NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTION RESEARCH SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT AWARD (K01)
Release Date: June 8, 2000
RFA: HL-00-017
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov)
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: July 21, 2000
Application Receipt Date: September 12, 2000
PURPOSE
This program provides research support to faculty members at minority
institutions who have the interest and potential to conduct high quality
research in the areas of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep
disorders. Important program goals are to enhance the institution’s science
infrastructure and to provide hands on research opportunities for
underrepresented minority students at the applicant institutions. The NHLBI
Minority Institution Research Scientist Development Award is renewable.
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),
NHLBI Minority Institution Research Scientist Development Award (K01), 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
A. Minority School
The Institution must be a domestic college or university with students from
minority ethnic groups (including Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska
Natives, and Pacific Islanders) comprising a majority (more than 50%) of the
school’s enrollment. It must have the ongoing staff and facilities required
for the proposed program. The candidate for the award (proposed program
director at the minority school) will be responsible for the selection and
appointment of students and the overall direction of the program.
B. Research Scientist Development Award Candidate
Candidates for this award are minority school faculty members who: 1) are
citizens of the United States, non-citizen nationals or permanent residents at
the time of application; 2) have a doctoral degree or equivalent in a
biomedical or behavioral science; 3) wish to receive specialized training in
cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep disorders research; 4) have
the background and potential to benefit from the training; and 5) are
committed to providing research opportunities for underrepresented minority
students at their institution. The candidate is responsible for tracking and
reporting on the progress of the students for up to five years after they
complete their undergraduate education.
C. Mentor at Same or Collaborating Research Center
Each candidate must also identify and complete arrangements with a mentor (at
the same institution or at a collaborating research center) who is recognized
as an accomplished investigator in the research area proposed and who will
provide guidance for the candidate's development and research plan.
Arrangements with mentors at institutions at some distance from the applicant
institution will be considered, but approaches for ensuring close and active
involvement of a distant mentor must be clearly outlined in the application.
Plans for intensive training of the candidate and his/her student(s) during
the summer period (2 - 3 months) as well as during the academic year should be
developed with the mentor. The establishment of a viable mentoring plan is
essential to the success of the candidate and the student.
The commitment of the mentor and the mentor's departmental chair to both the
summer and academic year training periods must be documented in the
application. A mentoring plan that describes the candidate’s interaction with
the mentor and his/her staff, how it will enhance the candidate’s research
capabilities and teaching skills, and steps to assist the candidate and
student(s) advance their career goals must be delineated in the application.
The mentor must provide an annual evaluation of the candidate’s career
development. This evaluation is to be included as part of the Application for
Continuation Grant if an award is made.
D. Student Research Assistants
Student research assistants are underrepresented minority students enrolled at
the applicant institution who: 1) are citizens of the United States,
noncitizen nationals, or permanent residents (i.e. in possession of a
currently valid alien registration receipt card) at the time of application;
2) have declared a major or concentration in a biomedical, mathematical,
computer, or behavioral science; 3) have at least an overall C+ grade average;
4) have the potential and desire to pursue an advanced degree in the
biomedical, mathematical, computer, or behavioral sciences; and 5) wish to
receive research training in areas relevant to cardiovascular, pulmonary,
hematologic, or sleep disorders research. At least one and a maximum of two
students may participate on the project simultaneously as research assistants.
Students are expected to participate in the program for a minimum of two
years.
The candidate should identify and list in the application the student(s)
proposed for the first two-year period; provide a brief summary of their
interest in biomedical, mathematical, computer or behavioral science; and
describe any previous research or laboratory experience of the students. The
candidate should describe how (s)he and the mentor will foster student
interest in graduate school in behavioral or biomedical research and a career
in scientific research in areas related to heart, lung, blood, or sleep
disorders.
For the purpose of this announcement, underrepresented minority students are
defined as individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group that
has been determined by the applicant institution to be underrepresented in
biomedical or behavioral research. Nationally, NHLBI considers Black,
Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander students to be
underrepresented.
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
This RFA will use the NHLBI Minority Institution Research Scientist
Development Award (K01) mechanism of support. However, specific application
instructions have been modified to reflect JUST-IN-TIME streamlining efforts
implemented by NIH and published in the NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS,
Vol. 25, No. 10, March 29, 1996. This process allows candidates to submit
certain information only when there is a possibility for an award. It is
anticipated that these changes will reduce the administrative burden for the
candidates, applicant institutions, and reviewers.
