NIH Grant-Writing Workshop

Dlab Workshop Session 5: Human Subjects and Other Documents

Leora Lawton, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Berkeley Population Center Summer 2015 1

Timing

2

Training Grants

 Individual training grants – emphasize ‘training’ more than ‘research project.’  Visit the NRSA Kiosk and explore it thoroughly:  F Kiosk: http://grants.nih.gov/training/F_files_nrsa.htm

.

 K Kiosk: http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.h

tm .

 NRSA salary and stipend limits: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD 15-048.html

. 3

Training Grants

Writing Your Proposal

 Remembering that this is not a research grant.

 You have to propose a research that is doable, but you have to propose a research that is within your expertise, and is something that is actually going to teach you something and generate preliminary data for your R01 grant.

4

Training Grants

The research is a vehicle for the training

  From the F31/F32: “A fellowship application has a research project that is integrated with the training plan. The review will emphasize the applicant’s potential for an independent, scientific research career, the applicant’s need for the proposed training, and the degree to which the research project and training plan, the sponsor(s), and the environment will satisfy those needs .” From the K: “Reviewers should evaluate the candidate’s potential for developing an independent research program that will make important contributions to the field, taking into consideration the years of research experience and the likely value of the proposed research career development as a vehicle for developing a successful, independent research program .” 5

What are They Looking For?

 Candidate: good letters of recommendation/published/good grades/good GREs.

 Sponsor: record as a researcher and trainer, how well known, productivity, funding, a good fit for your research.

 Training plan: well laid out, detailed.

 Training potential: how much will you gain, what will you get that’s new that you wouldn’t otherwise get?

 Research: how good is it, novelty, relevance, high impact, value added for candidate, feasible, what will the candidate learn.

 Environment/Institutional Commitment: the right resources, intellectual community, formal training mechanisms in place.

6

F31 & F32

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-147.html

• 60% of tuition/fees, up to $16,000 per year

.

• Up to 5 years of NRSA dissertation training in aggregate.

• Provides stipend, tuition/fees, “institutional allowance” for insurance, equipment, supplies, books, and travel.

Postdoctoral Fellows (F32): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-149.html

.

• Up to 3 years in aggregate • Provides stipend, tuition/fees, “institutional allowance” for insurance, equipment, supplies, books, and travel.

There are other allowable costs…please read the documentation.

Each F grant also has a diversity version for underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities.

7

K99-R00 Awards

K99/R00

NIH Pathway to Independence Award

• “designed to foster the transition of new investigators to research independence” • 5 years of support in 2 phases.

• Phase 1: ≤2 years support for postdocs with no more than 5 years of postdoc training.

• Phase 2: ≤3 years support in a tenure track position, contingent upon review of progress during Phase 1.

8

Career Changers – K01, F33

 K01: for career redirection; to provide support and “protected time” (three, four, or five years) for an intensive, supervised career development experience leading to research independence.

 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14 044.html

 F33: For independent researchers at least 7 years past their doctorates to make major changes in the direction of their research careers or who wish to broaden their scientific background by acquiring new research capabilities as independent research investigators; likened to a sabbatical 9

Expected Outcomes

  For F31 and F32  A strong foundation in research design, methods, and analytic techniques appropriate to the proposed [dissertation] research;  The enhancement of the applicant's ability to conceptualize and think through research problems with increasing independence;  Experience conducting research using appropriate, state-of-the-art methods, as well as presenting and publishing the research findings as first author;    The opportunity to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops; Skills needed to transition to the next stage of the applicant’s research career; The opportunity to enhance the applicant’s understanding of the health-related sciences and the relationship of the proposed research to health and disease.

For K01  The expectation is that through this sustained period of research career development and training, awardees will launch independent research careers and become competitive for new research project grant (e.g., R01) funding.

10

Specific Contents

           Letter from SPO confirming your eligible status Detailed educational program description Senior/key personnel include the Trainee, and the Sponsors (Mentors) Respective Contributions – how the trainee came to work this topic.

Selection of Sponsor(s) and Institution – explaining how (from an educational perspective) trainee came to work with these sponsors and at this institution.

RCR training – past and future Goals for career Activities planned under this award Sponsor information (grants, mentorships) Letters from Sponsors Letters from References 11

Next Steps

 I will be available on a limited basis for one-on-one consulting during the year.

12