and Human Services (HHS)
EXPIRED
Department of Health and Human
Services
Participating Organizations
National
Institutes of Health (NIH) (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of
Participating Organizations
National
Institute on Aging (NIA) (http://www.nia.nih.gov)
Title: Social
Neuroscience of Aging (R01)
Announcement Type
New
Request for Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-AG-09-006
NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four (4) weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.866
Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: July 7, 2008
Opening Date: September 30, 2008 (Earliest
date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): September 30, 2008
NOTE:
On-time submission requires that applications be successfully submitted to
Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization).
Application Due Date(s): October 31, 2008
Peer Review Date(s): February-March,
2009
Council Review Date(s): May, 2009
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1, 2009
Additional Information To Be
Available Date (Activation Date): Not Applicable
Expiration Date: November 1, 2008
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable
Additional
Overview Content
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part
II Full Text of Announcement
Section
I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research
Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible
Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Section
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Request
Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt, Review, and Anticipated
Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements and Information
Section
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)
3.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award
Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3.
Reporting
Section VII. Agency
Contacts
1.
Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review
Contact(s)
3.
Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
Section
VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations
Part II
- Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
Purpose
The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to stimulate interdisciplinary research in the Social Neuroscience of Aging. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites applications for research examining the neurobiological and/or genetic foundations and correlates of social behaviors (i.e., behaviors influenced by others or by features of the social context or behaviors occurring in the presence of others) and social relationships of relevance to aging. Applications are expected to either: (1) address the neurobiological and/or genetic foundations and correlates of social behaviors and social relationships of particular relevance to middle-aged and older adults, or (2) use life course or lifespan developmental approaches to understand neurobiological and genetic mechanisms or pathways by which social behaviors and social relationships affect important aging outcomes. Multi-level research is needed that combines measures and methods from the behavioral and social sciences with neurobiological and/or genetic approaches to shed light on these issues. Research projects that (1) link the social neuroscience laboratory with population-based research, (2) cross traditional disciplinary barriers within the biological and behavioral sciences, or (3) offer bridges to translational efforts to improve social function and enhance social roles in older adults are particularly encouraged.
Background
Human beings are fundamentally social creatures. Our brains are designed to support the formation and maintenance of reciprocal social relationships that are necessary to nurture and sustain us, both physically and emotionally, throughout life. It has been argued that the desire for interpersonal attachments is a fundamental human motive that activates behavior, influences cognition and emotion, and leads to ill effects on health and well-being if left unsatisfied. Indeed, emerging findings from experimental research, complemented by overwhelming epidemiological evidence demonstrate that being in socially supportive relationships improves one’s odds of avoiding or surviving illness and reduces mortality, while being lonely, isolated, or in poor quality relationships greatly increases those risks. These findings raise questions about potential psychological, social, genetic and neurobiological mechanisms and pathways whereby social behaviors and features of the social environment support healthy aging. Integrated levels of analysis, ranging from genes to biomarkers to neural systems to behaviors, are critical for elucidating pathways linking social behaviors, social motives, and social relationships to aging outcomes, and ultimately, for guiding interventions.
The emerging discipline of social neuroscience holds promise for achieving this goal. Social neuroscience directly addresses relations between genetic and neurobiological systems and aspects of social behavior and social processes. Recent application of neuroscience and genetic methods to the study of topics in developmental, social, and personality psychology is yielding insights into the neurobiological and genetic substrates of a variety of social phenomena. These include emotion regulation in social contexts; attitudes and stereotype formation; the neurobiological and genetic correlates of social connectedness and loneliness; the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying reciprocity, trust, and empathy; and the brain and information processing mechanisms underlying emotional influences on social interaction, social judgment, and social exchange.