For this RFA, no detailed budget is required. However, total direct costs for
all years must be provided in addition to the name, role on project, percent
effort, and narrative justification for all project personnel, including the
student(s). Instructions for completing the Biographical Sketch have also
been modified. In addition, Other Support information for the candidate is
not required as part of the initial application. Other Support information is
required, however, for the mentor. If there is a possibility for an award,
the necessary budget and other support information will be requested by NHLBI
staff following the initial review. The Application Procedures section of
this RFA provides specific details of modifications to standard PHS 398
application kit instructions.
Because the research training environment provides a powerful context in which
to promote responsible research practices, all competing applications must
include a description of formal or informal activities or instruction related
to the responsible conduct of research that will be incorporated into the
proposed research training program.
FUNDS AVAILABLE
The estimated funds (total costs) available for the first year of support for
the entire program is expected to be approximately $400,000 in fiscal year
2001. The actual amount may vary, depending on the response to the RFA and
availability of funds. Three new awards are anticipated.
BACKGROUND
Measurements of health status indicate that Americans today are, on the whole,
healthier than at any other time in our history. Life expectancy has
increased while infant mortality statistics indicate that fewer infants are
dying at birth or in the first few months of life. Diseases that disabled or
killed at the start of the century have virtually disappeared. In spite of
this national trend toward better health, there is a continuing disparity in
the burden of death and illness experienced by Blacks and other minority
Americans. This segment of the population continues to be over represented
among those in poor health and has remarkably higher death rates from
cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases.
Despite a recent decline in the death rate from coronary heart disease,
cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one cause of death in the
United States, accounting for almost one million deaths annually. Roughly 68
million Americans are estimated to have diseases of the heart and blood
vessels, resulting in a large burden of acute and chronic illness and
disability. Heart and blood vessel diseases cost the economy tens of billions
of dollars per year in lost wages, reduced productivity, and expenses for
medical care.
Diseases of the lung also constitute a major national health problem. About
one in every five persons has some chronic respiratory problem resulting in an
annual estimated cost to the nation of over $29 billion. In the newborn, the
most common cause of death is neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
Respiratory failure during the neonatal period may be implicated in
development of adult respiratory disease as well. Of the adult respiratory
diseases, emphysema and chronic bronchitis are major causes of death.
Fibrotic and immunologic lung diseases are serious causes of lung problems in
the young adult. Asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis represent
particularly pressing health problems, affecting an estimated 17 million
Americans. Moreover, the death rate and prevalence of these conditions have
increased at an alarming rate over the past 15 years. As a disabling disease,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a leading cause of worker retirement
on Social Security disability payments.
Disorders of the blood, including congenital or acquired disorders or
deficiencies, are another major cause of death and disability in the United
States. Disorders of the blood affect not only the blood itself, but the
tissues and organs through which it flows. Recent research findings have
revealed the widespread involvement of thrombosis in the pathology of numerous
disorders, including the development of atherosclerosis and coronary
thrombosis. Aggressive therapy for cancer has resulted in the increased
susceptibility of patients to bleeding disorders and has increased the demand
for blood products for therapeutic purposes. A significant segment of the
population has inherited blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease,
hemophilia, or Cooley's anemia, which require life-long hematologic attention
and blood product support.
Chronic disorders of sleep affect an estimated 40 million Americans. Sleep
problems affect men and women of every age, race, and socioeconomic class.
Many people are unaware of their illness and are not receiving adequate
treatment. About 20 million adults have chronic insomnia. Sleep apnea, a
cessation of breathing during sleep, is the second most common sleep disorder.
It affects about 12 million Americans. Other startling statistics include
the following: about 25% of American children aged 1 to 5 have a sleep
disturbance; an estimated 250,000 people suffer from narcolepsy; more than 50%
of Americans aged 65 and older have a sleep problem; and disturbed sleep is
among the reasons most frequently cited by caretakers for institutionalization
of older Americans. Each year, sleep disorders, sleep deprivation, and
daytime sleepiness contribute a substantial burden to national health care.
Additional costs to society for such consequences as lost worker productivity,
accidents, and the contribution of sleep disorders to other serious health
problems such as heart disease and stroke are just being identified and
studied.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) continues its commitment
to address these important medical challenges. One way of meeting these
challenges is to increase the pool of well-trained investigators, especially
in minority groups where the proportion of biomedical investigators is
strikingly lower than the percentage of minority U.S. citizens. While 12% of
the population is Black, less than 0.25% of persons holding a Ph.D. in science
are Black. The figures are even lower for Black Ph.D.s in the biomedical
sciences. Furthermore, the number of doctorates, both M.D.s and Ph.D.s, in
other ethnic minority groups (such as American Indians or Hispanics) is
proportionally lower than for Blacks. Vigorous recruitment is underway
throughout the government, academic institutions, hospitals, research
institutions, and industry.
