US (CA): Strawberry nutrition researchers wanted

The California Strawberry Commission invites strawberry nutrition researchers to submit a Concept Proposal that outlines a proposal for strawberry nutrition research for funding consideration by the California Strawberry Commission (CSC). The CSC is a state government agency located in Northern California charged with conducting research to support California’s strawberry industry. With an emphasis on sustainable farming practices, the commission works with strategic partners focusing on production and nutrition research, food safety training and education, marketing and communications, trade relations and public policy.

The Concept Proposal is a new first step in the Requests for Funding process. Please see below for detailed guidelines for completing the Concept Proposal by May 1, 2018. The CSC Nutrition Subcommittee will review all submissions and notify those selected to continue. If selected, you will receive additional guidelines and be asked to submit a full research proposal by August 1, 2018. Final funding decisions will be made after review and approval by the Nutrition Subcommittee and the Board of Directors in January of 2019.

The primary goal of the CSC nutrition research program is to establish the scientific evidence to support a vascular health claim under EFSA or FDA criteria. As such, research priority areas include the following:

Effect of strawberry consumption on biomarkers of vascular/cardiovascular disease in healthy adults.
Pilot study to evaluate changes in the gut microbiome resulting from consumption of 1 to 3 servings of strawberries daily.
Effect of strawberry consumption on cognition and motor function in older adults.
Role of strawberry consumption in management of metabolic disorders, including diabetes, and their risk factors.

The CSC will accept multi-year proposals for up to three years. Projects that show support from other funding sources and collaboration will be favored. While there is no set funding level for research proposals, the CSC has funded projects ranging from $50,000 to $150,000. A standardized freeze-dried strawberry powder and a strawberry control powder, developed by the Commission, will be produced for clinical studies.

Guidelines for Strawberry Nutrition Concept Proposal
The Concept Proposal is limited to two pages, and should include the following elements:

Names and professional titles of Principal Investigator (PI) and co-investigators. Include institution, department, email address, and any other contact information for the PI.
Title of project
Scientific rationale (400-word limit)
Specific objectives, including primary endpoints
Study design (include study population, overview of methods, strawberry treatment dose, timeline, and statistical methods to be implemented). (500-word limit)
Possible outcomes and implications. Clearly state how the results would contribute to the existing body of evidence describing the health effects of strawberries. (500-word limit)
Estimated overall cost (an itemized budget is not required)

In addition to the Concept Proposal, please attach CVs of all investigators.

All questions should be directed to the CSC Nutrition Communications Specialist Dr. Leslie Redmond at lredmond@calstrawberry.org.

Submit the Concept Proposal and CV information electronically to both lredmond@calstrawberry.org and shernandez@calstrawberry.org with the subject title of “Strawberry Nutrition Research Concept Proposal.”