant proposal  
  • A list of subsequent external funding (with funding source and total dollars)

Contact

For information, email SVSFoundation@vascularsociety.org or telephone 800-258-7188.   

SEED GRANT RECIPIENTS

 

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