RFA-HL-98-020: NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)

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NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM Release Date: July 16, 1998 RFA: HL-98-020 P.T. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Letter of Intent Receipt Date: August 3, 1998 Application Receipt Date: September 23, 1998 PURPOSE This Minority Institutional Research Training Program is a National Research Service Award (NRSA) Program and is intended to train graduate students, health professional students, and postdoctoral students in minority schools that have the potential to develop a meritorious program in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematological diseases, and/or sleep disorders for research careers in these areas. Graduate students, health professional students, and postdoctoral students in minority schools need further opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral research skills. The Minority Institutional Research Training Program is designed to attract students in their developmental stages and to increase their awareness of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases, and sleep disorders, and to encourage them to pursue research career opportunities. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 2000, a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This Request for Applications, Minority Institutional Research Training Program, is related to the priority areas of heart disease and stroke, tobacco, educational and community-based programs, environmental health, maternal and infant health, diabetes and chronic disabling diseases, and HIV infection. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-1 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone: 202-512-1800). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS A. Minority School The Institution must be a domestic medical or non-medical college, university or equivalent school in which students from underrepresented minority groups including Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders comprise a majority or a significant proportion of the school enrollment. It must have 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 trainees and the overall direction of the training program. B. Trainees The individual to be trained must be a citizen of the United States, a non- citizen national, or have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence at the time of appointment for training, and have a baccalaureate degree. Trainees must be training at the post-baccalaureate level (i.e., predoctoral level) in a relevant biomedical or behavioral science and have made a strong commitment to completing a doctoral degree, be enrolled in a minority health professional school, or have a doctoral degree or equivalent in a biomedical or behavioral science. The 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 their time to research training and to confine clinical duties to those which are a part of the research training. 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 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 in 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. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Short-Term Training Grant (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. Funding beyond the first year of the grant is contingent upon satisfactory progress during the preceding year and availability of funds. Indirect costs will be awarded based on eight percent of total direct costs exclusive of equipment and tuition and fees. The anticipated award date is May 1, 1999. 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 1999. The actual amount may vary, depending on the response to the RFA and availability of funds, but the number of awards for the Minority Institutional Research Training Program is anticipated to be two. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background Many studies have emphasized the need for minority individuals to participate in modern research activities to develop their investigative talents. There are existing programs at the National Institutes of Health that are designed to answer this need, such as the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program, the Minority Access to Research Careers Program, and the Minority Research Supplement Program. Even though these programs are successful in meeting their specific objectives and career development goals, graduate students, health professional students, and individuals in postdoctoral training in minority schools need further opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral research skills. The Minority Institutional Research Training Program is designed to offer research training grant awards in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, and sleep disorders research to minority schools to enable qualified graduate students, 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). Implementation Minority Institutional Research Training Awards may be made for periods up to five years" duration. Funds will be provided on an annual basis to develop and maintain a stable research training experience for qualified students. Awards recommended for the continuation years will be made contingent upon satisfactory progress during the preceding year, upon the availability of funds, and the requisite level authorization for continued support of training activities. Successful applicants may compete for a second award of up to five years" duration upon completion of the initial grant period. The minority institution will identify and complete arrangements with an established cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, or sleep disorders research center(s) before submitting an application. 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. 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. 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. 