The NHLBI Minority Institution Research Scientist Development Award is
designed to address this critical need by increasing the research and academic
capabilities of faculty members at minority schools. By developing these
capabilities, the candidate will be better able to prepare and direct his/her
students to pursue advanced degrees and, ultimately careers in biomedical and
behavioral research, thereby increasing the pool of well-trained biomedical
and behavioral investigators in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and
sleep disorders research. Because it is important to sustain the candidate=s
research program following the initial period, recipients may reapply for an
additional five-year of support. More than one candidate from each
institution may apply. Former awardees within three years of the end of their
award may also apply for an additional five years of support. At the end of
the period of K01 support, it is anticipated that the awardee will be prepared
to apply for other types of NIH support such as the Research Project Grant
(R01), Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA, R15), or Minority Biomedical
Research Support Program (MBRS, S06.)
PROVISIONS OF THE AWARD
Salary
The awardee (program director at the minority institution) will receive salary
support up to a maximum of $75,000 per year plus fringe benefits for five
years. These funds must be used to support the awardee. The level of support
will be based upon the awardee’s actual salary and must be consistent with the
established salary structure of the minority institution for persons of
equivalent qualifications, experience, and rank. The actual salary level will
be determined by the amount of effort devoted to this program. Awardees must
commit 100% effort during summer and/or off-quarter periods and at least 25%
of effort during the academic year. Supplementation of the awardee's salary
from non-Federal sources is permissible. Supplementation of the awardee's
salary from other Federal funds is not allowed unless explicitly authorized by
both the program from which funds are derived and the NHLBI. In no case may
other NIH funds be used to supplement the salary of the awardee.
In addition to salary support for the awardee, support for up to 5% of the
mentor's salary plus fringe benefits during the summer experience may also be
requested. If funds are to be transferred to the mentor's institution for the
mentor's salary, arrangements for the transfer of funds and the conduct of
activities should be formalized in a subcontract agreement with the mentor's
institution. A letter of intent from each institution must be submitted with
the application.
A maximum of $8.50 per hour plus fringe benefits may be requested for the
student research assistant(s). Level of support and hours worked during the
academic year should reflect the institution’s policy for student work-study
programs. Students must commit 100% effort during the summer and off-quarter
periods and at least 25% effort during the academic year.
Research Support
Up to $36,000 per year beyond that requested for the awardee's, mentor s, and
student(s) salaries will be provided for research support. Details regarding
the apportionment of these funds between the minority institution and the
mentor’s institution must be worked out with the mentor, agreed to by
representatives of both institutions, and included as part of the subcontract
agreement submitted as part of the application. See the PHS 398 for
information on Consortium/Contractual Agreements.
These research support funds may be used for:
o Personnel: support for technical personnel.
o Equipment: limited to specialized research equipment essential to the
proposed program. In accordance with PHS policy, title to such equipment will
vest with the grantee institution.
o Supplies: consumable supplies essential to the proposed program.
o Travel: essential to the proposed program.
o Other: publication costs, computer costs, or other costs necessary for the
research program.
Student Housing and Travel
The applicant institution is encouraged to provide no-cost housing and meals
to the students during the summer or off-quarter periods if the training will
be provided at a local institution, as a commitment to the student’s
development and as an incentive to participate in the program. If training is
not at a local institution, up to $500 per month per student during the summer
only may be requested for housing. Funds to allow the student(s) to travel to
a scientific meeting should also be requested.
Facilities and Administrative (F & A) Costs
F & A costs will be provided at a rate of 8% of the total direct costs of each
award, exclusive of equipment. The F & A cost rate on a subcontract with the
mentor's institution may not exceed 8%.
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN STUDY POPULATIONS
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 NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of
Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research, published in the
Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 15508-14513) and in the NIH Guide
for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 11, March 18, 1994, available at the
following URL address:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-100.html
NIH POLICY AND GUIDELINES ON THE 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 published in
the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is available at the
following URL address:
http://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.
LETTER OF INTENT
Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by July 21, 2000, a letter of
intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed research, name,
address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator, the identities of
other key personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title
of the RFA in response to which the application may be submitted.
