Public Health-Cubed
The PH3 program nurtures novel ideas in public health research or education. It allows faculty teams to address major social problems too complex for a single disciplinary approach—and to pursue experimental ideas that might be too unconventional to attract immediate support from traditional funding mechanisms.
Public Health Cubed (PH3) is a rapid seed funding mechanism for Institute for Public Health Faculty Scholars.
The program nurtures novel ideas in public health research or education. It allows faculty teams to address major social problems too complex for a single disciplinary approach—and to pursue experimental ideas that might be too unconventional to attract immediate support from traditional funding mechanisms. The program also includes highly visible, campus-wide opportunities to highlight results.PH3 Funding Cycles
PH3 Funding Cycles occur twice per year in summer and winter. We typically seek projects that focus on a particular area such as health equity or community and social disparities. Projects must address issues specific to, or with potential impact in, our local St. Louis region. Additional priority is given to projects that address issues related to mental/behavioral health, diabetes or the intersection of personalized medicine and disparities. We anticipate funding up to four to six projects per submission deadline. During active funding cycles, submission deadlines and a printable one-page document of instructions can be found on this page.
Each Faculty Scholar in the Institute for Public Health will receive a virtual credit of $5,000. If teams of three (see “team” definition below) convene with a new idea or project in public health research or education, they can cash in their combined credits of $15,000 for the project. Proposals that seek funds to simply continue or supplement existing activities will not be considered, unless there are significant novel features.
Participation in at least one campus-wide forum to highlight the PH3 project or results is required. The Institute will coordinate with project teams to link them to opportunities to highlight their work.
For each cycle there are three (3) types of eligible teams. All teams (except “regular” teams) must include at least two (2) faculty members that are Institute Scholars. Review the list of Faculty Scholars.
- Regular = three (3) faculty scholars representing at least two (2) different disciplines from at least two (2) different WUSTL schools
- Community Partner = two (2) faculty scholars representing at least two (2) different disciplines from at least two (2) different WUSTL schools and one (1) community partner
- Institute Center Partner = two (2) faculty scholars representing at least two (2) different disciplines from at least two (2) different WUSTL schools and one (1) Institute Center partner
Center for Community Health Partnership & Research
Center for Dissemination & Implementation
Center for Health Economics & Policy
Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging
Public Health Data & Training Center
*NOTE: We will consider proposals involving our Global Health Center as a partner that attempt to apply findings from non-U.S. settings to local (St. Louis region) public health research questions, or, use global health approaches for a potential local public health solution. Projects involving direct research outside the St. Louis region will not be considered in this round of funding.
Submission deadlines will be made available on our website during active PH3 Funding cycles.
Please note central time when submitting by the deadline.Rapid review and decision
- Teams will receive notice of funding award within 4-6 weeks after the submission deadline.
- One-time funding
- After the initial award to a team, promising ideas may be considered for a second round of funding at the discretion of the Institute for Public Health.
Faculty whose scholar applications are in-process will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Please direct questions to Leah Kemper, associate director of the Institute for Public Health.
Application links and a preview of PH3 application questions will be made available during active funding cycles.