Despite rapid growth in this area, relatively little attention has been paid to these phenomena in the context of midlife and older age. In light of the profound demographic changes occurring in our society, this represents an important research gap. Life expectancy has nearly doubled over the last century, and in less than 50 years there will be more than 90 million Americans age 65 and older. Though many people are living longer, it remains the case that older age is marked by increases in social losses and disruptions of important social relationships due to economic factors such as retirement and relocation, and health-related factors such as illness, disability, and death of social network members. The percentage of individuals reporting social isolation increases with age, and recent research indicates that 25 percent of people in their nineties report being alone all the time. Stereotypes of aging represent another significant threat to social identity, social roles, and social relationships of older people. Aging stereotypes have been linked to mortality, physical function, and cognitive performance. Attitudes toward older people have been shown to reliably elicit pity, which can give rise to both active helping behaviors but also passive neglect. Meanwhile, insights from the fields of biodemography and evolutionary biology suggest that certain social behaviors may promote longevity and survival, and these advantages are likely extended into old age. For example, in several species, older individuals exhibit altruistic and dominant behaviors crucial to the cohesion and survival of the social group and family structures and dominance hierarchies undergo shifts when the dominant matriarch dies, suggesting that older individuals continue to fill important social roles.
Recent work in social and personality psychology of aging suggests that socioemotional function is maintained or improves in older age - in contrast to most cognitive functions, which show longitudinal decline. Research is needed to understand better what aspects of social behaviors improve or are preserved in normal aging, whether there are particular areas of decline, and to what extent these changes can be attributed to social, psychological, genetic, or neurobiological causes. For example, prefrontal cortex plays a significant role in the regulation of social behaviors and is also a site for neural change in aging, suggesting the need to focus attention on this region and its connectivity. In addition, the amygdala a subcortical structure that plays a significant role in social fear has been associated with age differences in emotional information processing. Yet little is currently known about age differences or age-related changes in the interplay of these brain areas in mediating social behaviors.
Evidence is also growing regarding specific genetic variants that affect specific social behaviors and data are accumulating to suggest that social behaviors may induce or affect gene expression. The genetic complexity underlying social behaviors and findings indicating that genetic expression can be altered by the social environment necessitate using large scale longitudinal studies to answer several research questions. For example, what are the genetic and environmental antecedents of the ability to form social bonds and effectively use social support over the life course, and what role does stable genetic variation within populations play in supporting well-functioning social groups and healthy life spans? The epigenetic effects of social experience and stressors could be substantial and some of these may increase in importance across aging; evidence for such effects is known in social insects, but additional work will be needed in both animal models and human studies. In addition, future social neuroscience studies incorporating genetics, neuro-imaging and behavior will inform whether genetic effects on social processes are stable over the life course, how they are affected by neurobiological changes associated with aging, and will shed light on the underpinnings of individual variation in social behaviors in later life.
Resources for Applicants
Responses to frequently asked questions concerning this FOA will be posted at http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ExtramuralPrograms/BehavioralAndSocialResearch/, under Current Funding Opportunities.
Understanding the neurobiological and genetic mechanisms and pathways whereby satisfying social relationships and adaptive social behaviors support psychological and physical health over the life span is an important challenge for behavioral and social research on aging. Application of social neuroscience approaches to these aging issues holds the potential for bringing a richer developmental focus to this research area. Thus the recent NIA-commissioned National Research Council Report from the Committee on Aging Frontiers in Social Psychology, Personality, and Adult Developmental Psychology, entitled When I m 64, (Carstensen & Hartel, 2006), highlighted advancing social neuroscience research on aging as a critical next step for the behavioral and social sciences (http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11474.html). A recent NIA Exploratory Workshop on the Social Neuroscience of Aging (Background Statements and Workshop Report available at: http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ExtramuralPrograms/BehavioralAndSocialResearch/ConferencesAndWorkshops.htm ) highlighted a number of data and methodological needs in social neuroscience of aging including: collection of observational data on social behaviors across the lifespan; development of improved measures of social behaviors and social environments associated with distinct life phases; new approaches linking laboratory and field-based methods for the study of social behaviors over the life course; identification of appropriate animal models of social behaviors of relevance to aging; and research on the neurobiological and evolutionary roots of stigma and stereotypes of aging and their impact on social behaviors.
