{"id":40239,"date":"2022-12-06T21:37:31","date_gmt":"2022-12-07T02:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/?page_id=40239"},"modified":"2025-09-29T14:48:31","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T18:48:31","slug":"about-affinity-research-collaboratives-arcs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/offices-contacts\/research-support-offices\/about-ibro\/about-affinity-research-collaboratives-arcs\/","title":{"rendered":"About Affinity Research Collaboratives (ARCs)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Process<\/h3>\n
\n
Pre-ARC<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n

A pre-ARC assembly is required as it allows a group to explore in more depth a research theme via meetings or workshops prior to applying for an ARC status and funding. During the pre-ARC phase, investigators approach Dr. Ravid with a suggested theme (at times, also vice versa), and Dr. Ravid meets with the group several times.<\/p>\n

Funding is available for pre-ARCs to organize meetings and seminars over a period of about six months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
Pre-ARC to ARC<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Following self selection the pre-ARC decides, often in consultation with Dr. Ravid, whether to submit an ARC application (available in ECIBR or IBRO web sites.<\/p>\n

Download Application<\/a><\/p>\n

Applications are due in May each year. An ARC review panel, consisting of 9-12 senior investigators reviews and scores applications using NIH scaling. Reviewers are selected based on expertise in ARC research topics and in consultation with other BU leadership. Applicants are notified within 2 weeks, including constructive critiques.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
ARC status and funding<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Once an ARC receives a high score, it is funded for a year. Funding has ranged from 50-75K per year per ARC, depending on careful justification. Yearly reports are submitted and funding can be renewed for up to 3 years pending yearly review with a rigorous set of criteria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
Graduated ARC to ARC-Program<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Graduated ARCs can become ARC programs based on securing extramural funding, and through this ARC-Program status a new field of research is created at BU. Some funding is available to such successful ARC-programs for organizing a research retreat and workshops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
Form a new ARC?<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Members of a graduated ARC could assemble a new ARC, if the theme is novel and innovative.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Key Elements of an ARC<\/h3>\n

Metrics<\/strong>
\nYearly evaluation of ARCs is based on:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Scholarly output<\/li>\n
  • Relatively new (at BU) research areas and grouping<\/li>\n
  • New grant proposals, including training grants<\/li>\n
  • Faculty and trainee research networking monitored by IBRO using research network analysis<\/li>\n
  • Collaborative work with the CTSI towards development of new diagnostic or therapeutic approaches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Research Plan<\/strong>
    \nEach ARC should have a research plan that:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Is a compelling biomedical problem<\/li>\n
    • Reflects an interdisciplinary approach to a new area and includes plans for internal and external research interaction and communications<\/li>\n
    • Has potential to endure beyond an initial three-year funding period<\/li>\n
    • Is the highest quality science<\/li>\n
    • Has a training component<\/li>\n
    • Could lead to additional collaborations in and outside BU<\/li>\n
    • Does not duplicate an exciting center, unit of program<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      IBRO ARC Leadership<\/strong>
      \nIBRO expects co-leadership of faculty from MED and CR campuses.<\/p>\n

      Interdisciplinary<\/strong>
      \nARC consists of at least 5 active investigators and need faculty from 3 or more BU departments and at least one department from the CRC and Medical Campuses of BU, including DOM. Past ARCs usually ranged between 7 to 21 members.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      The Process Pre-ARC A pre-ARC assembly is required as it allows a group to explore in more depth a research theme via meetings or workshops prior to applying for an ARC status and funding. During the pre-ARC phase, investigators approach Dr. Ravid with a suggested theme (at times, also vice versa), and Dr. Ravid meets […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11165,"featured_media":0,"parent":39994,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40239"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11165"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40239"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59099,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40239\/revisions\/59099"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}