The Frankel Innovation Initiative is a $20 million fund supporting the research and development of life-saving therapies and innovative new technologies at Michigan Medicine, with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare and saving lives.
Made possible by a generous donation from the Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation, the program seeks to advance innovative research by U-M faculty and provide a fast path to patient impact. It builds on the best practices of the standout programs developed at U-M and other top institutions and capitalizes on U-M’s extensive biomedical research enterprise. Collaborative projects that engage nationally renowned Co-PIs at other institutions are especially encouraged.
Open to innovators at all stages of a research project, the Frankel Innovation Initiative offers:
- $250,000 – $500,000/year to high-impact research projects originating at U-M, with potential for multiple years of support
- Expertise and guidance from an Advisory Committee consisting of world-renowned scientists and technology development professionals
- No cost share requirement
Letters of Intent are evaluated on the basis of eligibility and fund appropriateness. After Letters of Intent are reviewed by a triage committee, a select group of faculty will be invited to submit a full proposal for review by the Scientific Advisory Committee for funding consideration.
Contact Keith Gran, CPA, MBA
Chief Patient Experience Officer
Executive Director of the Frankel Innovation Initiative
[email protected]
734-232-4098
Contact DeAnn Yoder
Project Manager
[email protected].
Michigan Medicine's The Wrap podcast highlights the Frankel Innovation Initiative.
We want the best minds from the University of Michigan and around the world to collaborate on the most innovative research and take scientific discovery to a new level.
Frankel Innovation Initiative awards are made once a year, with a request for proposals sent out in late spring. Application submission and review will be conducted using the University of Michigan Medical School’s Competition Space at https://umms.infoready4.com/.
Letters of Intent will be evaluated based on eligibility and fund appropriateness.
Please submit your application if you feel your project meets the requirements.
If you have any questions, contact Keith Gran, CPA, MBA, Chief Patient Experience Officer and Executive Director of the Frankel Innovation Initiative, at [email protected] or 734-232-4098 or DeAnn Yoder, Project Manager, at [email protected], to discuss your project before submission.
The Frankel Innovation Initiative provides a fast path to patient impact through resources that support life-saving therapies at Michigan Medicine. Innovations at all stages of a research project are encouraged. The program is open to primary investigators (PIs) at the U-M Medical School and other investigators outside of U-M on a collaborative basis. Collaborative projects that engage nationally renowned Co-PIs at other institutions are especially encouraged to apply.
Project budgets depend on the scope of work and technology. Funds dispersed depend on achieving prospectively agreed-upon milestones, which are project specific. Funding will range from $250k-$500k per year, with the potential for multiple years of funding. Please note that no indirect costs are associated with this award. Contact Keith Gran, CPA, MBA, Chief Patient Experience Officer and Executive Director of the Frankel Innovation Initiative, at [email protected] or 734-232-4098 or DeAnn Yoder, Project Manager, at [email protected], for details related to budgets.
Allowable budget expenditures include salary and fringe benefits for project personnel, materials and supplies, contracted research (if required), travel and other relevant costs related to advancing the project (to be discussed with Frankel Innovation Initiative staff on a case-by-case basis). Budgets should be primarily allocated to the conduct of research and the achievement of milestones. Proposals will be partially evaluated on the appropriateness of the project budget.
The Frankel Innovation Initiative Scientific Advisory Committee comprises global biotech business experts and internationally prominent scientists with deep expert knowledge. The review process consists of multiple steps. A review team, including FII Scientific Advisory Committee representatives, performs an initial review of Letters of Intent, selecting projects to submit a full proposal. Full proposals are then reviewed by the full FII Scientific Advisory Committee, which selects those with significant clinical potential for an in-person presentation. Projects which are not selected for further review are provided with feedback. The selected project teams then present their project directly to the FII Scientific Advisory Committee at the committee’s annual meeting in Ann Arbor in September, and awards are granted shortly thereafter.
In addition to reviewing and selecting proposal awards, FII Scientific Advisory Committee members and their colleague networks serve in an informal mentorship role to research teams as their projects progress.