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 NHLBI staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan
the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent to Dr. C. James Scheirer at the address
listed under APPLICATION PROCEDURES by the letter of intent receipt date
listed.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) is to be used in
applying for these grants, with the modifications noted below. These forms
are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research or from the:
Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910
Bethesda, MD 20892-7910
Telephone 301/710-0267
Email: grantsinfo@nih.gov
Internet: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
The RFA label available in the PHS 398 application form must be affixed to the
bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could
result in the delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach
the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title (NHLBI
MINORITY INSTITUTION RESEARCH SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT AWARD (K01)) and number
(HL-00-017) must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form
and the YES box must be marked.
The sample RFA label available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf has been modified to
allow for this change. Please note this label is in pdf format.
Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application and three signed
photocopies 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 courier service)
At the time of submission, send two (2) additional copies of the application
to:
Dr. C. James Scheirer
Director, Review Branch
Division of Extramural Affairs, NHLBI
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 7216, MSC 7924
Bethesda, MD 20892-7924
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)
Telephone (301) 435-0266
FAX: (301) 480-3541
Internet Address: js110j@nih.gov
It is important to send these two copies at the same time as the original and
three copies are sent to the Center for Scientific Review (CSR). These copies
are used to identify conflicts and help ensure the appropriate and timely
review of the applications.
Applications must be received by September 12, 2000. If an application is
received after that date, it will be returned to the candidate 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 candidate withdraws the pending application. In
addition, 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 the applications already reviewed, but such applications must
include an introduction addressing the previous critique.
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and
responsiveness by the NHLBI. Incomplete and/or non-responsive 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 a Special Emphasis Panel in the Division of
Extramural Affairs, NHLBI, in accordance with the review criteria stated
below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a
written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed
to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of the
applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and
receive a second level review by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory
Council.
Review Criteria
The following criteria will be considered in the evaluation of the proposed
NHLBI Minority Institution Research Scientist Development Award program:
o Candidate -- The candidate's overall competence as demonstrated by academic
record and research performance, potential for a career as an independent
researcher, commitment toward pursuit of an academic research career and
toward the enhancement of the scientific program at the minority institution,
and commitment to the career development of minority students.
o Career Development Plan -- The adequacy of the research career development
plan, based on the candidate's past research experience, training, and career
goals as demonstrated by such things as maintenance of a research laboratory,
attendance at scientific meetings, and participation in journal clubs and
research seminars. The adequacy of the student career development plan as
demonstrated by such things as exposure to research, opportunities to
attend/present at scientific meetings, and tutoring for graduate level exams
such as GRE or MCAT.
o Research Project -- Scientific merit of the proposed research project and
its appropriateness as a vehicle for developing the candidate's and
student(s) research skills.
o Training Students -- The candidate’s record and an outline of future plans
for involving students in research and guiding them to science graduate
programs and careers in academic biomedical and behavioral research, and plans
for tracking students.
o Mentor(s) -- The mentor's accomplishments in the scientific research area(s)
proposed, plans for mentoring the candidate and students, experience and
record in training investigators, and commitment for the duration of the
project. A curriculum vitae with relevant publications and a list of current
and pending research support must be included for all mentors. Mentors should
also include a list of current and past research trainees (not more than the
last 10 years) with information on their current positions.
o Environment -- The applicant institution's ability to provide adequate
facilities, resources, and opportunities necessary for the candidate's and
student(s) training, and the institutional commitment to the candidate and
student(s). If different from the applicant institution, the quality and
extent of interaction of the faculty in the basic and clinical sciences, and
the quality of the research and research training programs at the mentor's
institution.
o Institutional commitment -- The institution’s commitment to the development
of the candidate and student(s).
o Other Considerations -- The personnel category will be reviewed for
appropriate staffing based on the requested percent effort and justification
provided.
Award Criteria
The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
o Scientific, technical, and career development merit of the application as
determined by peer review;
o Availability of funds; and
o Program balance among the research areas of the announcement.
INQUIRIES
Potential candidates are strongly encouraged to contact NHLBI staff prior to
preparation of an application.
Joyce I. Creamer, M.B.A.
Division of Blood Diseases and Resources (responding for all NHLBI
programmatic Divisions)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7952
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7952
Telephone: (301) 435-0064
FAX: (301) 480-0867
Internet Address: CreamerJ@gwgate.nhlbi.nih.gov
For fiscal and administrative matters, please contact:
Robert Vinson
Grants Management Specialist
Division of Extramural Affairs
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7926
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7926
Telephone: (301) 435-0175
FAX: (301) 480-3310
Internet Address: rv7g@nih.gov
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance,
numbers 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839. 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 and
Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. This program is not
subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372
or a 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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