Investigators worldwide contributing to the detection or deterrence of performance-enhancing drugs are eligible for PCC Grants.

Grant Cycle Deadlines:
Pre-Applications are due February 1^st and August 1^st of each year. Applicants invited to submit full applications must do so by March 1^st or September 1^st, depending on the cycle (30 days after the pre-application due date).

With an emphasis on original work that focuses on improving existing analytical methods for detecting particular drugs, developing new analytical methods to test for substances not currently detectable, and discovering cost-effective approaches for testing widely abused substances across all levels of sport, the following areas of investigation reflect the PCC’s current research priorities:

• Developing methods of cost-effective testing to detect and deter the use of prohibited substances and methods.
• Developing novel testing protocols to detect and deter new or designer substances or methods used to evade detection (e.g., micor-dosing) for doping purposes.
• Improving existing chromatography-mass spectrometry and other analytical chemistry or biomedical methods to detect particular drugs, ex. GH, IGF-1, EPO, hCG.
• Developing new analytical methods to detect performance enhancing drugs not currently detectable.
• Examination of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics of doping substances through human administration studies examining longitudinal urinary excretion patterns, metabolism, and dose-concentration, including confounding factors that may influence excretion, detection, or performance-enhancing impact. This also includes studies which aim to differentiate between sources of contamination and doping by identifying novel discriminate urinary or blood markers or metabolites, or ratios thereof, through well-designed human administration studies.
• Critical reviews to support interpretation of laboratory data.
• The application of alternative specimens, (ex. oral fluid, dried blood/plasma spots) for testing and analysis.
• Discovery and validation of specific and sensitive biomarkers in urine and/or blood for the purposes of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) that aim to indirectly identify the use of doping substances or methods.
• Detection of prohibited gene doping, gene editing, gene silencing technologies, as well as the detection of prohibited stem cell therapies.
• Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other related research that leads to optimization of anti-doping testing programs.
• Development of effective quantitative and qualitative measures of doping deterrence and education through well-designed survey methods applicable to multiple athlete domains and social science research.

There are no maximum or minimal amounts for grant applications, though the average funding amount is roughly $130,000. To date, more than 275 projects have been funded in more than 23 countries world-wide. Approximately 30% of applicants are awarded PCC funding.

PCC grant applications are subject to a thorough, expert-led peer review process. Funding recommendations are made by the PCC’s 12 member Scientific Advisory Board based on a submission’s impact on anti-doping, overall quality of the application, proposed budget, and likelihood of success. Final funding decisions are made by the Board of Governors.

For additional insight into PCC funding success, please visit the following resources, or reach out to Jocelyn Quiles via jquiles@cleancompetition.org.

Blog: PCC Grant Application Tips Series: Part 1
Blog: PCC Grant Application Tip Series: Part 2