American Society of Head & Neck Radiology
820 Jorie Blvd., Suite 300
Oak Brook, IL 60523
630-574-0661
info@ashnr.org

ASHNR-CCF William N. Hanafee Grant

Purpose:

The Hanafee grant is named in honor of Dr. William Hanafee, who, after a successful career as Chairman of Radiology at UCLA, began a second career as a head and neck radiologist. Sitting side-by-side with the Chief Resident in Otolaryngology, Dr. Hanafee used the detailed clinical information he obtained to enhance film interpretation. Dr. Hanafee was a founding member of the ASHNR and worked tirelessly to elevate the quality of clinical care for patients with head and neck disorders. This award is designed to continue this tradition and is awarded to MD, MD-PhD, DO, DMD/DDS, and/or PhD applicants for projects in head and neck imaging research and/or education. Strong consideration will be given to projects that have a high clinical impact with the potential for subsequent grant applications to the NIH and other governmental agencies, as well as to foundations and/or corporations. 

An additional consideration is given to applicants who are trainees or young investigators and to projects with the potential to enhance awareness and/or understanding of key head and neck imaging concepts and protocols, of head and neck anatomy, and of education in head and neck imaging.

Targeted Projects:

Any research related to the imaging of head and neck diseases, including but not limited to:

  • Morphological and functional imaging that addresses biological or clinical questions
  • Applications of advanced technologies and sciences
  • Development of new imaging technology or protocols
  • Outcomes analyses and comparative effectiveness
  • Quality improvement
  • Educational mechanisms and materials

Eligibility:

  • Applicant must be an ASHNR Member at the time of application. If the applicant is an ASHNR in-Training member (non-dues paying member), then the scientific advisor or co-investigator must be a dues-paying member.
  • Applicant or the sponsoring member must hold a position in a department of radiology or nuclear medicine within an educational institution in the United States or Canada.
  • Applicant/co-principal investigator(s) must not be agents of any for-profit, commercial company in the radiologic sciences.
  • Acceptance of an award from another source for the same project or a component of the project in the same year is prohibited unless the source provides only salary support, and the board must be informed of and should approve of any such external support.
  • Applicants (or the scientific advisor or co-investigator for in-training members) must have completed advanced training and be certified by the American Board of Radiology or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Grant Amount:

Up to $ 30,000 USD for a 1-year project and up to $60,000 for a 2-year project. The Hanafee Research Grant cannot be supplemental to major funding already secured. Please note that this funding cannot be directed toward the salary support of the applicant or sponsor.

Following is a sample of expense items that could be covered by the Hanafee Grant:

  • Computer equipment and software
  • Illustrations – medical illustrator/graphic design
  • Imaging or laboratory equipment
  • Laboratory tests
  • Research scan time
  • Research coordinator’s time
  • Statistical services
  • Stipends for research subjects

Please note:

  • The recipient will receive complimentary meeting registration plus post-meeting reimbursement for up to $1,500 for travel expenses to attend the ASHNR 59th Annual Meeting in 2025. Grant funding cannot be used for meeting expenses for ASHNR or non-ASHNR meetings.
  • Unexpended funds must be returned to the ASHNR c/o the Core Curriculum Fund at the conclusion of the funding period
  • The Hanafee research grant funding will run from October 1 of the award year to September 30 of the subsequent year   
  • Funds will be paid to the department in two installments upon demonstration of appropriate progress in the project.

