January 11, 2022

The Drexel Medical Cannabis Research Center (MCRC), a collaboration between the Dornsife School of Public Health and the College of Medicine, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for pilot projects that to promote medical cannabis research at Drexel.

The mission of the MCRC is to conduct population, clinical, and translational science-based research studies on medical cannabis as well as analyzing the impacts of cannabis prohibition and legalization on public health. This mission aligns with a key part of Drexel University’s mission to “focus our collective expertise on solving society's greatest problems.”

Sponsor: Funding for this opportunity is provided by Agronomed Biologics, a PA-based medical cannabis company, who has partnered with Drexel University under PA’s 2016 medical cannabis legislation and is supported by PA’s Department of Health. Agronomed and Drexel entered into an eight-year research partnership in late 2019/2020.

Objective: The MCRC RFP supports pilot projects with a focus on advancing medical cannabis science and knowledge regarding the potential medical benefits of cannabis as well as the societal and public health impacts of prohibition and legalization.

Pilot project proposals should:

• Identify a clear set of specific aims with relevant research questions.
• Clearly state how the proposed research questions relates to the efficacy and safety of medical cannabis in treating the 23 permissible indications established by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or
• Clearly state how the proposed research questions relates to the public health impact of medical cannabis with respect to the 23 indications, or
• Clearly state how the proposed research relates to the public health impact of the prohibition and/or legalization of cannabis (medical or recreational, where permitted by states).

A range of approaches are of interest including both quantitative and qualitative, primary, or secondary data analyses, observational studies, natural experiments, policy evaluation, and modeling and simulation among others. Studies focused on policies, awareness and access, and other aspects of social justice are encouraged if they address the impact of issues of equity and inclusion on the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis.  Proposals for projects with strong potential to result in peer-reviewed publications and external funding are encouraged.

Regardless of the specific area of focus, the proposal must justify the feasibility of addressing the research question with the proposed approach, timeline, and budget allocated. 

Award: The maximum budget that can be requested for award is $50,000. Efficiency and cost sharing in budget requests is encouraged so that more projects can be funded. It is anticipated that 3-5 awards will be made as part of this request for proposals. However, the total number to be awarded will depend on review results and budget requests.

Eligibility: Open to all Drexel University faculty member and postdoctoral fellows. Postdoctoral fellows must have a clearly identified faculty mentor on the project team. A support letter from the mentor must be included. Investigators may submit more than one application but are eligible to receive only one award as PI.

How to apply: Applications must be submitted through the Drexel University Funding Portal. Please review the full, detailed RFP and its requirements along with supporting documents to ensure compliance with submission and award requirements. 

The submission deadline is 5:00pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022. 
Questions? Email cannabis@drexel.edu.