Office of Scientific Development

The CCR FLEX Program is an intramural funding mechanism, which seeks to enable CCR PIs to explore new opportunities that may be difficult to pursue in the context of their regular research program. The FLEX Program is an opportunity for all CCR tenure-track and tenured PIs and clinical researchers to compete for time-limited, project-specific resources to supplement their base allocation.

Hallmarks of the FLEX Program are:

• Innovation and Creativity: FLEX Program projects should have a high degree of innovation and creativity. FLEX projects are lines of investigation that would normally be difficult to accommodate within the PI’s existing research program.
• High-impact: FLEX Program projects should lead to high-impact results.
• Defined by milestones: FLEX Program projects are defined by clearly articulated milestones. FLEX Program funds can only be used for the proposed projects and can not be rolled into the PI’s general lab budget. Projects will not be reviewed during the quadrennial site-visit but progress will be monitored periodically based on proposed milestones.
• Time-limited: FLEX Program projects are time-limited, typically to 3 years.
• Open to all CCR PIs: All intramural CCR PIs are eligible for FLEX Program funding. The CCR-DCEG Award is also open to intramural DCEG PIs. Extramural researchers cannot act as PIs and can not receive funds, but may collaborate on FLEX projects with CCR PIs. All areas of research from basic via translational to clinical will be considered.
• Highly selective: FLEX Program projects will be selected in a two-stage open competition. 1) Evaluation of Letters of Intent (LOIs) and 2) Evaluation of invited full proposals (estimated ~20% of LOIs) by the CCR Science Board.

The links below provide detailed information on each type of award, as well as the application guidelines specific for each.

CCR Technology Development Award

CCR Synergy Award

CCR New Directions Award

CCR-DCEG Award

CCR Basic/Translational/Clinical Axis Award