In addition, a series of NIA Workshops and Symposia on genetics, social environments and aging (March 2002, February 2003, and June 2007), and associated special issues of Behavior Genetics (Vol 33, 3, 2003), the Journal of Gerontology (Vol 60B, 2005), and Twin Research and Human Genetics (Vol 10, 2, 2007) have highlighted: (1) the importance of incorporating the role of social environments in genetic inquiry, (2) the need for improved measures of social environments for aging research, (3) the need for studying how social behaviors influence, and are influenced by epigenetic factors, and (4) the need for research exploring gene-environment correlation and interaction in later life, including how the ability to select social environments changes across the life span. Appropriate characterization of the environment is highly relevant to aging research and especially to interventions, as changes in the environment can be engineered and assessed in relation to genetic polymorphisms of interest.
Applicants are also encouraged to refer to the recent Institute of Medicine report entitled Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment (Hernandez & Blazer, 2006) (http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11693.html), which emphasizes that the influence of social, behavioral, and genetic factors on health involves dimensions of both time (critical stages in the life course and the effects of cumulative exposure) and the context or culture within which variables operate to influence health outcomes (p. 5). Given that both social behaviors and social contexts are multidimensional and dynamic, methods that capture high levels of interaction among and between genetic, behavioral, and contextual variables are essential to this approach.
General Characteristics of Responsive Applications
Only proposals that integrate genetic and/or neurobiological measures with behavioral/social measures of social behaviors, relationships, or processes relevant to aging will be considered responsive to this FOA. Hypotheses to be tested should be based upon prior research or findings implicating specific genetic or neurobiological measures in the social behaviors under study. The background describing these potential linkages and the implications for aging should be well articulated in the proposal. Proposals appropriate to this FOA will (1) have an overriding emphasis on both social processes and genetic or neurobiological processes, and (2) demonstrate either relevance for aging or for age differences or age-related changes in the neurobiological or genetic basis of social relationships, social behaviors or social processes.
Neuroscience approaches that are relevant include examinations of central and peripheral neural systems, structures, circuits, or processes presumed to be foundations or correlates of social behaviors, and interactions of the nervous system with other biological systems involved in social behaviors. Applications with a genetic component are encouraged if the focus is on understanding genetic effects on neural mechanisms involved in social behavior, on genetic influences affecting social behaviors or the selection of social environments, or on social influences on gene expression.
Applications proposing pilot phase or exploratory phase research are limited to three years, and the application abstract and specific aims should clearly indicate that pilot or exploratory research is proposed. Such projects are not anticipated to have extensive pilot data, but are expected to make the case the research proposed is of an exploratory/developmental nature and will lay the foundation for future research in social neuroscience of aging.
NIA strongly encourages applications that explore these themes through innovative approaches. Important contributions to the social neuroscience of aging are likely to emerge from research that (1) takes a lifespan approach to the study of neurobiological underpinnings of social behavior; (2) refines our ability to measure and identify phenotypes and endophenotypes of social behaviors of relevance to aging; (3) advances methods for measurement of social environments of relevance to aging outcomes; (4) explores the influence of social and cultural context on the neurobiological and genetic correlates or underpinnings of social behaviors of older adults; (5) and provides bridges to potential interventions and translational research to improve the health and well-being of older adults. Research projects that (1) link the social neuroscience laboratory with population-based survey research, (2) cross traditional disciplinary barriers within the biological and behavioral sciences, or (3) offer bridges to translational efforts to improve social function and enhance social roles in older adults are particularly encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to consider how the proposed research will facilitate development of the field of social neuroscience of aging. There is the strong expectation that applications in response to this FOA will support new lines of research by interdisciplinary teams. Research in both humans and animal models is appropriate to this FOA.
Sample Research Topics
This FOA is intended to stimulate research on a broad range of topics in the social neuroscience of aging. Examples of specific research needs include but are not limited to those listed below:
Methodological needs for advancing social neuroscience research on aging focus on the specification of improved behavioral phenotypes and endophenotypes of social behaviors that will be useful in future sociogenomic studies, including:
See Section VIII, Other
Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.
