Grant Support Letter

To assist UMass investigators, the UMass Deep Sequencing Core (DSC) will provide a formal letter of support to include in new, revised, or renewal grant applications. This formal DSC support letter has three functions. First, it describes the general operations, personnel, and analytical services available through the DSC to all UMass basic science or clinical researchers. Second, the letter indicates how the availability of massively parallel sequencing by synthesis (MPSS) Solexa/Illumina-based technology on the UMass Chan campus would facilitate specific studies proposed in the grant application and enhance research productivity. Third, the letter confirms that the investigator has access to cost-effective deep sequencing analysis services, data management and computational analysis guidelines, and on-site technical consultation in support of their research program.

If you would like to request a letter of support to include in your grant application, please provide the following information:

• The name, academic title, department affiliation, mailing address, and contact phone number of the person to whom the letter should be addressed. Please indicate the same information for any Co-Investigator (s) you intend to list on the grant application.
• The person to whom the letter should be delivered.
• The location where the letter should be delivered.
• The submission deadline for your grant application or preferred receipt date for the letter.
• The title of your grant/ project/ program.
• A brief description of your research objective(s); the deep sequencing application you intend to use (e.g. genomic sequencing applications, genome-wide profiling using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), TAG expression profiling, small RNA analysis); and the specific problem/ issue/ question (s) you intend to address using this technology. The entire description should not exceed twenty sentences. A short list of key talking points is also acceptable.

Please email your request along with this information to: Maria.Zapp@umassmed.edu.

Based on demand, please submit your request for a customized letter of technical support seven to ten days prior to your preferred receipt date.