RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS TO PROVIDE 900 MHZ NMR SPECTROSCOPY
RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2002
RFA: GM-03-001
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
(http://www.nigms.nih.gov)
LETTER OF INTENT RECEIPT DATE: October 15, 2002
APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: November 15, 2002
THIS RFA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
o Purpose of this RFA
o Research Objectives
o Mechanism of Support
o Funds Available
o Eligible Institutions
o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o Special Requirements
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Letter of Intent
o Submitting an Application
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Receipt and Review Schedule
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations
PURPOSE OF THIS RFA
The purpose of this RFA is to re-announce the National Institute of
General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) program to create "Research
Collaborations to Provide 900 MHz NMR Spectroscopy," last issued as
GM-01-005 in July 2001. The NIGMS believes that nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR) spectrometers operating at field strengths of 900 MHz
(21.1T) or higher have the potential to dramatically improve our
understanding of the structure and dynamics of proteins, nucleic acids,
and other biological macromolecules. The purpose of this program is to
provide shared access to ultra-high field strength NMR spectrometers
for groups of NIGMS-funded investigators studying challenging
biological problems that can uniquely benefit from the use of ultra-
high field NMR spectroscopy.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Background and Rationale
Recent breakthroughs in the design and execution of NMR experiments and
in the analysis and interpretation of NMR data have created the
possibility of determining the solution structure and behavior of new
categories of biological macromolecules, including larger proteins,
macromolecular complexes, glycoproteins and glycolipids. Moreover, NMR
spectroscopic methods are now being developed that can describe--in
atomic detail--dynamic processes such as protein and RNA folding,
protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid complex formation, and
binding-induced conformational change. These processes are key to
normal biological function and regulation and are critically involved
in disease processes and drug response. NMR experiments capable of
attacking these more challenging targets have a particular need for
higher magnetic field strength. Access to next-generation NMR
spectrometers for NIGMS-funded researchers will dramatically advance
our understanding of a wide range of vital physiological and
pathological phenomena.
Objectives
The purpose of this program is to provide ultra-high field NMR
spectrometers to groups of NIGMS-funded investigators so they can solve
significant and challenging biological problems. In addition, NIGMS
expects that these collaborations will lead to the design and
implementation of novel NMR experiments capable of providing insights
beyond those that can be predicted from current knowledge.
The projects of the collaborating investigators should be of great
biomedical importance, and have pressing need for the new spectrometer,
but they need not be closely integrated according to research topic.
Rather, the collaborators should identify a common vision of how NMR
spectroscopy at ultra-high field can best be applied and advanced to
provide a qualitative improvement in our ability to observe and
understand critical biomolecular events.
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
This RFA uses the National Institutes of Health (NIH) P41 Biotechnology
Resource Grant mechanism, which is used by the NIGMS to make
extraordinary research instrumentation available to organized groups of
our investigators for the solution of significant and challenging
problems in biomedical research. As an applicant you will be solely
responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed
project. This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Future unsolicited,
competing-continuation applications for operational expenses will
compete with all investigator-initiated applications and will be
reviewed according to the customary peer review procedures. The
anticipated award date is July 1, 2003.
An applicant may request no more than $5 million in direct costs in the
first year for the purchase of an NMR spectrometer with a field
strength of 21T or greater. In addition, up to $200,000 in direct costs
per year for no more than five years may be requested for continuing
support of the spectrometer and operation of the resource. The budget
might include items such as:
o Salaries for personnel responsible for technical development,
spectrometer installation, maintenance, upgrade, and programming, or
assistance and training of collaborators.
o Salaries for individuals, including the PI, responsible for the
organization and operation of the resource.
o Spectrometer hardware and software.
o Supplies such as cryogens, sample holders, and electronic storage
media.
o Establishment of computer systems to allow remote operation and
facilitate collaboration.
Funds provided via this program are not intended to support the
individual research projects which use the spectrometers. These should
be supported by independent peer-reviewed funding to the collaborators.
Funds will not be provided for the selection, construction, or
renovation of a site for the spectrometer. Responsibility for the
planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project, including
appropriate siting, will be solely that of the applicant.