Section
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
This
FOA will use the R01 award mechanism. The Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) will
be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses Just-in-Time information concepts (see SF424 (R&R) Application Guide). It also uses the modular as well as the non-modular budget formats (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm). Specifically, a U.S. organization submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or less (excluding consortium Facilities and Administrative [F&A] costs) must use the PHS398 Modular Budget component.
U.S. applicants requesting more than $250,000 in annual direct costs and all foreign applicants must complete and submit budget requests using the Research & Related Budget component.
2.
Funds Available
The National Institute on Aging expects to fund 5-7 projects awarded
as a result of this announcement in fiscal year 2009. NIA expects to fund
research projects of different sizes. $300,000 is the maximum allowable Direct
Cost that may be requested in year one. An applicant may request a project
period of up to 5 years. For applications proposing pilot phase or exploratory
phase research, budgets must be limited to a maximum of three years and a total
of $375,000 in direct costs over the entire project period. For such projects,
it is expected that Direct Costs in year one will range from approximately
$75,000 $125,000. Applicants should clearly identify their projects as
exploratory in the abstract and specific aims.
Because the
nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to
application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will
also vary. Although the financial plans of NIA provide support for this
program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the
availability of funds.
Facilities
and Administrative (F&A) costs requested by consortium participants are not
included in the direct cost limitation. See NOT-OD-05-004.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1.
Eligible Applicants
1.A.
Eligible Institutions
The following
organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the PD/PI is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.
More than one PD/PI (i.e., multiple PDs/PIs), may be designated on the application for projects that require a team science approach and therefore clearly do not fit the single-PD/PI model. Additional information on the implementation plans and policies and procedures to formally allow more than one PD/PI on individual research projects is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi. All PDs/PIs must be registered in the NIH electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons prior to the submission of the application (see http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm for instructions).
The decision of whether to apply for a grant with a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs grant is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for grants with multiple PDs/PIs will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. The NIH review criteria for approach, investigators, and environment have been modified to accommodate applications involving either a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs. When considering the multiple PD/PI option, please be aware that the structure and governance of the PD/PI leadership team as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PDs/PIs will be factored into the assessment of the overall scientific merit of the application. Multiple PDs/PIs on a project share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically. Each PD/PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee organization, or, as appropriate, to a collaborating organization, for the proper conduct of the project or program, including the submission of required reports. For further information on multiple PDs/PIs, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi.
2. Cost
Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants are not permitted to submit a resubmission application in response to this FOA.
Renewal applications will not be permitted for this FOA.
Applicants may submit more than one application, provided each application is scientifically distinct.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
To
download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application
Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, use the Apply for
Grant Electronically button in this FOA or link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow the directions
provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
PDs/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the NIH eRA Commons.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Registered
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
Both the PDs/PI(s) and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.
Note that if a PD/PI is also an NIH peer reviewer with an Individual DUNS and CCR registration, that particular DUNS number and CCR registration are for the individual reviewer only. These are different than any DUNS number and CCR registration used by an applicant organization. Individual DUNS and CCR registration should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement and should not be used on any grant applications submitted to the Federal Government.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application Information
Applicants must
download the SF424 (R&R) application forms and the SF424 (R&R)
Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
Note:
Only the forms package directly attached to a specific FOA can be used. You
will not be able to use any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample forms,
forms from another FOA), although some of the "Attachment" files may
be useable for more than one FOA.
For further assistance, contact GrantsInfo --
Telephone 301-710-0267; Email: [email protected].
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY
301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. Some fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The SF424 (R&R) application has several components. Some components are required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY includes all applicable components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this FOA includes the data in the following components:
Required Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover
component)
Research & Related
Project/Performance Site Locations
Research & Related Other Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
PHS398 Cover Page Supplement
PHS398 Research Plan
PHS398 Checklist
PHS398 Modular Budget or
Research & Related Budget, as appropriate (See Section IV.6., Special Instructions, regarding appropriate
required budget component.)
Optional Components:
PHS398 Cover Letter File
Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s)
Form
Foreign
Organizations (Non-Domestic [non-U.S.] Entities)
NIH policies concerning grants to Foreign (non-U.S.) organizations can be found in the NIH Grants Policy Statement at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part12.htm#_Toc54600260.
