RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR MINORITY FACULTY

NIH Guide, Volume 22, Number 14, April 9, 1993



PAR NUMBER:  PAR-93-073



P.T. 34, FF



Keywords:

  Biomedical Research Training 

  Blood Diseases 

  Cardiovascular Diseases 

  Pulmonary Diseases 



National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute



Application Receipt Date:  August 27, 1993



PURPOSE



The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) announces a

program directed at developing the research capabilities of minority

faculty investigators in areas relevant to cardiovascular, pulmonary,

and hematologic* diseases and resources.  The purpose of the award is

to encourage the enhancement of research skills in the areas of

interest to the NHLBI by minority* faculty members at domestic

institutions and to increase the number of minority individuals

involved in research endeavors.



* Within the NHLBI, the term "hematologic" covers research on

thrombosis and hemostasis, immunohematology, blood cell disorders,

hematopoiesis, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, transfusion medicine

including blood component and derivative therapy, blood substitutes and

blood resource management, aspects of AIDS-products in AIDS prevention

and treatment, and AIDS-related bone marrow and hematologic disorders.

Other Institutes of the NIH are responsible for research on disorders

of white cells, including the leukemias and other blood malignancies,

and basic immunology related to the lymphoid system.  Therefore, the

NHLBI cannot provide support for such studies.



HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000



The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health

promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"

a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This program

announcement, Research Development Award for Minority Faculty, is

related to the priority area of heart disease and stroke.  Potential

applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents,

Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone

202-783-3238).



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Awards in this program will be made to domestic institutions or

organizations on behalf of awardees.  Individuals for this program must

have been awarded a doctoral degree (a Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M. or D.O.,

degree or its equivalent) and have a faculty appointment at an

accredited college or university at the time of award.  Applicants for

this award must be either citizens or noncitizen nationals of the

United States or have been lawfully admitted to the United States for

permanent residence.  An individual lawfully admitted for permanent

residence must submit, with the application, a notarized statement

indicating possession of the Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-151 or

I-551). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.



Candidates must be nominated by an institution on the basis of

qualifications, interests, accomplishments, motivation, and potential

for performing quality research.  The candidate's academic background,

previous experience, and career goals should determine both the

necessary length and the kind of program that is appropriate.  Each

candidate must identify a sponsor(s) who is an accomplished

investigator in the research area proposed and has experience in

developing independent investigators.  The sponsor is not required to

be affiliated with the applicant institution.



For the purpose of this program, underrepresented minority faculty

members are defined as individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or

racial group that has been determined by the grantee institution to be

underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research.  In making grant

awards under this program, the NHLBI will give priority to projects

involving Black, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander and other

ethnic or racial group members who have been found to be

underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research nationally.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The mechanism of support is the career development award (K14).  Awards

will be made to the institution on behalf of the awardee.  Each award

will have a duration of three to five years and is non-renewable.

Funding beyond the first year of the grant is contingent upon

satisfactory progress during the preceding year.  Substitution of

another sponsor and/or a change of institution may be permitted with

the prior approval of the NHLBI.



The awardee may receive salary support up to a maximum of $50,000 plus

fringe benefits per year for five years.  All funds must be used to

support the awardee.  A minimum of 80 percent effort must be devoted to

the research program.  The remainder may be devoted to other clinical

and teaching pursuits that are consistent with the program goals, i.e.,

the candidate's development into an independent biomedical scientist or

the maintenance of the teaching and clinical skills needed for an

academic research career.  In addition to the salary request for the

candidate, support for up to five percent of the sponsor's salary may

be requested.  Up to $30,000 per year will be provided for research

support.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



The Research Development Award for Minority Faculty is intended to:



o  encourage research-oriented minority faculty to develop independent

research skills and gain experience in advanced methods and

experimental approaches in the basic and applied sciences relevant to

heart, blood vessel, lung, blood diseases, and transfusion medicine.



o  increase the pool of highly trained minority investigators who can

use advanced technologies to address the major problems in heart, blood

vessel, lung, blood diseases, and transfusion medicine.



STUDY POPULATIONS



SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NIH

POLICIES CONCERNING INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL

RESEARCH STUDY POPULATIONS



NIH policy is that applicants for NIH clinical research grants and

cooperative agreements are required to include minorities and women is

study populations so that research finds can be of benefits to all

persons at risk of the disease, disorder or condition under study;

special emphasis must be placed on the need for inclusion of minorities

and women in studies of diseases, disorders and conditions which

disproportionately affect them.  This policy is intended to apply to

males and females of all ages.  If women or minorities are excluded or

inadequately represented in clinical research, particularly in proposed

population-based studies, a clear compelling rationale must be

provided.



