RFA-HL-00-018: NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM (T32)

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)

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NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM (T32) Release Date: June 8, 2000 RFA: HL-00-018 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 The NHLBI Minority Institutional Research Training Program is a National Research Service Award (NRSA) Program intended to support training of graduate and health professional students and individuals in postdoctoral training at minority schools having the potential to develop meritorious training programs in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders. Graduate and health professional students and individuals in postdoctoral training in minority schools need further opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral research skills. The NHLBI Minority Institutional Research Training Program is designed to attract students in their developmental stages; to increase their awareness of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders research; and to encourage them to pursue research career opportunities in these areas. 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 Institutional Research Training Program, 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 program director at the minority school will be responsible for the selection and appointment of students and the overall direction of the program. B. Trainees Individuals appointed to the training grant must be citizens of the United States, non-citizen nationals, or lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence (i.e. in possession of a currently valid alien registration receipt card I-551) at the time of appointment, be enrolled at the minority institution. Trainees must be training at the post-baccalaureate level (i.e., predoctoral or postdoctoral level) in a relevant biomedical or behavioral science and have made a strong commitment to complete a doctoral degree or equivalent in a biomedical or behavioral science. The NHLBI Minority Institutional Research Training Program may not support studies leading to a health professional degree. Research trainees who have or are pursuing clinical degrees are expected to devote not more than 50% of their time to research training and to confine clinical duties to those which are a part of the research training experience. Students may not spend more than 50% time at the research training center over the course of the year, including a period of intensive research training during the summer. Students are expected to pursue their research training on a full-time basis devoting no less than 40 hours per week as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies. Students are expected to meet the degree requirements at their institution. C. Research Center The minority institution must identify and collaborate with a research center (medical school or comparable institution) that has strong, well-established cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep disorders research and research training programs. Cooperation and collaboration between institutions is needed to provide each trainee with a mentor who is recognized as an accomplished investigator in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic or sleep disorders research and who will assist the advisor at the minority institution with the trainee's development and research plan. Plans for summer training as well as academic year training should be developed by the student and advisor at the trainee's home institution in collaboration with the mentor at the research center. It is expected that both advisor and mentor will guide the trainee through the initial training period and continue this interaction throughout the award. The development of strong mentoring relationships is essential to the success of the trainees and the program. The minority institution will identify and complete arrangements with an established cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep disorders research center(s) before submitting an application. Arrangements between the participating institutions for the recruitment of trainees and joint selection of trainers for the provision of training, and for ongoing cooperation and collaboration between the institutions in the implementation of the program, should be clearly outlined in the application. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutional National Research Service Award (NSRA) mechanism (T32). Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed training program will be solely that of the applicant. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed five years. Funds will be provided on an annual basis to develop and maintain a stable research training experience for qualified students. Successful applicants may compete for a second or subsequent awards of up to five years' duration upon completion of the initial grant period. Funding beyond the first year of the grant is contingent upon satisfactory progress during the preceding year and availability of funds. Facilities and Administrative Costs will be awarded based on 8% of total direct costs exclusive of equipment, tuition, and fees. The anticipated award date is April 1, 2001. 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 $250,000 in fiscal year 2001. The actual amount may vary, depending on the response to the RFA and availability of funds. Two new awards are anticipated. OBJECTIVES Background Many studies have emphasized the need for minority individuals to participate in research activities to develop their investigative talents. There are existing programs at the National Institutes of Health such as the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program, the Minority Access to Research Careers Program, and the Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities Program that are designed to address this need. Even though these programs are successful in meeting their specific objectives and career development goals, graduate and health professional students and individuals in postdoctoral training in minority schools need further opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral research skills. The NHLBI Minority Institutional Research Training Program makes research training grant awards in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders research to minority schools to enable qualified graduate and health professional students and individuals in postdoctoral training to participate in research programs. It is expected to attract students in their developmental stages, increase their awareness of these diseases, and to encourage them to pursue career opportunities in research related to the mission of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Provisions of the Award The trainees may be appointed for 9 - 12 months at any time during the course of the budget period. Students must be enrolled on a full-time basis. A strong interest in a cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep disorder research career must be evident. Short-term training positions for health professional students are allowed under this program. Predoctoral trainees appointed to the grant may receive support for up to five years. Postdoctoral trainees appointed to the grant may receive support for up to three years. The trainee and his or her faculty advisor at the minority institution will jointly select a faculty mentor at the research center. A written commitment to the training plan signed by the intended faculty mentors at the research center, the department(s) involved and countersigned by both institutional officials, must be part of the application. Funds may be requested for: A. Stipends - The current stipend level for graduate and health professional student trainees at all levels of experience is $15,060 per year. Current stipend levels for postdoctoral trainees are as follows: Years of Experience Per Annum Stipend 0 $26,916 1 $28,416 2 $33,516 3 $35,232 4 $36,936 5 $38,628 6 $40,332 7 or more $42,300 B. Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance - The combined cost of tuition, fees, and health insurance (either self-only or family as appropriate) will be offset at the following rate: 100% of all costs up to $3,000 and 60% of costs above $3,000. Costs associated with tuition and fees are allowable only if they are required for specific courses in support of the research training experience supported by the fellowship. A full description of the tuition policy is contained within the NRSA Policy Guidelines on the NIH website at: http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsaguidelines/nrsa_toc.htm C. Trainee Travel Costs - The institution may request funds to cover the costs of trainees travel, including attendance at scientific meetings, that are necessary to the individual's training. The maximum allowable per student per year is $800. Funds for commuting expenses that are clearly in excess of those incurred during the usual home to work travel of the trainee may also be requested. D. Training-related Expenses - Institutional costs of $2,000 a year per predoctoral trainee and $2,500 a year per postdoctoral trainee may be requested to defray the costs of other research training related expenses, such as staff salaries, consultant costs, equipment, research supplies, and staff travel. If the fellow is not enrolled or engaged in training for more than 6 months of the award year, only one-half of that year’s allowance may be charged to the grant. E. Facilities and Administrative Costs - The Notice of Grant Award will provide facilities and administrative costs based on 8% of total direct costs, exclusive of equipment, tuition, and fees. Procedures for annual evaluation of the program should include plans to measure the impact of the program on the individual student and plans to measure the trainee’s progress. The evaluation procedures should also describe plans to monitor the future career course of individual trainees, to evaluate the effectiveness of the overall program, and assess the impact of the training program on the institution. It should also include plans for assessing the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship and the training plan. Payback Agreement - As specified in the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, NRSA recipients incur a service payback obligation only during their first 12 months of postdoctoral support. Additionally, the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 specifies that the second and subsequent years of postdoctoral NRSA training will serve to pay back a postdoctoral service payback obligation. Accordingly, the following guidelines apply: Predoctoral trainees are not required to sign the payback agreement and do not incur a service payback obligation. Postdoctoral trainees in the first 12 months of postdoctoral NRSA support must sign the payback agreement form (PHS form 6031) before initiating an appointment. Postdoctoral trainees in their first 12 months of support will incur a period of service payback obligation equal to the period of support. Postdoctoral trainees in the 13th and subsequent months of NRSA postdoctoral support are not required to sign the payback agreement form and will not incur a service payback obligation. The 13th and subsequent months of postdoctoral NRSA support are considered acceptable payback service for prior postdoctoral support. For example, postdoctoral trainees who continue under that award for 2 years have fulfilled the obligation incurred during the first 12 months of support by the end of the second year. Service payback obligations can also be paid back by conducting health-related research or teaching averaging more than 20 hours per week of a full work year after terminating NRSA support. Recipients with service obligations must begin to provide service on a continuous basis within two years of termination of NRSA support. The period for undertaking payback service may be delayed for such reasons as temporary disability, completion of residency requirements, or completion of the requirements for a graduate degree. Requests for an extension must be made in writing to the NIH specifying the need for additional time and the length of the required extension. Recipients of NRSA support are responsible for informing the NIH of changes in status or address. For individuals who fail to fulfill their obligation through service, the United States is entitled to recover the total amount of NRSA funds paid to the individual for the obligated period plus interest at a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. Financial payback must be completed within 3 years beginning on the date the United States becomes entitled to recover such amount. Under certain conditions, the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (or those delegated this authority) may extend the period for starting service or repayment, permit breaks in service, or in rare cases in which service or financial repayment would constitute an extreme hardship, may waive or suspend the payback obligation of an individual. Officials at the awardee institution have the responsibility of explaining the terms of the payback requirements to all prospective training candidates before appointment to the training grant. Additionally, all trainees recruited into the training program must be provided with information related to the career options that might be available when they complete the program. The relationship of the positions available and the training provided must also be discussed along with the applicability of these positions to any outstanding service payback obligation. 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, which was published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 11, March 18, 1994, and 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 that was 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, the 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 PHS grant application Form PHS-398 (Rev. 4/98) and its Additional Instructions for Preparing Institutional National Research Service Award Applications (Pages V-1 - V-8; Substitution Pages NN - PP) is to be used in applying for these grants. This form is available at 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 20892-7910 Telephone 301-435-0174 E-mail: grantsinfo@nih.gov Internet address: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html The RFA label found in the PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. In addition, the RFA title (NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM) and number RFA-00-018 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 application. Applications must be received by September 12, 2000. 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. Applicants who wish to include a request for short-term research training positions should identify short-term positions separately within the "stipends" and "training related expenses" categories on the budget page. Under "stipends," short-term positions should be listed in the "other" category. Tuition, fees, health insurance, and trainee travel, and other expenses are to be included in "training related expenses." The description of the short-term research training program should be included in the application for the regular research training program, but should be separated from the description of the regular program within each section of the application. In addition to the information requested in the "program plan" section, the applicant should address the relationship of the proposed short- term program to the regular research training program and provide assurance that the short-term program will not detract from the regular program. Applicants must observe the 25-page limit on the narrative section. 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 Institutional Research Training Program: o Design of the proposed training program; o Qualifications, dedication, and previous training record of the program director and all participating faculty, particularly with regard to prior experience with similar programs; o Adequacy of facilities, environment, and resources for the proposed research training, both at the minority institution and the collaborating research center; o Adequacy of the cooperative arrangements between the minority institution and the collaborating research center; o Recruitment and selection plans for trainees, and the availability of high quality candidates; o Methods for retaining promising students in the program and methods for tracking students; o Commitment of the relevant faculty and the two institutions to the goals of the training program; and o Procedures for evaluation of the impact of the program on the trainees involved. AWARD CRITERIA The following will be considered in making funding decisions: o Scientific, technical, and research training merit of the application as determined by peer review, o Availability of funds, and o Program balance among the research areas of the RFA. INQUIRIES Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are welcome. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants prior to preparation of an application is strongly encouraged. Direct inquiries regarding program guidelines or programmatic issues to: Robert Musson, Ph.D. Division of Lung Diseases (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) 435-0218 FAX: (301) 480-3557 Internet Address: mussonr@nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Rebecca Chamberlin 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) 435-0166 FAX: (301) 480-3310 Internet Address: chamberlinr@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 PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

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