Notice Number: NOT-HG-14-016

Key Dates
Release Date: January 10, 2014

Issued by
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Purpose

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announces its continued participation in the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) institutional research training program (parent T32), and the restructuring of its training programs focused on genomic sciences research.

In February 2011, NHGRI published its new strategic plan: Charting a course for genomic medicine from base pairs to bedside. The plan was an all-encompassing document for the field of genomics. Based on this document, NHGRI worked towards redefining the specific goals for its research and training and career development programs.

Through a series of advisory panels and workshops (2012 Report, 2012 Presentation, April 2013 Report, September 2013 Report and Video), NHGRI has identified three main goals for its training and career development programs:

1. Expand the base of knowledge in genomic medicine;

2. Continue to support the foundational sciences, with emphasis on acquiring strong quantitative skills; and

3. Develop leaders in genomic medicine and genome sciences.

Other overarching principles, recurring themes and recommendations are detailed in the report.

Operationally these goals will be achieved through restructuring of NHGRI’s training program that will:

• Maintain investment in genomic sciences training while expanding the statistical and informatics component;
• Expand training into genomic medicine; and
• Increase NHGRI’s training investment so that it is more on par with NIH-wide investment.

For T32 training, NHGRI will create two separate tracks through training grant applications submitted using PA-14-015, the parent T32 FOA. The first will maintain the existing program focused on genomic sciences research for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (the subject of this Notice). The second will create new programs focused on genomic medicine research for postdoctoral fellows (See NOT-HG-14-017).

All NHGRI training programs should provide:

• A strong foundation in research design, methods, and analytic techniques appropriate for the proposed genomic research area;
• Enhancement of the trainees ability to conceptualize and think through research problems with increasing independence;
• Experience conducting genomic research using state-of-the-art methods as well as presenting and publishing research findings;
• Opportunities to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops; and
• Enhancement of the trainees understanding of the health-related sciences and the relationship of their genomic research training to health and disease.

Additional details for the institutional training grant program in genomic medicine are outlined in a parallel NIH Guide Notice (link to NOT-HG-14-017).

Additional details for the institutional training grant program in genomic science are presented below.

Objectives of the Institutional Training Grant Program in Genomic Sciences

The program objective is to develop research leaders in genomic sciences. Training programs should ensure that trainees will develop a knowledge base and skill sets in two areas: 1) the biomedical sciences (includes the biological sciences, engineering, technology development, clinical discovery, etc.), 2) and the quantitative sciences (includes mathematics, statistics, bioinformatics, computational biology, etc). Training should be acquired broadly across both areas and in depth in one or more areas of specialty. A greater emphasis should be placed on in-depth training in a quantitative sciences specialty. Applications will likely be more successful from institutions that have many and varied ongoing genomic research projects, and in which trainees will have access to large and complex datasets, including genomic, proteomic, and patient and clinical data, due to the essential opportunities that such resources will provide to trainees.

For applicants who propose to provide training at the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral levels, a detailed training plan must be provided. Some of the common elements of a successful training program might include:

• Courses that expose trainees to the basic concepts and working knowledge in the scientific areas related to genomic sciences.
• Team science approach to problem solving that provides an opportunity for individuals with different knowledge domains and skill sets to come together to solve important problems.
• An emphasis on the importance of reproducibility of experimental results, given the development, sharing, and analyses of large, complex and varied datasets.
• Rotations and external internships in basic and clinical laboratories and other settings, such as industry, are widely recognized as effective means to introduce students to the broadest choice of the myriad types of data sets that are a challenge in genomics.
• Joint mentorship to enhance training and communication among disciplines.
• Forum for intellectual exchanges to enhance opportunities for trainees to interact with other trainees and faculty from other relevant areas.
• Individual Development Plans (IDP) should be encouraged for each trainee. (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-13-093.html).
• Career development and professional guidance, such as skills for writing manuscripts, fellowships or grant applications, and for delivering oral presentations for scientific presentations and interviewing for jobs, etc. should be provided.
• Evaluation Plan should describe the metrics that will be used to determine the success of the trainees and the program.

Budget

New training programs will be limited to 10 trainees. Due to budget constraints and the need to provide opportunities to additional training programs, ongoing training programs may experience a reduction in the number of approved trainees. In both cases, final decisions about the number of training slots will depend upon the quality of the proposed program as determined by peer review, programmatic considerations, and the availability of funds. There will be annual meetings of trainees and program directors. Funds may be requested for trainees and program directors to attend one annual networking meeting in the greater Washington, DC area. Please contact program staff for allowable costs.
Special Note: To ensure that your application is responsive to this FOA, prior consultation with NHGRI staff is strongly encouraged.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Scientific/Research Contacts:

Tina Gatlin, Ph.D.
Training Program Director
Email: christine.gatlin@nih.gov

Heather A. Junkins, M.S.
Training Program Director
Email: junkinsh@mail.nih.gov

Financial/Grants Management Contact:

Susan Toy
Senior Grants Management Specialist
Email: toys@mail.nih.gov

National Human Genome Research Institute
Telephone: 301-496-7531
Website: http://www.genome.gov