Applications from Foreign organizations must:
Proposed research should provide special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions in other countries that are not readily available in the United States (U.S.) or that augment existing U.S. resources.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs
When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, NIH requires one PD/PI to be designated as the "Contact PI, who will be responsible for all communication between the PDs/PIs and the NIH, for assembling the application materials outlined below, and for coordinating progress reports for the project. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PDs/PIs, but has no other special roles or responsibilities within the project team beyond those mentioned above.
Information for the Contact PD/PI should be entered in item 15 of the SF424 (R&R) Cover component. All other PDs/PIs should be listed in the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component and assigned the project role of PD/PI. Please remember that all PDs/PIs must be registered in the eRA Commons prior to application submission. The Commons ID of each PD/PI must be included in the Credential field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component. Failure to include this data field will cause the application to be rejected.
All projects proposing Multiple PDs/PIs will be required to include a new section describing the leadership plan approach for the proposed project.
Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan: For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a new section of the research plan, entitled Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan [Section 14 of the Research Plan Component in the SF424 (R&R)], must be included. A rationale for choosing a multiple PD/PI approach should be described. The governance and organizational structure of the leadership team and the research project should be described, and should include communication plans, process for making decisions on scientific direction, and procedures for resolving conflicts. The roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators.
If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the individual PDs/PIs should be delineated in the Leadership Plan. In the event of an award, the requested allocations may be reflected in a footnote on the Notice of Award (NoA).
Applications Involving a Single Institution
When all PDs/PIs are within a single institution, follow the instructions contained in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Applications Involving Multiple Institutions
When multiple institutions are involved, one institution must be designated as the prime institution and funding for the other institution(s) must be requested via a subcontract to be administered by the prime institution. When submitting a detailed budget, the prime institution should submit its budget using the Research & Related Budget component. All other institutions should have their individual budgets attached separately to the Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form. See Section 4.8 of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the subaward budget form.
When submitting a modular budget, the prime institution completes the PHS398 Modular Budget component only. Information concerning the consortium/subcontract budget is provided in the budget justification. Separate budgets for each consortium/subcontract grantee are not required when using the Modular budget format. See Section 5.4 of the Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the PHS398 Modular Budget component.
3.
Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A. for details.
3.A. Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates
Opening Date: September 30, 2008 (Earliest date an
application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt
Date(s): September
30, 2008
Application Due Date(s): October 31, 2008
Peer Review
Date(s): February-March, 2009
Council Review Date(s): May, 2009 Earliest
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1, 2009
3.A.1. Letter of Intent
Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:
Although
a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the
review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC
staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed
in Section
IV.3.A.
The letter of intent should be sent to:
Lis Nielsen, Ph.D.
Division of Behavioral and Social Research
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Ave., #533
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Telephone: (301) 402-4156
Fax: (301) 402-0051
Email: [email protected]
3.B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the
NIH
To submit an application in
response to this FOA, applicants should access this FOA via http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp
and follow Steps 1-4. Note: Applications must only be submitted
electronically. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
In order to expedite the review, applicants are requested to notify the NIA Referral Office by email ([email protected]) when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.
3.C.
Application Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be
successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization) on the application due date(s). (See Section IV.3.A. for all dates.) If an application is not submitted by the due date(s)
and time, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two weekdays (Monday Friday, excluding Federal holidays) to view the application image to determine if any further action is necessary.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by the IC. Incomplete and non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.
There will be an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commonshttps://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/. The submitting AOR/SO receives the Grants.gov acknowledgments. The AOR/SO and the PI receive Commons acknowledgments. Information related to the assignment of an application to a Scientific Review Group is also in the Commons.
Note: Since email can be unreliable, it is the responsibility of the applicant to check periodically on the application status in the Commons.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.
4.
Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not
subject to intergovernmental review.
5.
Funding Restrictions
All NIH awards are
subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations
described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Pre-award
costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior
approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before
the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or renewal award if
such costs: 1) are necessary to conduct the project, and 2) would be allowable
under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If specific
expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain
NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required for any
costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial
budget period of a new or renewal award.
