Breakthrough Research
Grants Program

Navigate through the Application Process using the links directly above.

Overview

Deadlines

• LOI Due: 11:00 pm EDT, Friday, September 8, 2023
• Application Due: 11:00 pm EDT, Friday, October 13, 2023
• Award Announcement: November, 2023

Funding & Project Timeline

• 2 grants will be awarded at $45,000 each.
• 18-month project timeline, with work commencing in November 2023 (inclusive of the submission to IRB and related processes).

About GKII

The Johns Hopkins Gupta-Klinsky India Institute mission is to improve society through research, education, policy, and practice by mobilizing Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, students, and alumni to work with partners in India. Its two-fold strategic priorities include – Enhancing Opportunities by networking with faculty, students, and collaborators, providing student and faculty exchange opportunities, lowering barriers to work in India with access to know-how, and establishing partnerships and frameworks promoting collaborative research; and Core Initiatives involving seed grants, incubator funding, programmatic investment, and fundraising opportunities in high-priority core areas including Infectious diseases, Maternal, child and adolescent health, Health systems strengthening, Climate change & environmental security, Non-communicable diseases, and Technology & digital health.

Grant Program Description

The Breakthrough Research Grants Program supports JHU faculty pilot projects involving interdisciplinary collaborations with India-based research institutes. This research grant will help enable an understanding of the intricacies of the Climate & Health nexus through interdisciplinary and intersectional research collaborations. It demands collaboration between climate scientists, public health professionals, social scientists, policymakers, and community stakeholders.

By investigating the complex connections between climate change and health, researchers can generate knowledge that informs evidence-based interventions, policy frameworks, and adaptive strategies to mitigate and respond to the health challenges posed by climate change. This call for proposals seeks to promote research that addresses critical gaps in understanding and advances knowledge at the intersection of climate and health. We encourage innovation and collaborative projects that examine various dimensions of the relationship, including but not limited to:

• Climate change impact on infectious diseases and vector-borne illnesses.
• Health consequences of heatwaves, extreme weather events, and changing environmental conditions.
• Mental health and psychological well-being in the context of climate change.
• Impacts of climate change on food security and nutrition-related health outcomes.
• Air pollution and respiratory health in a changing climate.
• Climate change adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable populations and improve health resilience.

We invite research teams to submit proposals that employ rigorous methodologies, embrace interdisciplinary perspectives, and have the potential to contribute to evidence-based policy recommendations and practical solutions. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate clear pathways for translating research findings into tangible actions that promote climate resilience, health equity, and sustainable development.

Grant Program Objectives

• Foster collaborations that advance scientific understanding and/or innovative solutions to climate change and its impacts on India.
• Promote growth in impactful interdisciplinary collaborations across Johns Hopkins University and Indian partner institutions.
• Support development of new partnerships between research institutions in India and JHU faculty and students.
• Promote equitable research partnerships among JHU faculty and Indian institutions.
• Offer mentorship and training opportunities for JHU students and students in India.

Funding Use and Restrictions

Funds are intended for research support, including, but not limited to: technical support, stakeholder engagement activities, lab supplies, assays, travel costs, student costs and limited research equipment. Salary support may be requested. Any relevant additional permissions will be sought in accordance with India and US/JHU requirements.