Overview
The Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences fosters an environment where curiosity thrives, and scientists are empowered to contribute to the body of fundamental knowledge about human biology, health, and disease. Discoveries can sometimes be leveraged as the basis for early-stage drug discovery and other medical advances. Cardiovascular disease represents a particularly high-priority therapeutic area for this cycle of the Vanderbilt Institute for Therapeutic Advances Funding Program. Projects targeting the molecular biology of heart failure, atherosclerosis, inherited cardiomyopathies, cardiac arrhythmia, vascular biology, and cardiometabolic disease are especially encouraged.
Cardiovascular drug development stands at a critical juncture. While RNA-based therapeutics and gene-editing strategies are advancing toward clinical translation, fundamental questions remain regarding the identification and validation of tractable targets. This upstream discovery space represents a high-priority area for investigation with substantial translational potential, offering significant opportunities to advance the field and address unmet therapeutic needs. The VITA Advance Fund aims to support promising early-stage therapeutic projects (small molecule, large molecule, biologic) and provide critical guidance and mentoring to nurture them to the point where they are ready for major funding, industry partnerships, and/or spin-offs, sustaining momentum toward their potential success.
This VITA RFA will support one to three proposals, with awards of up to $350,000/year for up to one year. While small molecule drug discovery is a priority area, projects pursuing other modalities (RNA therapeutics, gene editing, biologics) are also eligible. The primary deliverables should be target validation, lead therapeutic candidates (chemical or biological), and mechanistic insight that advances translational potential. Focusing on the initial data-gathering experiments required for de-risking projects in the target validation through proof-of-concept stage, and drawing on drug discovery and subject matter expertise from VITA and the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery. Awards will be milestone driven and paid in traunched format.
Purpose
VITA seeks to identify, kickstart, and mentor innovative therapeutic drug discovery projects to accelerate the identification and characterization of a drug discovery candidate for clinical development and potential commercialization. Compelling therapeutic projects from talented faculty and trainees who have not previously delved deeply into drug discovery, to advance to clinical trials, require seed funding and expert guidance to develop a lead compound. The VITA Advance Fund aims to support faculty projects with promising early-stage therapeutic potential across all relevant modalities by helping them develop target validation, lead identification, and proof-of-concept data that make projects attractive for continued funding by investors, industry partnerships, or spin-off opportunities.
Eligibility
Faculty with a primary or secondary appointment in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences, School of Engineering, or Vanderbilt Health can submit proposals as a principal investigator. The PI will be the project’s direct point of contact and may have co-PIs. Eligible proposal projects may span the target validation through proof-of-concept range and may involve any therapeutic modality, including:
- Small molecule drug discovery (hit identification, hit-to-lead, lead optimization)
- RNA therapeutics (ASO, siRNA, or aptamer design, synthesis, and target validation)
- Gene editing or gene therapy approaches (AAV, LNP delivery, CRISPR/Cas systems)
- Peptide or protein-based therapeutics
- Chemical biology tool development that enables target validation for any subsequent modality
The unifying requirement is that projects must generate molecular tools or lead therapeutic candidates with defined mechanisms of action, demonstrable target engagement, and a path to in vivo proof of concept. The focus remains on generating critical early data to de-risk the program from biological and pharmacological perspectives.
This VITA RFA will support one to three proposals, with awards of up to $350,000/year for up to one year to enable faculty to develop an initial proof of concept. Progress toward milestones in the first year will determine whether funding for a second year continues. The budget for projects receiving an additional year of funding will be based on project needs. Funds cannot be used to pay more than 10 percent of the PI’s salary and/or more than 5 percent of a co-PI’s salary. They also cannot be used to pay institutional overhead, subcontract fees, or to purchase capital equipment totaling more than $25,000 (over two years).
Application Process
To apply, please submit a two- to three-page proposal describing the biomolecular target. This description should convey a clear link, such as genetic evidence, to the pathophysiology of a specific disease or condition, and a clear understanding of the disease's biology. The proposal should also include information about cell-based assays, established in vitro or in vivo models, and any relevant biomarkers useful in characterizing compounds and/or evaluating efficacy. Provide an initial hypothesis for how modulation of the target would elicit a novel pharmacology to treat the disease and how this project would fill a critical unmet medical need. It is also essential to include a two-year timeline for the execution and completion of the proposed research, an assessment of the patient population that would benefit from the proposed drug, and an assessment of whether the drug would be first-in-class or compete with existing treatments. The timeline should include a statement describing milestones for the expected progress of the project at the end of one year and at the end of two years, along with the anticipated next steps.
Proposals must include a brief rationale for why the chosen therapeutic modality (small molecule, RNA-based therapy, gene therapy, etc.) is the most appropriate approach for the proposed target and disease. This rationale should explain why the selected modality is well-suited to the underlying biology. Applicants should also address the competitive landscape by describing what modalities are currently being pursued for this target and how the proposed approach offers a differentiated strategy. Finally, the rationale should assess the technical feasibility of achieving meaningful progress within the two-year timeline, given the applicant's available expertise and infrastructure.
In addition to the project proposal, provide a projected budget with justifications. You must include the PI’s name and primary department, and a complete list of co-PIs with their respective primary departments or institutions. Proposals should be submitted by email as a single PDF file to Craig Lindsley (craig.lindsley@vanderbilt.edu).
Key dates:
- Applications open: June 1, 2026–July 1, 2026
- Awardee notification: By Aug. 1, 2026
Review Criteria
Reviewers of proposals will use the following criteria.
- Addressing of a critical unmet medical need
- Strength of target validation
- Appropriateness and feasibility of chosen modality (does the proposed approach match the target biology? Access to the necessary expertise and infrastructure, can meaningful de-risking milestones be achieved within the two-year funding period?)
- Availability of tools for preclinical development (relevant in vitro screening tools, cell-based assays, animal models of disease, etc.)
- Degree of unmet medical need and feasible path to clinical proof-of-concept and regulatory approval (recognizing this will take much more than two years)
- Potential for pharmaceutical/investor interest if the project advances
- Investigator willingness to engage with drug discovery experts on campus in a highly collaborative manner
- Potential to develop a strong IP position
- No other current funding for this project is in place
Review Board
The proposals will undergo review by a panel including the following members:
- Margaret Read, Ph.D., General Manager – Corporate Alliances at the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization and Associate Director of Translational Science at the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology
- Mike Villalobos, Ph.D., Life Sciences Licensing Manager at the CTTC
- Selene Colon, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Research at the School of Medicine Basic Sciences
- Craig Lindsley, Director of VITA and WCNDD
- Olivier Boutaud, Diretor of DMPK in VITA and WCNDD
- David Cortez, Chair of Biochemistry, Chair of VITA Scientific Advisory Board
Reporting and Accountability
Funding from this VITA RFA for an additional year will be milestone-driven by agreed-upon go/no-go metrics. A review will occur in month 10 of the first year to assess project progress. Recipients will be expected to submit a progress report (deadline: first day of the 10th month of the project) detailing the achievement of project milestones, a financial statement describing how project funds were spent, and any deviations from the proposed scope of work. If recipients don’t meet the agreed-upon milestones, they are expected to explain why and provide a plan for achieving them before the end of the project year.
A short final progress report describing the overall achievements of projects funded for a second year is due within three months of the project’s end. These final reports should describe the plan for continuing the project scientifically and regarding funding/collaboration.
For any questions or clarifications regarding this request for applications or the application process, please email Craig Lindsley at craig.lindsley@vanderbilt.edu.