FUNDS AVAILABLE
NIGMS intends to commit approximately $11 million dollars total costs
in FY 2003 and $0.6 million total cost per annum in FY 2004-2007 to
fund one to three new grants in response to this RFA. Because the
nature and scope of the requests may vary, the size of awards may vary.
Although the financial plans of the NIGMS provide support for this
program, awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon the
availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of
meritorious applications. At this time, it is not anticipated that
this RFA will be reissued.
ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS
You may submit an application if your institution is domestic and has
any of the following characteristics:
o For-profit or non-profit organizations
o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges,
hospitals, and laboratories
o Units of State and local governments
o Eligible agencies of the Federal government
Under this funding mechanism, foreign institutions are not eligible to
apply.
INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
The NMR spectrometers funded via this initiative are intended to
facilitate research in scientific areas of interest to NIGMS. Only a
Principal Investigator (PI) of an NIGMS-funded R01, R37, or P01 grant
with one or more years of support remaining at the time of award can
serve as the PI. A majority of the collaborating investigators must
also have funding from the NIGMS. Other collaborators must have
externally peer-reviewed research funding in areas consistent with the
NIGMS mission. Scientific areas supported by NIGMS are described on
our web site at http://www.nigms.nih.gov/about_nigms/overview.html.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Three-dimensional structures of biomacromolecules determined in whole
or in part using these spectrometers by any individual, whether a
collaborator or other user, will be subject to the NIH rules for
deposition and release of structure information via the Protein Data
Base and the BioMagResBank,
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not99-010.html,
regardless of the source of funding for the project. This policy requires
free release of atomic coordinates and other necessary data immediately
upon publication.
WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES
Applications submitted under this RFA will not be accepted without the
prior approval of NIGMS. Inquiries are strongly encouraged and may
fall into three areas: scientific/research, peer review, and financial
or grants management issues.
o Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to:
Janna P. Wehrle, Ph.D.
Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Building 45, Room 2AS.19K MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 594-5950
FAX: (301) 480-2004
Email: wehrlej@nigms.nih.gov
o Direct your questions about peer review issues to:
John Bowers, Ph.D.
Center for Scientific Review
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4168
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710
Telephone: (301) 435-1725
Email: bowerj@csr.nih.gov
o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters
to:
Joe Ellis
Grants Management Officer
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Building 45, Room 2AN.32C MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 594-5510
FAX: (301) 480-1969
Email: ellisj@nigms.nih.gov
LETTER OF INTENT
Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that
includes the following information:
o Descriptive title of the proposed research
o Name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator
o Names of other key personnel
o Participating institutions
o Number and title of this RFA
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 Center for Scientific Review staff to estimate
the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed at the beginning
of this document. The letter of intent should be sent to:
Janna P. Wehrle, Ph.D.
Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Building 45, Room 2AS.19K MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 594-5950
FAX: (301) 480-2004
Email: wehrlej@nigms.nih.gov
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant
application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is
available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in
an interactive format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo,
Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS
The application must document a clear plan for operation of the
research facility and for exploitation of the unique capabilities of
the 900 MHz spectrometer to advance biomedical science. It should
describe a complete plan for selecting and purchasing a spectrometer,
including the physical plan for siting, installation, and operation of
the spectrometer. The resources and environment available to support
both the requested instrument and any necessary on-site research
activities should be itemized. Any plans for remote execution of NMR
experiments should be described in detail.
The application should list the criteria that will be used to identify
projects that can maximally benefit from use of the ultra-high field
spectrometer and should provide an organizational plan for selecting
projects and allocating instrument time. Descriptions of already
funded collaborative projects should be brief and should emphasize the
novel information that will be provided by the ultra-high field NMR
spectrometer, compared with that obtained using conventional
instruments. A process for adding and terminating projects should be
laid out. Plans for development of novel experiments, hardware, or
software should be described in detail.