The incurrence
of pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award
imposes no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount
of the approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated
and is inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the
grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against
future support and that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to
accomplish the project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way
adversely affect the conduct of the project (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement).
6. Other Submission Requirements and Information
Research Plan Page Limitations
All Applications
The following validations are valid for R01s that employ a) a single PI; b) multiple PIs at the same institution; or c) multiple PIs at different institutions (which will be listed as subcontracts in the application). Multi-PI applications with multiple performance sites that are submitted as individual applications and require linkage or tethering after receipt are not covered by these validations.
PD/PI Credential (e.g., Agency Login)
The NIH requires the PD(s)/PI(s) to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component.
Organizational DUNS
The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections
Page limitations of the PHS398 Research Plan component must be followed as outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. While each section of the Research Plan component needs to be uploaded separately as a PDF attachment, applicants are encouraged to construct the Research Plan component as a single document, separating sections into distinct PDF attachments just before uploading the files. This approach will enable applicants to better monitor formatting requirements such as page limits. All attachments must be provided to NIH in PDF format, filenames must be included with no spaces or special characters, and a .pdf extension must be used.
All application instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide are to be followed, incorporating "Just-in-Time" information concepts, and with the following additional requirements:
Appendix Materials
Applicants must follow the specific instructions on Appendix materials as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm).
Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page limitations of the Research Plan component. An application that does not comply with the required page limitations may be delayed in the review process.
Resource Sharing Plan(s)NIH considers the sharing of unique research resources developed through NIH-sponsored research an important means to enhance the value and further the advancement of the research. When resources have been developed with NIH funds and the associated research findings published or provided to NIH, it is important that they be made readily available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific community. If the final data/resources are not amenable to sharing, this must be explained in the Resource Sharing section of the application (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/data_sharing_faqs.htm).
(a) Data Sharing Plan: Not Applicable
(b) Sharing Model Organisms: Regardless of the amount requested, all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated are expected to include a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing unique model organisms and related resources, or state appropriate reasons why such sharing is restricted or not possible. See Sharing Model Organisms Policy, and NIH Guide NOT-OD-04-042.
(c) Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS): Regardless of the amount requested, applicants seeking funding for a genome-wide association study are expected to provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository is not possible. A genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic variation across the entire genome that is designed to identify genetic associations with observable traits (e.g., blood pressure or weight) or the presence or absence of a disease or condition. For further information see Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies (go to NOT-OD-07-088, and http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/.)
Foreign Applications (Non-Domestic [non-U.S.] Entities)
Indicate how the proposed project has specific relevance to the mission and objectives of the NIH/IC and has the potential for significantly advancing the health sciences in the United States.
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
2. Review and
Selection Process
Applications that are complete and responsive to
this FOA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by
an appropriate peer review group convened by the National
Institute on Aging (NIA) and in accordance with NIH peer review procedures (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer/), using the review criteria
stated below.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will:
Applications submitted in response to this FOA will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
The goals of NIH
supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to
improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written
critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria
in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a
substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will
be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, and weighted as
appropriate for each application. Note that an application does not need to be
strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact
and thus deserve a meritorious priority score. For example, an investigator may
propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is
essential to move a field forward.
Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If
the aims of the application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or
clinical practice be advanced? What will be the effect of these studies on the
concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative
interventions that drive this field?
Approach: Are the
conceptual or clinical framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately
developed, well integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the
project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider
alternative tactics? For applications
designating multiple PDs/PIs, is the leadership approach, including the
designated roles and responsibilities, governance, and organizational
structure, consistent with and justified by the aims of the project and the
expertise of each of the PDs/PIs?
Innovation: Is the project original and innovative? For example: Does the project challenge existing paradigms or clinical practice; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the project develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies for this area?
