The Fisher Center Discovery Award (FCDA) aims to support research projects focused on improved understanding of human illness, patient outcomes, or public health in North America. The award is designed especially for trainees, new investigators, and junior faculty looking to acquire pilot data and grant-writing experience. The goals of the FCDA are:

• To promote research by awarding funds to support projects focused on clinical or translational research in one or more of THREE topic areas:
  • 1. Environmental infectious diseases, which include human disease-causing agents found in ecological environments such as air, soil, and water; vector-borne or zoonotic diseases; and those found in built environments like home, hospital, and community
  • 2. Antimicrobial resistance
  • 3. Post-infectious conditions such as long COVID or persistent symptoms after Lyme disease treatment
• To provide expertise, resources, and mentorship opportunities for pilot or clinical studies with a relative lack of traditional funding mechanisms
• To promote novel, cross-disciplinary, collaborative clinical research among schools at Johns Hopkins University and with non-Johns Hopkins University research partners
• To facilitate the careers of early career researchers (faculty or trainees) by providing funds for projects joined with a more senior investigator capable of providing hands-on training and mentoring in the science of clinical investigation

Basic laboratory research proposals will not be reviewed. Laboratory-based research will only be considered if it is directly related to clinical or translational research. International projects may be considered only if relevant to North American healthcare, and if the work cannot be readily performed domestically. Any full-time faculty members or trainees from Johns Hopkins University, including the Schools of Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Engineering, Business, Arts and Sciences, and Applied Physics Lab, may apply and act as principal investigator.

Application Timeline

Letter of Intent Deadline: November 29, 2024
Application Deadline: December 20, 2024
Award Notice: On or before March 7, 2025
Release of Funds: April 7 - April 30, 2025

This timeline may be subject to change. Please email fishercenter@jhmi.edu with any questions.

To apply for the Fisher Center Discovery Award (12 months, $60,000):

1. Submit all documents via email to fishercenter@jhmi.edu before 11:59pm on December 20, 2024
2. Save all documents as individual files; do not combine documents
3. The complete FCDA application package is composed of the following:

• FCDA Application Form 2025
• Protocol: Abstract, background, objectives, methods, timeline, proposal benefits, endnotes
• Biosketch, Curriculum Vitae, or resume (saved as individual files) for:
  • Principal investigator
  • Co-investigator(s)
  • Staff receiving salary support
• Letter of support from the faculty preceptor for applicants who are not JHU faculty
• Optional, but encouraged: Letters of support from collaborators and research partners (saved as individual files)
• FCDA Budget Template 2025
• Written justification of salary requests exceeding 50% of the monetary award, if necessary
• Written justification of laboratory supplies, equipment, and service requests exceeding 50% of the monetary award, if necessary

FCDA Past Awardees

Principal Investigators were Johns Hopkins University faculty at the time of award. Co-investigators are not listed.