Funding Opportunities
Here you can explore various funding opportunities we learn about from Stanford organizations, industry, and government that may be of interest to our Stanford researchers. See below for details on each opportunity.
In addition to these research funding opportunities, check out OTL's High Impact Technology (HIT) Fund: HIT Fund Details
This page is updated periodically, so check back here for more opportunities soon!
Don't see anything of interest right now? Check the Stanford Seed Funding website, the Stanford Research Development Office's GrantForward, and VPDoR's Propel Grants for additional funding opportunities sponsored by Stanford-associated entities. Stanford Medicine's Research Management Group also has a list of Searchable Funding Databases.
Opportunities:
Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator (IMA)
2025 IMA Small Molecule Therapeutics Request for Proposals (RFP)
Deadline:
All applications must be received by 5 PM PDT on Friday, March 28th, 2025.
Proposal Instructions:
To Apply:
The Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator (IMA) is accepting proposals for projects that address two major challenges in small molecule drug discovery and development: adaptation of laboratory-grade assays to high-throughput screening (HTS) formats to identify starting points for medicinal chemistry, and optimization of lead compounds into drug prototypes.
The IMA aims to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries at Stanford University into new medicines through prototyping of innovative therapeutics and vaccines while enabling hypothesis-driven studies that impact human health. Through this request for proposals, the IMA is soliciting applications for projects to enter the HTS and the Medicinal Chemistry module of the IMA. Basic research, including target identification, is outside the scope of the current solicitation.
Aim and Scope:
High-throughput screening:
The IMA aims to partner with PI labs to enable the development, optimization, and miniaturization of a biochemical or cell-based assay in 384- or 1536-well microplate format to screen against a +200,000-member small molecule library. Projects with a strong structural biology rationale (experimental or AlphaFold) or using a ligand-based approach, but limited to low-throughput assays, will be considered for a virtual screen.
Small molecule drug prototyping:
Engineering of one or more small molecule leads to improve potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics with the goal of identifying a high-quality, patentable drug prototype. Projects with one or more small molecule leads (or series) as starting points for medicinal chemistry are encouraged to apply. Projects that have successfully completed HTS campaigns are eligible to enter the IMA small molecule prototyping program.
Competitive projects require 1) a strong therapeutic hypothesis that addresses a poorly-met medical need, 2) a novel biological target or mode-of-action that is well-differentiated from other ongoing translational programs in academia or the biopharma industry, 3) enabled reproducible in vitro assays and/or animal models to guide small molecule drug prototyping. The goal of each project is to validate the therapeutic hypothesis underpinning the scientific discovery while generating intellectual property around the drug prototype that emerges from this work.
Provided Support:
High-throughput screening:
Selected projects receive access to the High-Throughput Screening group at the Nucleus. Support will include access to HTS compound libraries, virtual screening capabilities, instrumentation fees, associated consumables, expert training, and advice in assay development for high-throughput screening projects.
Small molecule drug prototyping:
Selected projects receive access to the Medicinal Chemistry group at the Nucleus to facilitate the design, synthesis, and screening of novel small molecules to identify lead drug prototypes. Support will focus on improving pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of established molecular targets.
Preclinical pharmacology:
Additionally, selected projects may also access the IMA’s Preclinical Pharmacology module for evaluating efficacy and/or pharmacokinetics/toxicology of the most promising drug candidates in a suitable in-vitro and in-vivo disease model.
External resources:
Depending on the nature and requirements of each project, the IMA can also provide access to strategic alliances and qualified contract research organizations (CROs) to support awarded projects. Upon mutual agreement between the PI and the IMA, we will also help identify potential partners (pharma/VC) for the project exit.
Project management:
IMA module leads in HTS, Medicinal Chemistry, and Preclinical Pharmacology will collaboratively help the PI formulate a goal- and milestone-driven project plan. In addition, the IMA Project Management team will support the project in planning, budgeting, and identifying outsourcing opportunities.
Financial Support:
Awarded projects can be supported for 12–18 months and the specific level of support will vary by project needs. Details regarding specific roles, responsibilities, and financial allocations will be elaborated in individual award letters issued to selected projects. The IMA will not provide salary support for members of the PI’s lab. The PI-lab is expected to contribute the equivalent of one full-time FTE to the project.
Collaboration:
It is generally expected that the projects are run in a collaborative and fully transparent manner including decision-making processes, data generation, and handling, experimental design, and external collaborations or resources. The IMA will act in a fully confidential manner and guarantee long-term data storage and accessibility.
Eligibility:
All Stanford faculty with PI status are eligible to apply. The support of the IMA is limited to one active project per PI at a time. However, PIs with an active IMA collaboration can be listed as a co-PI.
IMA Contacts:
Faculty members who are uncertain about whether their project aligns with this RFP are encouraged to contact IMA Directors for advice.
For questions about the High-Throughput Screening module of IMA, please contact: Bruce Koch, Ph.D. - bkoch@stanford.edu
For questions about the Medicinal Chemistry module of the IMA, please contact: Mark Smith, Ph.D. - mxsmith@stanford.edu
For questions about the funding opportunity and the application process, please contact: Angel Cobo, Ph.D. - acobo@stanford.edu