Eligibility Requirements

  • Co-principal investigators (PIs) must include researchers from both funding partners, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and Ashoka University (AU). 
  • PIs must hold a Ph.D. and have creditable research experience. 
  • JHU applicants must be full-time faculty at a Johns Hopkins-affiliated School (Research Associate, Assistant Scientist, or Associate scientist or Instructor or Assistant Professor or Associate Professor or Professor level) who are currently collaborating or planning to collaborate with a research team from Ashoka University. 
  • Student participation as project team members is encouraged. 
  • Multidisciplinary collaborations will be prioritized. 
  • Eligible submissions cannot exceed 18 months from the project start date. If awarded, the start date of the 18-month pilot grant will be provided in the award notification letter.   
  • In accordance with human subjects’ policy, proposals involving human subjects must be approved by or under review by an IRB from all partnering institutions. The 18-month project timeline is inclusive of IRB review, and investigators should be aware of the potential impact of the regulatory review process on the project timeline and feasibility. 
  • India-based and US-based collaborators should have a clear goal to apply for external funding (either NIH, ICMR, DBT, etc.) using the preliminary data generated from the pilot project.