DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC AIMS

 

This is often the most difficult part of a paper to write.  It should be short, easy to understand and contain the essence of what you want to do.  When developing these, start asking yourself:

 

  1. What do I REALLY want to know?
  2. Why do I want to know this?
  3. So what is the QUESTION? ( If you cannot define the question you have no hope of finding any answer)
  4. Exactly how am I going to ask this question
  5. What will the answers do for me.

 

Here is an example of some specific aims

 

The goal of this pilot study is to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using a battery of automated, real-time, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) screening assays in experimentally-infected guinea pigs and tuberculosis (TB) patients.  The results should provide the foundation to design studies of the pathogenesis of early TB in guinea pigs and humans, as well as a strategy for mass screening for early active pulmonary TB in the community.  The specific aims are:

 

AIM 1.  Detect genes from MTB and its host in the blood of experimentally-infected guinea pigs using Q-PCR.  We will evaluate the ability of Q-PCR to detect MTB DNA in the blood of experimentally-infected guinea pigs in the period following challenge during which a low level bacillemia is known to occur.  Guinea pig host genes will also be detected and used to perform a relative quantification (burden) of MTB. The data from this well-established animal model of early TB infection will be used to standardize the assays for patients described in the second aim of this study. 

 

AIM 2: Establish the feasibility of using the Q-PCR assay in PBMCs prospectively to distinguish active TB cases from non-infected healthy controls.  The Q-PCR assays established for guinea pigs in Aim 1 will be adapted for use with human specimens.  This preliminary study in human specimens will be done to establish the feasibility of identifying individuals with active TB disease through Q-PCR testing in PBMCs.  A simple questionnaire will be administered to determine if individuals have co-morbidity with diabetes, a predisposing factor for TB disease.  Blood from healthy individuals will be used as specificity controls.