Investigators: Are the PD(s)/PI(s) and other key personnel appropriately
trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed
appropriate to the experience level of the principal investigator and other
researchers? Do(es) the PD(s)/PI(s) and investigative team bring complementary
and integrated expertise to the project (if applicable
Environment: Do(es) the scientific
environment(s) in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of
success? Do the proposed studies benefit from unique features of the scientific
environment, or subject populations, or employ useful collaborative
arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?
2.A.
Additional Review Criteria
In addition to
the above criteria, the following items will continue to be considered in the
determination of scientific merit and the rating:
Protection
of Human Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human
subjects and protections from research risk relating to their participation in
the proposed research will be assessed. See the Human Subjects Sections
of the PHS398 Research Plan component of the SF424 (R&R).
Inclusion of Women and Minorities in Research: The adequacy of plans to
include subjects from both genders and all racial and ethnic groups (and
subgroups), as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research, will be
assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be
evaluated. See the Human Subjects Sections of the PHS398 Research Plan
component of the SF424 (R&R)
Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If vertebrate animals
are to be used in the project, the adequacy of the plans for their care and use
will be assessed. See the Other Research Plan Sections of the PHS398 Research
Plan component of the SF424 (R&R).
Biohazards: If materials or procedures are proposed that are potentially
hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, determine if the
proposed protection is adequate.
2.B. Additional Review Considerations
Budget and
Period of Support: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the
appropriateness of the requested period of support in relation to the proposed
research may be assessed by the reviewers. The priority score should not be
affected by the evaluation of the budget.
Applications from Foreign Organizations: Whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions in other countries that are not readily available in the United States or that augment existing U.S. resources will be assessed.
2.C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)When relevant, reviewers will be instructed to comment on the reasonableness of the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources. However, reviewers will not factor the proposed resource sharing plan(s) into the determination of scientific merit or priority score, unless noted otherwise in the FOA. Program staff within the IC will be responsible for monitoring the resource sharing.
3.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Not Applicable.
Section
VI. Award Administration Information_
1.
Award Notices
After the peer review of the application
is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement
(written critique) via the NIH eRA Commons.
If
the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request
"just-in-time" information from the applicant. For details,
applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and
Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award
(NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the
grants management officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative
and programmatic issues have been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email
notification from the awarding component to the grantee business official.
Selection of an application for award is not an
authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the
NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the
extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See Section IV.5., Funding
Restrictions.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All NIH grant
and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and
Activities.
3.
Reporting
Awardees will be
required to submit the Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS
2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is terminated.
We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research (program), peer review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s):
Lis
Nielsen, Ph.D.
Division of Behavioral and Social Research
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Ave., #533
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Telephone: (301) 402-4156
Fax: (301) 402-0051
Email: [email protected]
2. Peer Review Contact(s):
Ramesh Vemuri, Ph.D., Chief
Scientific Review Office
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building, Room 2C212
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205 (use 20814 for
express mail)
Telephone: (301) 496-9666
Fax: (301) 402-0066
E-mail: [email protected]
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s):
Jeff Ball
Grants & Contracts Management
Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2N212
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205 overnight mail use 20814
Telephone: (301) 402-7732
Fax (301) 402-3672
E-mail: [email protected]
Section VIII. Other Information
Use of Animals
in Research:
Recipients of PHS support for activities involving
live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf) as mandated by the Health
Research Extension Act of 1985 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm), and the USDA Animal
Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm) as applicable.
Human Subjects
Protection:
Federal regulations (45 CFR 46) require that
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against
these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others,
and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety
Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types
of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies
(Phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative
trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The
establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for
multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks
to the participants ( NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking
$500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a
plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing). Investigators should seek
guidance from their institutions, on issues related to institutional policies
and local institutional review board (IRB) rules, as well as local, State and
Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Rule. Reviewers will
consider the data sharing plan but will not factor the plan into the
determination of the scientific merit or the priority score.