To facilitate the review process, potential members of any external
advisory or similar committees proposed should not be approached prior
to award, nor identified in the letter of intent or application. The
roles and functions of any such committees should be described in
concept only. Do not exceed 25 pages for items a-d of the Research
Plan.
The written application should be complete. It is not anticipated that
an applicant interview will be a part of the review process. Appendices
may be included, following the instructions for unsolicited
applications described in form PHS 398.
USING THE RFA LABEL: The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev.
5/2001) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page
of the application. Type the RFA number on the label. Failure to use
this label could result in delayed processing of the application such
that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In
addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face
page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. The RFA
label is also available at:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf.
SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten
original of the application, including the Checklist, and five signed
photocopies, plus five sets of appendix material, in one package 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)
APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by the
application receipt date listed in the heading of this RFA. If an
application is received after that date, it will be returned to the
applicant without review.
The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any application
in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently
pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending
application. The CSR will not accept any application that is
essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude
the submission of substantial revisions of applications already
reviewed, but such applications must include an Introduction addressing
the previous critique.
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR
and for responsiveness by the NIGMS. Incomplete applications will be
returned to the applicant without further consideration.
Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be
evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer
review group convened by the Center for Scientific Review in accordance
with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit
review, all applications will:
o Receive a written critique
o Receive a second level review by the National Advisory General
Medical Sciences Council.
REVIEW CRITERIA
The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of
biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health.
In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the
following aspects of your application in order to judge the likelihood
that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the
pursuit of these goals:
o Significance
o Approach
o Innovation
o Investigator
o Environment
The scientific review group will address and consider each of these
criteria in assigning your application"s overall score, weighting them
as appropriate for each application. Your application does not need to
be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major
scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example,
you may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not
innovative but is essential to move a field forward.
(1) SIGNIFICANCE: Does your study address an important problem? If the
aims of your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific
knowledge? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or
methods that drive this field? Will the added information provided by
the 900 MHz spectrometer make a fundamental difference in our
understanding of the specific target systems or of broader categories
of important biological molecules?
(2) APPROACH: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and
analyses adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the
aims of the project? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and
consider alternative tactics? Are the organizational and decision-
making structures well-designed to promote collaboration? Are the
technical foundations of novel methods to be developed well-reasoned
and sound?
(3) INNOVATION: Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches or
methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does your project
develop new methodologies or technologies? Is the technical development
you propose likely to provide fundamentally new approaches to
macromolecular characterization?
(4) INVESTIGATOR: Are you appropriately trained and well suited to
direct this resource, both scientifically and organizationally?
Do the collaborators have the appropriate biological and technical
expertise to fully exploit and expand the potential of the instrument?
(5) ENVIRONMENT: Does the scientific environment in which your work
will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed
experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific
environment and employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there
adequate evidence of institutional support? Is the physical
environment adequate to support the spectrometer and the proposed
research activities?
ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, your
application will also be reviewed with respect to the following:
o PROTECTIONS: The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans,
animals, or the environment, to the extent they may be adversely
affected by the project proposed in the application.
o DATA SHARING: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data.
o BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested
period of support in relation to the proposed research.
o OTHER REVIEW CRITERIA: The scientific merit of the already funded
collaborative projects will not be re-reviewed. Reviewers will assess
the extent to which these projects will significantly benefit from the
availability of the resource. The collaborative projects proposed in
the application will be considered an indication of the criteria and
judgment that you will use in selecting future projects.
RECEIPT AND REVIEW SCHEDULE
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: October 15, 2002
Application Receipt Date: November 15, 2002
Peer Review Date: February-March, 2003
Council Review: May, 2003
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2003
AWARD CRITERIA
Criteria that will be used to make award decisions include:
o Scientific merit (as determined by peer review)
o Availability of funds
o Programmatic priorities
o Adequacy of institutional commitment.
REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS
PUBLIC 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 public 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
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this RFA 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.
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. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their anonymity
may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.
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 RFA 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 No. 93.821, and is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or
Health Systems Agency review. Awards are made under authorization of
Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42
USC 241 and 284)and administered under NIH grants policies described at
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Federal
Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.
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.