The Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research (OCASCR), a TSET funded Oklahoma research program, is accepting grant proposals for its current cycle with a published deadline of September 16, 2026. OCASCR awards grants twice yearly for January 1 and July 1 starts and accepts research, shared equipment, education and travel, enabling technology, and other mission aligned requests.
Eligibility and funding
Eligible applicants are Oklahoma principal investigators working in adult stem cells, regenerative medicine, or research related to diseases associated with tobacco use or obesity. Applications from universities, research institutions, and private industry are welcome, but the applicant must hold an M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., D.O., or equivalent degree; be an eligible professional or faculty member at an appropriate educational, medical, or research institution; be qualified to conduct and mentor an independent research program; assume administrative and financial responsibility; and have the institutional resources needed for the proposed work. Core facility directors may apply for equipment grants.
OCASCR states that there is no formal award limit, while recommending a maximum of $150,000 for research grants. Its current FAQ reports an average research award of about $130,000 over the prior three years and an average equipment award of about $150,000, with historical equipment awards ranging from $27,000 to $450,000. Those historical figures are not applicant ceilings. Large shared equipment purchases over $50,000 often have matching funds, but the current rules do not state a mandatory match or cost share. Research and enabling grants receive a 15 percent indirect cost amount added by OCASCR; applicants are instructed not to include indirect costs in their requested budget. Education and equipment grants do not receive indirect costs.
Application requirements
All applications use the current one page OCASCR application cover page and are generally limited to 10 pages total. Research proposals include an abbreviated NIH biosketch with current support and prior OCASCR funding, PHS 398 Budget form, up to five pages of narrative, selected references, and supporting documents. Shared Equipment proposals require the cover page, abbreviated NIH biosketch, up to five pages describing the equipment and benefit to multiple Oklahoma researchers, selected references, a manufacturer quote, equipment location and user information, and an institutional commitment letter if matching funds are available. Enabling Technology proposals require the cover page, abbreviated NIH biosketch, PHS 398 Budget form, five page narrative, selected references, and abstracts and budget pages for ongoing NIH, NSF, or OCASCR grants supporting the relevant research.
The current OCASCR Grant Application Information page links a live Grant Submission web form that requires the applicant’s name, email address, and one uploaded file with a 15 MB maximum. Atlas controls to that current live submission portal rather than the older November 2025 FAQ’s email submission instruction. The current OCASCR page publishes the date September 16, 2026 but does not publish an exact closing time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. The current FAQ states that no supplemental information is accepted after the deadline.
Atlas fit
Atlas Opportunity Score: 82/100. N9+ Fit Score: 8/100. This is a strong Oklahoma biomedical research and shared equipment funding opportunity, but the Nonagon N9+ device and platform is a clinical assessment technology and the controlling OCASCR materials focus on adult stem cell, regenerative medicine, tobacco related, obesity related, and shared research infrastructure. Atlas will not force a clinical device into a research mechanism without a qualifying investigator led study and written confirmation of allowability. QC Healthcare is likewise not positioned as a routine applicant or project component.
Although private industry may apply, Dr. Miltie/QC Healthcare is not treated as a verified direct applicant because Atlas has not verified a qualifying principal investigator, independent research laboratory, or applicant controlled research program meeting OCASCR eligibility. Realistic applicant classes include Oklahoma research universities and research institutions such as OU Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma State University, and Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, subject to investigator specific eligibility and project fit.
Contact: Kelly Gentry, kelly-gentry@ocascr.org, 405-271-7473.