Policy for Genome-Wide
Association Studies (GWAS):
NIH is interested in advancing genome-wide association
studies (GWAS) to identify common genetic factors that influence health and
disease through a centralized GWAS data repository. For the purposes of this
policy, a genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic
variation across the entire human genome that is designed to identify genetic
associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight), or the
presence or absence of a disease or condition. All applications, regardless of
the amount requested, proposing a genome-wide association study are expected to
provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data
repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the
repository is not possible. Data repository management (submission and access)
is governed by the Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or
Conducted Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH
Guide NOT-OD-07-088. For additional information,
see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/
Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage
sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model
organisms for biomedical research (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm). At the same time the NIH
recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to elect and retain title to
subject inventions developed with Federal funding pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act
(see the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Beginning October 1, 2004,
all investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal are
expected to include in the application/proposal a description of a specific
plan for sharing and distributing unique model organism research resources
generated using NIH funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not
possible. This will permit other researchers to benefit from the resources
developed with public funding. The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan
is not subject to a cost threshold in any year and is expected to be included
in all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated.
Access to Research Data through the Freedom of
Information Act:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular
A-110 has been revised to provide access to research data through the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are: (1) first
produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds;
and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an
action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be
accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic
scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm. Applicants may wish to
place data collected under this funding opportunity in a public archive, which
can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an
indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description
of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in
the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should
think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human
subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under
this award.
Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of
minority groups and their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported
clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is
provided indicating that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health
of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This policy results from the
NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). All
investigators proposing clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a complete copy of the
updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. The amended policy
incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical research; updated racial
and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB standards; clarification
of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials consistent with the
SF424 (R&R) application; and updated roles and responsibilities of NIH
staff and the extramural community. The policy continues to require for all
NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or proposals
and/or protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as
appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups,
including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators must report annual
accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender
and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH policy requires education on the protection of
human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications
for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key
personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for Federal funding of research on hESCs can
be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only research using hESC
lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be
eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov/). It is the responsibility
of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the
application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s)
to be used in the proposed research. Applications that do not provide this
information will be returned without review.
NIH Public Access Policy Requirement:
In accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy, investigators
funded by the NIH must submit or have submitted for them to the National
Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central (see http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/), an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed
manuscripts upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly available no
later than 12 months after the official date of publication. The
NIH Public Access Policy is available at (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html). For more information, see the Public
Access webpage at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued final modification to the
"Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information",
the "Privacy Rule", on August 14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal
regulation under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection of individually identifiable health
information, and is administered and enforced by the HHS Office for Civil
Rights (OCR).
Decisions about
applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher
and his/her institution. The OCR website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/) provides information on the
Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text and a set of decision tools
on "Am I a covered entity?" Information on the impact of the HIPAA
Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review, funding, and progress monitoring
of grants, cooperative agreements, and research contracts can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs
in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be
self-contained within specified page limitations. For publications listed in
the appendix and/or Progress report, Internet addresses (URLs) or PubMed
Central (PMC) submission identification numbers must be used for publicly
accessible on-line journal articles. Publicly accessible on-line journal
articles or PMC articles/manuscripts accepted for publication that are directly
relevant to the project may be included only as URLs or PMC
submission identification numbers accompanying the full reference in either
the Bibliography & References Cited section, the Progress Report
Publication List section, or the Biographical Sketch section of the NIH grant
application. A URL or PMC submission identification number citation may be
repeated in each of these sections as appropriate. There is no limit to the
number of URLs or PMC submission identification numbers that can be cited.
Healthy People 2010:
The Public
Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease
prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national
activity for setting priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the
priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People
2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and Regulations:
This
program is described in the Catalog
of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements
of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. Awards are made under
the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as
amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and
45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions,
cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
The PHS strongly
encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and
discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227,
the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in
some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are
provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance
the physical and mental health of the American people.
Loan
Repayment Programs:
NIH encourages
applications for educational loan repayment from qualified health professionals
who have made a commitment to pursue a research career involving clinical,
pediatric, contraception, infertility, and health disparities related areas.
The LRP is an important component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the
next generation of researchers by providing the means for developing a research
career unfettered by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is
not required for eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications
are encouraged. The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing
the LRP recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP
awardees must commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week
based on a 40 hour week) for two years to the research. For further
information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov/.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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