Understanding Funding Opportunities at the NIH

Transcription

1 Understanding Funding Opportunities at the NIH Avrom Caplan, PhD Associate University Dean for Research The City University of New York

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3 Where do you send your NIH grant application? National Institutes of Health Office Office of of the the Director National Institute on on Aging Aging National Institute on on Alcohol Alcohol Abuse Abuse and and Alcoholism National Institute of of Allergy Allergy and and Infectious Diseases National Institute of of Arthritis and and Musculoskeletal and and Skin Skin Diseases National Cancer Cancer Institute National Institute of of Child Child Health Health and and Human Human Development National Institute on on Deafness and and Other Other Communication Disorders National Institute of of Dental Dental and and Craniofacial Research National Institute of of Diabetes and and Digestive and and Kidney Kidney Diseases National Institute on on Drug Drug Abuse Abuse National Institute of of Environmental Health Health Sciences National Eye Eye Institute National Institute of of General Medical Sciences National Heart, Heart, Lung, Lung, and and Blood Blood Institute National Human Human Genome Research Institute National Institute of of Mental Mental Health Health National Institute of of Neurological Disorders and and Stroke Stroke National Institute of of Nursing Research National Institute of of Biomedical Imaging and and Bioengineering National Center Center for for Complementary and and Alternative Medicine Fogarty International Center Center National Center Center for for Research Resources National Library Library of of Medicine National Center Center on on Minority Health Health and and Health Health Disparities Clinical Clinical Center Center Center Center for for Information Technology Center Center for for Scientific Review Review

4 The NIH Grant Application Process

5 R15 AREA: Academic Research Enhancement Award AREA grants: support for small research projects: support meritorious research strengthen the research environment of the institution (Baccalaureate) expose students to hands on research (not a training grant) AREA grants are meant for institutions unlikely to otherwise participate in NIH programs. Request up to $300,000 plus F&A for entire project up to 3 years. 12 pages of research strategy in new forms.

6 R15 AREA: Academic Research Enhancement Award pilot research projects development, testing and refinement of research techniques secondary analysis of available data sets similar discrete research projects that demonstrate research capability Additional administrative supplements available to improve diversity in the workforce and recruitment of high school/undergraduate students. More information on AREA grants: Contacts at NIH regarding AREA grants:

7 R03 Small grant program limited time and resources Pilot, feasibility studies; secondary analysis; development of methodology; new research technology. $100,000 over 2 years max. 6 pages on PHS398 for research strategy All investigators should consult their Institute/Center regarding suitability at the concept stage of the application

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9 R21 Exploratory/developmental grant to provide support for early and conceptual stages of a project. may involve considerable risk but lead to breakthrough or development of novel technique, agents, methodologies, models or applications that have a major impact. 2 $ max over the whole period uses PHS398 forms and may not exceed 6 pages of research strategy; Co-PI OK. one resubmission and no renewals. reviewers will focus on conceptual framework; innovation; potential to advance field preliminary data not required ( yeah, right!)

10 R21 Participating Institutes and CentersNIH Institutes and Centers that Do Accept Investigator-Initiated R21 Applications in Response to the Parent R21 Announcement - PA : NCCAM, NEI, NHGRI, NHLBI, NIA, NIAAA, NIAID, NIAMS, NIBIB, NICHD, NIDA, NIDCD, NIDCR, NIDDK, NIEHS, NIMH, NINDS, NINR and NLM. R21 Non-Participating Institutes and Centers. NIH Institutes and Centers that DO NOT ACCEPT R21 applications in response to the Parent R21 Announcement but ONLY accept R21 applications in response to their specific funding opportunity announcements: FIC, NCI, NCMHD, NCRR and NIGMS.

11 WARNING: R21 is not a good starter grant It s s not a mini-r01 Recently, several NIH Institutes have introduced specific policies discouraging New Investigators from applying for the R21 s as a starter grant. Rationale: New Investigators are High risk. Data shows: High risk PI + High risk Idea = likelihood of success

12 R01 original and oldest research project grant mechanism 1-5 years with modular budget to $250,000 per year but can be more uses PHS398 forms and may not exceed 12 pages of research strategy; Co-PI OK. one resubmission plus competitive renewals. preliminary data required

13 The New Research Strategy (the old Research Plan) Specific aims 1 page Research Strategy 12 pages for R01 Significance, Innovation and Approach How to write a 12 page grant Significance needs to describe what will be the result of the research assuming everything works what is the NIH buying? Half a page?? Innovation must described what s new? Approach put background into the intro to each aim; needs to include preliminary data

14 NIH biosketch Personal statement. Briefly describe why your experience and qualifications make you particularly well suited for your role (e.g., PD/PI, mentor) in the project that is the subject of the application.

