SUBJECT:  PSOM Limited Application - 2020 Moore Foundation Inventor    Fellows Program
TO:               School of Medicine Faculty

FROM:        Jon M. Lindstrom, PhD, Chair, PSOM Limited Applications Selection Committee

DATE:          September 19, 2019

                    

The University has been invited to submit 2 applications to the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Inventor Fellows Program. The Foundation seeks to identify outstanding inventors and innovators who harness science and technology to enhance the conduct of scientific research, strengthen environmental conservation, or improve the experience and outcomes of patient care.

 

The Moore Inventor Fellows program focuses on supporting scientist-inventors at a critical stage of research to capture opportunities that otherwise might be missed. It seeks to provide freedom and support to promising inventors with the most compelling ideas to pursue creative work.

 

• 2020 Guidelines are attached

• Moore FAQs are available at https://www.moore.org/docs/default-source/moore-inventor-fellows/moore-inventor-fellows_faq_2020.pdf?sfvrsn=d4236f0c_2

 

Each school within the University may submit two candidates to the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR). A committee established by OVPR will determine the final nominees to represent the University.

 

Program Description:

From the guidelines:

     “The scope of this call is intentionally wide: proposed projects do not need to fall within the Moore Foundation’s current funding priorities, but should be broadly within the program areas of foundation interest (science, environmental conservation and patient care). The exception is for nominees proposing ideas and inventions that target patient care. Within this realm, we seek overlap with our current emphasis on improving the experience and outcomes of patients, including solutions in the areas of diagnostic excellence, medication safety in the community and community-based serious illness care.

      We aim to support inventions at an early stage that could lead to proof-of-concept work on an invention promise of making a long-lasting impact by addressing underlying problems in their field, but a clear path toward commercialization is not a requirement. We are not interested in supporting projects that are already at a stage where significant venture capital is available. As with all our grants, we seek to measure progress toward a defined goal during the three years of support. The foundation’s policy is that intellectual property that results from a grant must be managed and disseminated in a manner that leads to the greatest impact. Each award will include IP terms to reflect the needs of that project.

      We recognize that real invention can take surprising turns, so we seek creative individuals who have big ideas, deep knowledge and the courage to take smart risks. We recognize that inventors and innovators come from a diversity of backgrounds, disciplines and experiences, and seek creative individuals across a broad array of academic programs and research departments. Examples of such programs include, but are not limited to environmental science and conservation, oceanography, biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, neuroscience, public health and gerontology.”

 

From FAQ:  “With respect to patient care only, we focus this call on areas in which our foundation is currently engaged. We are interested in solutions in diagnostic excellence, medication safety in the community and community-based  serious illness  care. While we are open to ideas outside of these specific areas, we seek projects in patient care that directly improve the experience and outcomes of patients.  We do not plan to make fellowship awards in ideas that focus on disease specific inventions, randomized control trials for drug efficacy or basic biomedical research.”

 

Eligibility:

• Candidates must be faculty, research scientists, postdocs, or other full-time staff at eligible institutions.
• Candidates must be no more than ten years past receiving the terminal advanced degree in their field (M.S., Ph.D. or M.D.).   See FAQ for exceptions for clinical training for physicians.

• Important note: Host institutions will be required to make a contribution of $50,000 in annual support of the inventor’s work. This can be “in kind” as released time or access to special facilities for which there is normally a charge. Each fellow will be personally engaged in pursuing their invention and is required to devote at least 25 percent of his/her own time to their invention. ($50,000 could include support for undergraduate or graduate students, equipment, supplies and other needs that will enable the fellow to make progress on their work.  Direct salary support is acceptable provided it includes a proportionate release of time from teaching or other duties. Funds that were designated for a fellow’s use before the fellow was awarded a Moore Inventor Fellowship (such as start-up funds) do not qualify.)

 

Award Amount:

• Each fellow will receive funding for three years at a level of $200,000 per year from the foundation. 
• In addition, the foundation will provide the host institution with $25,000 each year to cover costs associated with administering the grant award, resulting in a total 3-year award of $675,000. 

 

PSOM Review Process: 

Proposals for the internal competition will be evaluated using the Moore criteria:

Inventor:

• Demonstrated creative potential
• Strong technical ability for the proposed line of work

Invention:

• Importance of the invention in areas of interest to the Moore Foundation - science, environmental conservation, or patient care
• Invention at an early stage that requires this funding for rapid progress
• Plausibility of this invention to achieve the stated impact
• Ability of dedicated funding and time to propel this innovation to the next stage of development; commercialization is not a requirement
• Strength of the institution’s commitment to the applicant’s invention activities

 

PSOM Submission Requirements:

Each nomination must include the following materials:

• Cover page with nominee’s name, degrees, date of terminal degree, department, school, email address and phone number, proposal title
• Letter of support from department chair/division chief. Letter must confirm that the inventor has at least 25 percent of their time to devote to their invention and $50,000 in annual direct support of the inventor’s work.

• Statement of invention (no more than two pages, including citations; single-spaced, 12-point font with one-inch margins. The statement of invention should include the following information:

         I.  Description of invention - The first paragraph should describe        clearly and without jargon the invention, the problem it seeks to address and its potential impact.

          II.  Importance to science, environmental conservation or patient care and experience

          III. Stage of invention

          IV.  Current funding

          V.    Feasibility

          VI.   Approach for measuring progress during the grant term

• One -page budget narrative that outlines how grant funds will be used

• Summary CV (no more than two pages):

                       I. Educational and professional background

                       II. Key accomplishments, honors and demonstrated areas of        expert  knowledge

                       III. Other background information relevant to this invention

Applications must be submitted in a single pdf file in the above order.  Subject line of email as well as pdf document should be Moore_Inventors_PI surname_PI first name, e.g.  Moore_Inventors_Smith_Jane.  Please submit all materials to Connie Weinstein at clw@pennmedicine.upenn.edu  by 9:00 A.M. on Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.  Questions can also be directed to Connie at 215-898-0132 or clw@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

 

You may also link to the Inventor Fellows site at https://www.moore.org/initiative-strategy-detail?initiativeId=moore-inventor-fellows or link to a list of Moore 2018 awardees:  https://www.https://www.moore.org/article-detail?newsUrlName=gordon-and-betty-moore-foundation-announces-2018-moore-inventor-fellowsmoore.org/article-detail?newsUrlName=gordon-and-betty-moore-foundation-announces-2018-moore-inventor-fellows