MID-SOUTH REACH

Mid-South REACH Product Development Grants

Background

The Mid-South REACH (Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub) program is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program that extends across four states: Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. The primary goal of this grant program is to accelerate the real-world impact of biomedical and health related innovations through education, mentorship, and financial support for aspiring entrepreneurs. Led by Vanderbilt University in collaboration with University of Louisville, Jackson State University, and George Mason University, Mid-South REACH will administer over 20 awards in the first grant cycle to fund product development project grants across all four states. Beyond funding for technology development and translational research, Mid-South REACH will provide commercialization-related education and training for awardees, as well as coaching and strategic feedback from field experts, including the NIH and their partners. Learn More.

The Mid-South REACH program is not a traditional grant program. It is focused on product development and requires milestone-based project management in six-month increments, renewable up to four times. Project Managers in each of the Mid-South REACH states are available to assist with preparation of pre-applications. Applicants invited to submit a full application will work with Project Managers and/or mentors on product development plans and project timelines.

Mid-South REACH Product Development Grants

Important Dates:

Pre-Applications Due: May 24, 2024 by 5:00 PM (CT)
Full Application Invitations Sent: June 2024*
Full Applications Due: July 2024*
Full Application Pitch Presentations: August 2024*
Anticipated Award Start/End Dates: October 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025

*Exact dates to be determined

Mid-South REACH Cycle 1 Webpage

Request for Application

Eligibility

Open to faculty, staff, trainees, and students at KCV-supported institutions, including:
- Eastern Kentucky University
- Kentucky Community & Technical College System
- Kentucky State University System
- Morehead State University
- Murray State University
- Northern Kentucky University
- Western Kentucky University
Applications must focus on the development of products/technologies that have the potential to improve patient care or enhance human health. There are no specific disease requirements, and all types of products (e.g., therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, tests, software) are eligible.
Products, technologies, and/or ideas should both:
- originate from within an eligible university/community college in Kentucky
- either (a) have existing intellectual property protection (e.g., patent, copyright, trademark) or (b) have potential to create new intellectual property. Technologies that are already licensed to a company are not eligible.
Disclosure of projects/technologies to KCV is not required to submit a pre-application; however, disclosure will be required prior to the submission of a Mid-South REACH full application (if invited).
Multiple Principal Investigators are permitted, but all personnel (including faculty sponsors) who are listed on an application must agree to participate and submit the application.
Non-faculty applicants must identify a faculty member who is willing to sponsor their application.
Clinical trials (by NIH definition) are not allowed.

Review of Pre-Applications

Pre-applications will be reviewed by the Mid-South REACH team in Kentucky to verify if they are responsive to the RFA and may be excluded if not suitable for this grant program.

Responsive pre-applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of the Mid-South REACH Internal Advisory Committee (IAC) and the Leadership Team based on criteria, including scientific merit, clinical relevance, intellectual property position, market potential, time to market, and portfolio diversity. The REACH IACs are made up of reviewers with scientific, clinical, entrepreneurial, technology transfer, and/or commercialization expertise from universities within each of the state partners. All applicants who submit a pre-application will be notified of the outcome (invited or not invited to submit a full application) and will receive written feedback from the Mid-South REACH IAC review.

Next Steps

Applicants who are not invited to submit a full application are encouraged to meet with Mid-South REACH Project Managers to discuss IAC feedback, areas in which the application could be strengthened, and/or strategies for alternative funding.

Applicants who are invited to submit a full application will receive further instructions and information regarding the preparation of their full application and pitch presentation. Submission of a full application will involve additional training in research commercialization and assistance in creating a detailed product development plan and project milestones. Final funding decisions will be made following review by the Mid-South REACH External Review Board (ERB) with input from the NIH Technology Guidance Committee (TGC).

Contacts

Jessica Sharon, MBA
MPI and KY State Lead
Director of Innovation Programs
University of Louisville
Expertise: Bioengineering, Business
Email: Jessica.sharon@louisville.edu

Jamie Rush, MS

KCV Program Manager

James Graham Brown Cancer Center

University of Louisville

Expertise: Research Management, Innovation, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Toxicology

Email: jamie.rush@louisville.edu

Sarah Andres, PhD
KY State Program Manager
James Graham Brown Cancer Center
University of Louisville
Expertise: Drug Development, Mechanistic Studies
Email: sarah.andres@louisville.edu

General Contact

midsouthreach@louisville.edu

Do you have an idea you’d like to share with us?

For questions about this process or how KCV can help you, email KCV@KSTC.com.