Application Schedule:

A. The deadline for receipt of a letter of intent for the Hanafee Research Grant is Monday, April 1, 2024. The letter should be a one-page abstract of the research or educational proposal, submitted electronically (in .pdf or .doc format) to Theresa Espinosa (tespinosa@asnr.org). In the subject line of e-mail submissions, indicate the following: “2024 ASHNR Hanafee Grant Award Letter of Intent Submission”

B. Applicants who are selected from the letter of intent stage will be notified that they are invited to submit a full proposal. The deadline for receipt of full proposal submissions is Monday, July 1, 2024. Incomplete applications, applications that do not comply with the instructions, and/or those that do not have the appropriate executed signatures will not be reviewed. Full proposals should be submitted in electronic form (.pdf or .doc) to tespinosa@asnr.org. In the subject line of the e-mail submission, indicate the following: “2024 ASHNR Hanafee Grant Award Application Submission”

C. Selection of award recipients will be in August 2024, with subsequent notification of the recipient and institution. All those with interests in the award, or employees of an institution that may be involved in the award, shall recuse themselves from voting on such applications.

D. Announcement of the award recipient(s) will be made at the ASHNR 58th Annual Meeting September 4-8, 2024, and will be posted on the ASHNR website.

Selection Criteria/Review Process:

The members of the ASHNR Research Committee will review and score the Hanafee Research Grant applications based on NIH scoring metrics (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/review/rev_prep/scoring.htm). The decision of the ASHNR research committee will be subject to approval by the ASHNR Executive committee.

The proposed research project will be evaluated regarding its suitability for the applicant to obtain preliminary data with the anticipation of a future submission for additional funding from governmental agencies, corporations, or foundations. The evaluation will assess the following criteria:

  • Significance, relevance, and innovation of the proposed project to clinical care or the advancement of knowledge in the evaluation of head and neck imaging or disease processes.
  • There must be plan for obtaining IRB approval and a defined plan for the protection of human subjects. Investigators must address issues related to inclusion based on gender, minorities, and children. Funds will not be released without documentation of IRB approval.
  • The hypothesis should be clear and well developed, and the experiments designed to appropriately test the hypothesis.
  • The proposed statistical analysis of the data must be defined.
  • The project should stand a good chance of being completed within the time frame of the grant with a realistic budget.
  • Existing and past experience of the applicant and the advisor related to the proposed research.   A plan for mentorship throughout the period of the proposed project.
  • Facilities and commitment of the institution, the department and individual research labs where applicable to provide adequate support for the applicant.

Rules and Conditions

  1. Progress Reports: Recipients must submit an interim report six months (180 days) after the start of the project, and a final report within 3 months (90 days) of completion of the project. For 2-year awards, a one-year report is required for disbursing funds for year 2. Failure to comply with the final report requirement may negatively affect the individual and institutional eligibility to receive future funds.

Reports are to be submitted electronically (MS-Word or PDF). Complete reports must address each of the following:

a) A summary statement.

b) The specific aims/goals of the research and the results of the work toward each aim/goal.

c) Disclose any deviations from the original research plan and justify them.

d) Outline expenditures that have been made thus far.

e) Indicate any problems or delays that you have encountered. 

Final report should include the following:

Address points a) through e) under Interim Report (see above) and:

(f) Indicate if the results from the research are being prepared for publication.

(g) Indicate if the results from the research will be used as preliminary data to obtain additional funding.

(h) Address the role the ASHNR grant had on your career.

Reports are to be submitted electronically (MS-Word or PDF). 

  1. Publications

Scientific and educational manuscripts resulting from the ASHNR funding must first be submitted for consideration for presentation at the ASHNR Annual Meeting and for publication to the American Journal of Neuroradiology (AJNR) or Neurographics. Manuscripts that are not accepted for publication in the AJNR or Neurographics may then be submitted to journals of the author’s choosing. A pdf of each publication produced as a result of the ASHNR funded work should be sent to Theresa Espinosa at ASNR (tespinosa@asnr.org) for distribution to the ASHNR Executive Committee.

  1. Acknowledgement

All posters, publications, and oral presentations of ASHNR-funded projects must contain appropriate acknowledgment of the Society’s support.

