For Researchers

RPLA-ASRM Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Research Award

RPLA has partnered with American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Research Institute on a research award for investigators looking into causes of and treatments for recurrent miscarriage.

This annual award will total $40,000 for a two-year study period. The purpose of this grant is to support innovative research projects that provide insights into causes, diagnosis, management, or parthenogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss.

Applicants must demonstrate a strong career goal within the field of Reproductive Medicine and must be dedicated to the advancement of reproductive health and recurrent pregnancy loss research. Research proposals can involve physiological, psychological, biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, environmental, or pathological investigations.

ASRM Research Institute

For more information on this and other ASRM funding opportunities click the button below.

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Application and Eligibility

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants must be working actively in areas related to reproductive medicine at an accredited medical school in the United States. The principal investigator (PI) must: (1) Have earned an M.D. and/or Ph.D. and/or D.O. and/or D.V.M. degree or their equivalents. (2) Be an independent investigator holding a full-time faculty less than 3 years and/or research staff appointment holding a terminal degree. (3) Individuals currently serving as a fellow may apply but must be able to complete the project prior to completing fellowship). (Clinical and research students, residents, fellows, and postdoctoral trainees are not eligible as the PI.)

It is required that any research involving human embryos will comply with applicable federal and state laws and will be in line with the ASRM’s guidance document on the ethics of human embryo research. No research will proceed without all relevant Institutional Board(s) and Committee(s) reviews and approval.

Award

An award, not to exceed $40,000, will be made April 2022.

Application

An application must include:

Title page
1. Title of the project (not to exceed 200 characters including spaces)
2. Applicant’s name and credentials
3. Applicant’s department affiliation, sponsoring institution, and contact information.
Letters
1. Chairman/Division Chief letter (no more than two pages) acknowledging the applicant’s project and grant proposal, endorsing the applicant’s research, and confirming the institution’s commitment to provide time and support to the applicant.
2. If you are a fellow: Applicant letter stating career goals and plans for achieving these goals, including a lay statement of 2-3 sentences describing the relevance of the proposed research.
Abstract (one page maximum)
1. Scientific Abstract (500 words) describing the research proposal including the potential immediate impact of the anticipated results on the practice of reproductive medicine.
2. Lay-person Abstract (200 words) describing the project in general terms
Specific Aims of the research proposal presented in NIH format (one page maximum)
A research proposal should include the following sections (no more than three pages)
1. Background and Significance
2. Innovation and Potential Impact
3. Research Plan (methodology and statistical analysis plan must be clearly described)
4. Timeline for project start up, implementation, and completion
5. References/citations are required but will not count against the total number of pages for the application. You may also include them as an appendix.
NIH-style Biosketch
1. A biosketch for each primary or co-investigator should be provided. Each biosketch should include a specific description of the role of each investigator in the proposed project and should not exceed FIVE pages (including the current funding).
Budget
1. A detailed yearly and cumulative budget and budget justification for the project.
2. Conference travel and/or registration expenses to present results related to this award
3. Funds may not be used towards degree seeking courses, cost of routine clinical care, or investigator salary/benefits
4. Funds are available for project expenses, technical assistance, patient expenses, research supplies and durable laboratory equipment (under $2000), analysis software, national registries, survey licenses, etc.
5. Indirect costs (institutional overhead) will not be funded
Formatting
1. The proposal must be typed in Cambria 12 pt. type with page margins no less than .5 inches and no more than 1 inch.
2. Pagination should be included at the bottom of each page (excluding the Title page).
3. The entire application must be submitted as ONE PDF FILE to research@asrm.org Subject Line: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Association Grant Application by 4pm EST on January 14th, 2022.
Regulatory Requirements
1. Human and/or animal use must be approved by the Institutional Review Board or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, or their equivalent and documented before funds are released, but pre-approval is not required for application.
2. It is required that any research involving human embryos will comply with applicable federal and state laws and will be in line with the ASRM’s guidance document on the ethics of human embryo research. No research will proceed without all relevant Institutional Board(s) and Committee(s) reviews and approval.

Selection Process

DEADLINE: All applications should be submitted to research@asrm.org in ONE PDF file by January 14, 2022.

The ASRM Research Institute Grant Review Committee in collaboration with the RPLA appointed designees, will review the proposals and an awardee determined. To avoid a potential conflict of interest, members of the GRC will recuse themselves from review of any proposal that involves their institutions of employment. Award notifications will be made in March 2022 and funding will be dispersed April 2022.

Project Partnership and Deliverables

The project will have the following objectives:

Furtherance of ASRM’s mission to advance the science of reproductive medicine
Furtherance of RPLA’s mission to understand the diagnosis, management, and pathogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss
Increase awareness of RPLA among ASRM members
Enable award recipients initiate innovative research projects into unexplained early pregnancy loss

The project will have the following deliverables:

Increased insights and contributions to the field of knowledge of recurrent pregnancy loss.
Increased awareness and attention to recurrent pregnancy loss and early miscarriage.
Presentation of grant recipients’ research findings at an ASRM Congress within two years of receiving the award.
Acknowledgement of RPLA and ASRM support in any publications, abstracts, manuscripts and/or presentations at scientific conferences or meetings resulting from the funded research.

Reporting

Research progress reports must be submitted to RPLA every 6 months; this should include an activity summary and review of current findings/results. Financial progress reports (budget summary) must be submitted to RPLA annually. A final research report is due within 90 days of the end date of the project period. The reporting requirements for the final report are the following: Lay Summary, Activity Summary, Impact, Budget Summary, Publications, Presentations, Data Sharing Plan, and Other Study Generated Findings.

Publication and Publicity

Publications, abstracts, manuscripts and/or presentations at scientific conferences or meetings based on results from the funded project must acknowledge RPLA and ASRM using the following language: “Funded in part by a grant from the Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Association in partnership with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.” Results and research findings must be presented at the ASRM Congress within two years of receiving the award and copy of any published works should be sent to the Board of Directors of RPLA and ASRM Research Institute.

The names of the Investigator and institution as well as the project title, a description of the project, and information regarding the award may be listed on the RPLA website (www.rplassociation.org), ASRM Research Institute website (https://www.asrmresearch.org ), social media pages, or in print & digital written materials.

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Association Awareness. Advocacy. Answers.