TAU Colton Center Research Proposals for the Study of Autoimmune Diseases

RFP: Research Proposals for the Study of Autoimmune Diseases

The Colton Center for Autoimmune Disease Research at Tel Aviv University (TAU), together with partnering medical institutions, is inviting proposals for research in the field of autoimmune diseases. The purpose of the Center is to support broad-scoped studies that may significantly
improve the understanding, the prevention, the diagnosis, and the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The Center will support all kinds of research, while placing an emphasis on research that will use medical big data and methods from the data sciences. For this purpose, the Colton Center has forged strategic partnerships with the Sheba MC and the TLVMC, Hadassah MCO, WMC as well as Meuhedet Health Services and Clalit Health Services (and the hospitals affiliated with it). These partners will enable extensive use of medical records, at no cost, for the use of existing information. The grant award will be up to $200,000 for a period of two years.

Proposal focus:
The proposed studies may deal with any aspect of autoimmune diseases including:
▪ Studying a specific mechanism relevant to a particular disease or group of diseases.
▪ Multidimensional study of a particular disease (e.g. genomics, lifestyle, exposure to different disease-provoking factors, etc.).
▪ Examining the connections between autoimmune diseases and other diseases (comorbidity).
▪ Development of new significant methods for the study or for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases (e.g. new imaging or monitoring methods, new assays or new tests).
▪ Development of new treatment methods or repurposing of existing medications.
▪ Any other subject bearing potential importance for understanding, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Eligibility
Any researcher of Tel Aviv University, and in its partnering medical centers: Meuhedet Health Services, Clalit Health Services (in the community or in its hospitals), and in TAUs affiliated hospitals, is eligible to submit proposals. Among the principal investigators in the research group, at least one PI must be a senior academic staff member employed by Tel Aviv University in the research or clinical track. This principal investigator will chair the group will also represent the group in front of the Colton Center and the research authority. A principal investigator can be a partner in only one research proposal.

US Partnership

The research center at Tel Aviv University operates together with three centers established in the
United States – at NYU, Yale, and the UPenn. Collaborative studies with these institutes may request
additional funding.
Please

Deadline for submitting proposals 30/3/2025 (19:00, Israel)

Follows are a few notes and replies to inquiries for those submitting proposals to the Colton Center of Autoimmunity.

Potential Collaborators - If you are looking for collaborators among TAU‘s scientists (including data-scientists), please find this list of researchers who would love to collaborate. In addition, you can contact us and we will help.
Work with companies –A few teams enquired regarding the inclusion of for-profit companies in the proposed studies: Companies can operate as sub-contractors in these grants, with no need for any special approval.
However, companies that wish to take part as partners should contact us to discuss the exact nature of collaboration and get an approval.
Q&A session - We will hold a Q&A meeting on the 24.2.25 at 17:00 over zoom. Feel free to send your enquiries by email any time.