The composition of the proposed study population must be described in

terms of gender and racial/ethnic group.  In addition, gender and

racial/ethnic issues should be addressed in developing a research

design and sample size appropriate for the scientific objectives of the

study. This information must be included in the form PHS 398 in

sections 1-4 of the Research Plan AND summarized in Section 5, Human

Subjects.  Applicants are urged to assess carefully the feasibility of

including the broadest possible representation of minority groups.

However, NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or appropriate in

all research projects to include representation of the full array of

United States racial/ethnic minority populations (i.e., Native American

(including American Indians or Alaskan Natives), Asian/Pacific

Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics).  The rationale for studies on single

minority population groups must be provided.



For the purpose of this policy, clinical research is defined as human

biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology, prevention

(and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment of diseases,

disorders or conditions, including but not limited to clinical trials.



The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also

apply.  Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues

cannot be identified or linked to individuals are excluded.  However,

every effort should be made to include human tissues from women and

racial/ethnic minorities when it is important to apply the results of

the study broadly, and this should be addressed by applicants.



If the required information is not contained within the application,

the review will be deferred until the information is provided.



Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in

the application conforms to these policies.  If the representation of

women or minorities in a study design is inadequate to answer the

scientific question(s) addressed AND the justification for the selected

study population is inadequate, it will be considered a scientific

weakness or deficiency in the study design and will be reflected in

assigning the priority score to the application.



All applications for clinical research submitted to NIH are required to

address these policies.  NIH funding components will not award grants

or cooperative agreements that do not comply with these policies.



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



Applications must be received by August 27, 1993.  Applications are to

be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91).

Application kits are available at most institutional offices of

sponsored research and may be obtained from the Office of Grants

Inquires, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health,

Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone

301-710-0267.  The title and number of the announcement must be typed

in section 2a on the face page of the application.



The completed original application and three legible copies must be

sent or delivered to:



Division of Research Grants

National Institutes of Health

Westwood Building, Room 240

Bethesda, MD  20892**



Two additional copies of the application must be sent to:



Scientific Review Administrator

Division of Extramural Affairs

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Westwood Building, Room 550

Bethesda, MD  20892



REVIEW PROCEDURES



All applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by

the Research Training Review Committee of the Division of Extramural

Affairs, NHLBI, followed by a second level review by the National

Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council.



The criteria for initial review of applications include:



1.  Candidate -- The candidate's overall competence as demonstrated by

academic record and performance, potential for a career in independent

research, and commitment or interest in pursuing an academic research

career.



2.  Sponsor(s) -- The sponsor's accomplishments in the scientific

research area(s) proposed, experience and track record in training

investigators, and commitment for the duration of a candidate's

research development.  A curriculum vitae with relevant publications

and a list of current and pending research support must be included for

all sponsors.  Sponsors should also include a list of current and past

research trainees (not more than the last 10 years) with information on

their current positions.



3.  Environment -- The applicant institution's ability to provide

adequate facilities, resources, and opportunities necessary for the

candidate's training, and the institutional commitment to the

candidate.  If different from the applicant institution, the quality

and extent of interaction of the faculty in the basic and clinical

sciences, and the quality of the research and research training

programs at the sponsor's institution.



4.  Career Development Plan -- The adequacy of the research career

development plan, based on the candidate's past research experience,

training, and career goals.



5.  Research Project -- Scientific merit of the proposed research

project and its appropriateness as a vehicle for developing the

candidate's research skills.



AWARD CRITERIA



Applications will compete for available funds with other approved

career development award applications assigned to the National Heart,

Lung, and Blood Institute.  The following will be considered in making

funding decisions:



o  Technical merit of the application as determined by peer review

o  Availability of funds

o  Program balance among the research areas of the announcement



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquires are encouraged.  Guidelines for this

program may be obtained from any of the following:



John Fakunding, Ph.D.

Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Federal Building, Room 3C04

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-1724



Helena O. Mishoe, Ph.D.

Division of Blood Diseases and Resources

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Federal Building, Room 5A12

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-5911



Mary Reilly, M.S.

Division of Lung Diseases

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Westwood Building, Room 640A

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 594-7466



For fiscal and administrative matters, contact:



Jane Davis

Division of Extramural Affairs

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Westwood Building, Room 4A15C

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 594-7436



AUTHORITY AND REGULATION



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

numbers 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839.  Awards will be made under the

authority of the Public Health Service Act, Title III, Section 301

(Public Law 78-410, as amended; 42 USC 241) and administered under PHS

grants policies and Federal Regulations at 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR

Part 74.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review

requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.



.

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