  1. Extension

Extension of the terms of the grant may be requested to extend the final budget period up to 12 months beyond the original ending date. Approval of an extension does not include the awarding of additional funds. A request for an extension must be made in writing to the Chair of the ASHNR Research Committee. The request must state the reason(s) for the extension, length of extension requested, and review the progress in the original grant period. Requests must be co-signed by the department chair and research advisor and submitted to the chair of the Research Committee two months (60 days) prior to the original ending date. Interim reports must be submitted every six months during the extension period.

  1. Termination of Support

The ASHNR Executive Committee reserves the right to modify or terminate the amount of any funds granted under the terms of the Research Grant program. If such a modification is deemed necessary, the grant recipient will be notified in writing within 90 days prior to termination. The investigator will have the option to modify the research plan or terminate the grant.

Application:  

Section I: Title and Summary of Research Proposal: Provide a succinct description of the proposed project (1 page). The abstract should state the long-term goals of the research, potential clinical significance of the research, and the methods to be used to conduct the research. 

Section II: Investigator(s) 

A. Applicant (Principal Investigator)

  • Contact information: address, email, cell phone 
  • Institution 
  • Department 
  • Current year of training, or faculty position/rank- (If currently in a training program, include letter from Program Director confirming status and ensuring individual will be provided appropriate time to complete the project) 
  • Curriculum Vitae

B. Priority Statement: Describe your area of professional/scientific interest(s) and long-term career goals. Briefly (1-2 pages) describe the relevance of the proposed research to the priorities of your departmental research programs.  

C. Scientific Advisor: (To be completed by Scientific Advisor

  • Name, degree(s), title/faculty rank 
  •  Percentage part-time or full-time  
  • Provide description of your role as mentor for the applicant and CV 
  • Describe the extent to which the applicant was responsible for developing and writing the research proposal 
  • List other investigators or advisors who will participate in the project and their role in the project 

Section III: Proposal

A. Research Plan: Not to exceed 5 pages. Additional pages for the bibliography may be added.

Specific Aims: List the objectives and goals of the specific research proposed. State the hypothesis, the specific problem to be solved, the development of new technology, etc.  

Background and Significance: Provide the background information leading to the proposed project. Review and analyze existing knowledge and identify the gaps that the project is intended to fill. How do the specific aims translate to achieving the long-term objectives? How will knowledge or clinical practice be impacted by the results of the research?   

Preliminary Studies: Provide PI’s preliminary studies pertinent to this application. If there is no preliminary data, then provide evidence from the literature.  

Research Design and Methods: Describe the research design, conceptual or clinical framework, procedures, new methodologies, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Describe the applicant’s specific roles in the project. Discuss potential limitations of the proposed project and alternative approaches to address the aims.  

Timeline of Events: Provide a sequence and timetable for the project.  

Bibliography: Provide a comprehensive reference list.

B. Research Assurances: Will the project involve any of the following?  

  • Human subjects (Yes/No)  
  • Vertebrate animals (Yes/No)  
  • Ionizing radiation/radioactive isotopes (Yes/No)  
  • Funded applicants will be required to submit proof of IRB approval before grant funds are released.

C. Resources and Environment: Describe major equipment, laboratory, clinical, animal, office/computer, support services, educational resources, and other facilities that will be available to facilitate the successful completion of this project. 

Section IV: Budget 

A. Budget: Provide a complete budget including information on equipment that will be purchased or rented, materials, and salary support if a laboratory assistant or other assistant will be paid by this grant. Explain how costs not covered by this grant will be paid (departmental funds, etc). The ASHNR does not pay institutional overhead or indirect costs. Travel expenses for the ASHNR Annual Meeting may not be paid from this grant. 

B. Payment Information: If the grant is awarded, please supply the payee. The institution will serve as the fiscal agent.  

  • Grant checks payable to:  
  • Grant checks sent to: Include contact name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail.  

Section V: Signatures 

Enter the names and contact information for each individual that will sign the completed, printed application. Secure electronic signatures will be accepted.

  • Department Chair or equivalent 
  • Scientific Advisor  
  • Grant Administrator 
  • Grant Applicant