INDIVIDUAL POSTDOCTORAL NRSA FELLOWSHIPS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY /CLINICAL TRIALS 
RESEARCH /OUTCOMES RESEARCH IN SKIN DISEASES

Release Date:  November 15, 2000  

RFA: AR-01-003

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Receipt Date: 01/22/01 

PURPOSE

Progress in the treatment of skin diseases has been hampered by a lack of 
baseline data concerning prevalence and the effectiveness of therapeutic 
interventions in all but the most common skin diseases.  Part of this problem 
is the lack of trained individuals within the skin disease community capable 
of designing and carrying out these studies.  In response, the NIAMS, along 
with the Herzog Foundation, announces the availability of individual NRSA 
postdoctoral fellowships to support the training of physicians with expertise 
in clinical dermatology to supplement that knowledge with training in 
epidemiology/clinical trials/outcomes research.  These fellowships are 
intended to support up to two years of advanced training in the relevant 
methodologies which is to be used to obtain a Master's of Public Health (or 
similar relevant area of study such as biostatistics, etc) and or a Ph.D. in 
epidemiology to qualify the fellow to pursue a career in these areas as they 
relate to skin diseases.  Therefore, a special feature of this award is the 
inclusion of tuition and fees for the necessary course work which is to be 
taken at a School of Public Health or as part of an appropriate degree 
granting program within a graduate school.  Applicants to this RFA may request 
activation at any time between July 1, 2001, and July 1, 2002, inclusive. An 
additional unique feature is the cooperation of the Herzog Foundation which 
will provide supplementation of approximately $30,000.00 per year per fellow 
to supplement the stipend and any other expenses involved in the training.  
The intent of this announcement is to begin to train a cadre of investigators 
who will be both experienced clinicians in dermatology as well in the sciences 
underpinning epidemiology/clinical trials/outcomes research so that in the 
future this data will be available to the skin disease community.  

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 Request for Applications (RFA) for 
Individual Postdoctoral NRSA Fellowships in Epidemiology/Clinical 
Trials/Outcomes Research in Skin Diseases, 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.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Candidate: The candidate must have an M.D. degree and have completed at least 
two years of clinical dermatology training in an accredited program prior to 
the commencement of the fellowship.  Clinical dermatology training may not 
have been completed more than five years prior to submission of the 
application.  The individual must also meet the criteria for NIH National 
Research Service Awards for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (F32) described in 
Program Announcement PA-99-025 available in the NIH Guide for Grants and 
Contracts (Release date December 11, 1998, available at 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-99-025.html).  Racial/ethnic 
minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to 
apply.  By the time of award, individuals must be citizens or non-citizen 
nationals of the United States, or have been lawfully admitted to the United 
States for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Alien 
Registration Receipt Card I-551, or other legal verification of such status). 
 Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying possessions of 
the United States (i.e., American Samoa and Swains Island).  Individuals on 
temporary or student visas are not eligible.

Sponsorship: Before submitting a fellowship application, the applicant must 
identify a sponsoring institution and an individual who will serve as a 
sponsor (also called mentor or supervisor) who will supervise the training and 
research experience.  The sponsoring institution may be private (profit or 
nonprofit) or public, including the NIH Intramural Programs and other Federal 
laboratories.  The applicant's sponsor should be an active investigator in 
either skin disease research or epidemiology/clinical trials/outcomes 
research.  In some instances, it may be advisable for a secondary sponsor to 
complement the primary sponsor's expertise.  The sponsor must document the 
availability of staff research support, didactic training and facilities for 
high quality research training.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Individual 
Postdoctoral NRSA Fellowship Award (F32) mechanism.  The total project period 
for an application submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed a total of 
two years.  The requested project period should be reduced by the amount of 
time a fellow has received support on any prior NRSA post-doctoral fellowship 
including Institutional NRSA training grants (T32s) so that the total NRSA
support does not exceed 3 years.  For further information refer to the NIH 
Guidelines for the NIH National Research Service Awards for Individual 
Postdoctoral Fellows (F32) published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts 
(PA-99-025) https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-99-025.html.