15 NIH biosketch NIH encourages applicants to limit the list of selected peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in press to no more than 15. Do not include manuscripts submitted or in preparation. The individual may choose to include selected publications based on recent, importance to the field, and/or relevance to the proposed research Nih now wants a PubMed central reference number if publication was financed by prior NIH support

16 NIH biosketch Research Support. List both selected ongoing and completed research projects for the past three years (Federal or non Federallysupported). Begin with the projects that are most relevant to the research proposed in the application. Briefly indicate the overall goals of the projects and responsibilities of the key person identified on the Biographical Sketch. Do not include number of person months or direct costs. Do not confuse "Research Support" with "Other Support." Though they sound similar, these parts of the application are distinctly different. As part of the biosketch section of the application, "Research Support" highlights your accomplishments, and those of your colleagues, as scientists.

17 Resources Page This information is used to assess the capability of the organizational resources available to perform the effort proposed. Identify the facilities to be used (laboratory, clinical, animal, computer, office, other). If appropriate, indicate their capacities, pertinent capabilities, relative proximity and extent of availability to the project. Describe only those resources that are directly applicable to the proposed work. Provide any information describing the Other Resources available to the project (e.g., machine shop, electronic shop) and the extent to which they would be available to the project. This part is easy.

18 Resources Page Describe how the scientific environment in which the research will be done contributes to the probability of success (e.g., institutional support, physical resources, and intellectual rapport). In describing the scientific environment in which the work will be done, discuss ways in which the proposed studies will benefit from unique features of the scientific environment or subject populations or will employ useful collaborative arrangements. For Early Stage Investigators, describe institutional investment in the success of the investigator, e.g., resources for classes, travel, training; collegial support such as career enrichment programs, assistance and guidance in the supervision of trainees involved with the ESIs project, and availability of organized peer groups; logistical support such as administrative management and oversight and best practices training; and financial support such as protected time for research with salary support.

19 Resources Page institutional support: - space and arrangement of labs. - how many other funded labs physical resources: - what core facilities are available to you at your college and at CUNY as a whole? - include RCMI resources intellectual rapport: - how many scientists working in your field are in your department? - how do you interact (seminars/lab mtgs) - how about across CUNY?

20 Resources Page SCORE instructions: Institutions with well developed environments for the conduct of research and/or research training and significant support from NIH RO1 or equivalent are generally not suitable applicants for the SCORE program. RO1 instructions: Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? The SCORE and RO1 instructions seem mutually exclusive?

21 NIH grants: Review Criteria Overall impact Core review criteria Significance assumes all aims achieved Investigator that means you! Innovation so whats new? Approach finally, the science itself Environment that means your dept., college and CUNY These apply to RO1, R21, RO3, SC1, SC2 and SC3

22 Formatted Reviewer Critiques

23 Data from Jeremy Berg NIGMS director

24 NIH grants: Review Criteria Significance Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

25 NIH grants: Review Criteria Investigator(s) Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-pd/pi, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project? You can address this in your personal statement for the Biosketch

26 NIH grants: Review Criteria Innovation Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

27 NIH grants: Review Criteria Approach Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and

28 NIH grants: Review Criteria Environment. Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? Scientific environment: your colleagues what is the culture in which you work? how interactive is your department; division what is the level of funding? physical environment Unique features: CSI???

29 NIH grants: Review Criteria Overall Evaluation/Impact* Based upon consideration of the 5 core review criteria (& any additional pertinent review criteria), reviewers provide an overall impact statement and score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved. An application need not be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have a major scientific impact. (For example, a project may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative, but is essential to move a field forward, or improve clinical decisions or outcomes). *It IS NOT the mean score of the the other 5 criteria

30 Data from Jeremy Berg NIGMS director

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