Duke / Duke-NUS Research Collaboration Pilot Projects

Request for Proposals for funding in 2024

Duke University (Duke) and Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) are pleased to announce a call for proposals for collaborative research pilot projects between faculty based in Durham with those based in Singapore. The ultimate goal of this program is the development of international research teams that will advance basic, translational, and clinical research. This Request for Application (RFA) will support applications undertaking basic, translational, and clinical research on “Effects of Climate Change on Human Health”.

Global warming and climate change are now recognized as key threats to human health in the 21^st century, with increasing temperatures, urbanization, and environmental pollution affecting both industrialized nations (Singapore, USA) and LMIC (low- and middle-income) countries. Climate change has the potential to impact many acute and chronic conditions, including new outbreaks, pathologies of the respiratory, cardiovascular, kidney, and gastrointestinal track, and mental and immunological well-being. The field requires new platforms and multi-disciplinary efforts to study and quantify the full effects of climate change on human biology, across molecular ((epi)genome, transcriptome, metabolome), cellular (model systems), and physiological scales (heat stress, nutrition). For healthcare and hospital systems, climate change is also imposing pressures on staff wellness, and challenges to reduce the carbon footprint of medical services perhaps through new technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is hoped that through this joint grant call, Duke and Duke-NUS teams will be catalyzed to think out of the box for novel team-based approaches to address these key global health challenges.

For each project USD$100,000 will be available to the Duke PI and SGD$100,000 to the Duke-NUS PI. Awards are for 2 years, though a single no-cost extension of an additional 6 months may be considered upon request. Applications will be evaluated according to the scientific merit of the proposal, and the strength and clarity of the collaboration between the Duke and Duke-NUS Co-PIs.

For the purpose of this award:

• Duke-NUS faculty are defined as based primarily in Singapore and holding Duke-NUS Tenure/ Research / Educator / Practice Track appointments as Assistant Professor or above, including faculty in SingHealth who hold a Clinical or Adjunct appointment with Duke-NUS.

• Duke faculty are defined as those who hold regular rank Duke appointment at the Assistant Professor level or above.

Descriptions of currently active research programs at Duke-NUS and within SingHealth are available at:

https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/research

https://www.singhealthdukenus.com.sg/

Information on research at Duke is available at:

https://medschool.duke.edu/research

https://research.duke.edu/