The NIAMS intends to fund up to 8 new applications responding to this RFA in 
FY 2001 subject to the availability of resources and receipt of sufficiently 
meritorious applications.  The estimated funds (total costs) available for the 
first year of support of this program is $300,000.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of this research training initiative is to increase the 
number of clinically trained dermatologists who have the appropriate training 
in epidemiology/clinical trials/outcome research to pursue a career focused on 
this combined area of investigation.  The secondary goal is to enhance the 
visibility of this discipline at U.S. academic health centers.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS-Updated 
August 2, 2000

It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and 
their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and 
behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and 
compelling rationale and justification is provided 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 research 
involving human subjects should read the updated "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion 
of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," published in the 
NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on August 2, 2000 
(https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-048.html); a 
complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm. The 
revisions relate to NIH defined Phase III clinical trials and require: a) all 
applications or proposals and/or protocols to 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) all 
investigators to report accrual, and to conduct and report analyses, as 
appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.

INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS

It is the policy of NIH that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) 
must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported by the 
NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.  
This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for receipt 
dates after October 1, 1998.  All investigators proposing research involving 
human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of 
Children as Participants in Research Involving Human Subjects" that was 
published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is 
available at the following URL address: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html.

Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies from the program staff 
listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide additional relevant 
information concerning the policy.
 
URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES

All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within 
specified page limitations.  Unless otherwise specified in an NIH 
solicitation, internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide 
information necessary to the review because reviewers are under no obligation 
to view the Internet sites.  Reviewers are cautioned that their anonymity may 
be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applications are to be submitted on the form PHS 416-1 (rev. 8/95) available 
at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.  Application kits are available 
from most institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Division of 
Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910; Bethesda, MD 20892-7710, telephone (301) 710-0267, email: grantsinfo@nih.gov.  Information on the current stipend levels 
may be found at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-
161.html.  Applications for fellowship awards must include at least three 
sealed letters of reference.  Fellowship applications submitted without the 
required number of reference letters will be considered incomplete and will be 
returned without review.

The title and number of the RFA must be typed on line 2 of the face page of 
the application form and the YES box must be marked.

The original and two copies of the application must be submitted to:

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040, MSC-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications to this RFA will be assigned to NIAMS.  Applications submitted in 
response to this Request for Applications will be reviewed in accordance with 
the standard NIH peer review procedures by NIAMS.  The following factors are 
considered in the review of fellowship applications: (1) the candidate's 
potential for a research career; (2) the scientific or scholarly merit and 
training potential of the research proposal; (3) the training environment and 
resources; and (4) assessment of the value of the proposed fellowship 
experience.  The second level of review is performed by the appropriate 
oversight group of the NIH awarding component.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available training funds set aside for this RFA. 
Up to ten awards will be made dependent upon the quality of the applications 
received.  The following will be considered in funding decisions: Quality of 
the fellowship applications determined by peer review and availability of 
funds.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Herzog Foundation has agreed to provide approximately $30,000.00 per year 
(direct costs only) to each successful applicant to supplement the available 
stipend and/or any other costs associated with this mechanism that might not 
otherwise be covered in the NRSA award.  These monies will be made available 
to the sponsoring program by the Herzog Foundation specifically earmarked for 
the support of the individual receiving this award. Tuition and fees for the 
didactic components of the training plan may also be claimed pursuant to the 
NRSA guidelines.  

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are strongly encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or 
questions from potential applicants is welcome.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Alan N. Moshell, M.D.
Skin Disease Program Director							
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
45 Center Drive, Room 5AS.25L, MSC-6500
Bethesda, MD 20892-6500
Telephone: 301-594-5017
FAX:       301-480-4543
Email:     alan_n_moshell@nih.gov

Direct inquires regarding fiscal matters to:

Melinda Nelson
Grants Management Officer
Grants Management Branch
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
45 Center Drive, Room 5AS.49F, MSC-6500
Bethesda, MD 20892-6500
Telephone: 301-594-3535
FAX:       301-480-5450
Email:     melinda_nelson@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

NRSA awards are made under the authority of Section 487 of the Public Health 
Service Act as amended (42 USC 288) and Title 42 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 66.  The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number is 
93.859.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review 
requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.

The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a 
smoke-free workplace and promote the non-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.


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