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 have been accepted 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. Funds may be requested for: A. Stipends - The current stipend level for graduate and health professional student trainees at all levels of experience is $11,748 per year. Current stipend levels for postdoctoral trainees range from $21,000 - $33,012 per year, depending on experience. B. Tuition, Fees, and Medical Insurance (individual coverage) when regularly charged to all students regardless of their source of support, are allowable trainee costs. Please refer to Detailed Budget under Supplemental Instructions for additional information. C. Trainee Travel Costs - The institution may request funds to cover the costs of trainee 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 - Funds are provided to partially defray the cost of training such as staff salaries, equipment, research supplies, staff travel, and other expenses. The current level of training related expenses is $1,500 per annum per full-time graduate student trainee or health professional student trainee, and $2,500 per annum for postdoctoral trainees. E. Facilities and Administrative (Indirect) Costs - The Notice of Grant Award will provide facilities and administrative (indirect) costs based on 8% of total direct costs, exclusive of equipment, and tuition and fees. F. Payback Agreement - The NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 substantially modified the service payback requirement for individuals supported by the NRSA programs. Beginning with new appointments and reappointments made on or after June 10, 1993, the following new guidelines will apply: Predoctoral trainees will not be required to sign the Payback Agreement Form (PHS Form 6031) and will not incur a service payback obligation. All postdoctoral trainees must sign an agreement to fulfill the NRSA payback requirements when they are appointed initially to a training grant or receive an individual fellowship. Postdoctoral trainees in the first twelve months of postdoctoral support must sign the payback agreement form and will incur one month of payback obligation for each month of support. Postdoctoral trainees in the thirteenth and subsequent months of support will not sign the Payback Agreement Form and will incur no obligation for that support. The thirteenth and subsequent months of postdoctoral support will be considered acceptable payback service for prior postdoctoral support. Individuals who were appointed to their initial NRSA postdoctoral period on or after June 10, 1993, and continued under that award for two years will have fulfilled their first year obligation by the end of the second year. Service payback obligations can also be paid back by engaging in health-related research and/or teaching that averages more than 20 hours per week of a full year. 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 have been 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. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by August 3, 1998, a letter of intent that includes the name, address, and telephone number of the Program Director, 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 subsequent applications, the information that it contains allows NHLBI staff to estimate the potential review workload and to avoid conflict of interest in the review. The letter of intent is to be sent to Dr. C. James Scheirer, at the address listed under APPLICATION PROCEDURES. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on the research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95). The forms are 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 301/710-0267, email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Special instructions for preparing the application are included in these guidelines. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact program staff listed under the INQUIRIES prior to preparation of the application. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. 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 the 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. Send the completed, signed application and three exact photocopies by 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) Two additional copies of the application must be sent to: NHLBI Research Training Review Special Emphasis Panel Division of Extramural Affairs National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7924 Bethesda, MD 20892-7924 Applications must be received by September 23, 1998. 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 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. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by CSR and responsiveness by 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. Following scientific- technical review, applications will receive a second level review by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council. As part of the initial merit review, a process may be used by the initial review group in which applications will be determined to be competitive or non- competitive based on their scientific merit relative to other applications received in response to the RFA. Applications judged to be competitive will be discussed and assigned a priority score. Applications determined to be non- competitive will be withdrawn from further consideration and the applicant and the official signing for the applicant organization will be notified. Review Criteria The factors to be considered in the evaluation of the proposed training program are: o Adequacy of faculty, facilities, and resources for the proposed research training, both at the minority institution and the established research center, o Adequacy of the cooperative arrangements between the minority institution and the established research center, 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 Technical 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 encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding program guidelines, supplemental instructions, or programmatic issues to: Michael Commarato, Ph.D. or Beth Schucker, M.A. Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7940 Bethesda, MD 20892-7940 Telephone: (301) 435-0530 FAX: (301) 480-1454 Email: michael_commarato@nih.gov beth_schucker@nih.gov Mary Reilly, M.S. or Ann Rothgeb Division of Lung Diseases National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7952 Bethesda, MD 20892-7952 Telephone: (301) 435-0222 FAX: (301) 480-3557 Email: mary_reilly@nih.gov ann_rothgeb@nih.gov Joyce Creamer, MBA or Bette Houston Division of Blood Diseases and Resources National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7950 Bethesda, MD 20892-7950 Telephone: (301) 435-0064 FAX: (301) 480-1046 Email: joyce_creamer@nih.gov bette_houston@nih.gov Thomas Blaszkowski, Ph.D. Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7838 Bethesda, MD 20892-7838 Telephone: (301) 435-0433 Email: thomas_blaszkowski@nih.gov James P. Kiley, Ph.D. National Center for Sleep Disorders Research National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7920 Bethesda, MD 20892-7920 Telephone: (301) 435-0199 FAX: (301) 480-3451 Email: james_kiley@nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Marie Willett Grants Operations Branch, Heart Section National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7926 Bethesda, MD 20892-7926 Telephone: (301) 435-0177 FAX: (301) 480-3310 Email: marie_willett@nih.gov Raymond L. Zimmerman Grants Operations Branch, Lung Section National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7926 Bethesda, MD 20892-7926 Telephone: (301) 435-0171 Email: raymond_zimmerm@nih.gov Jane Davis Grants Operations Branch, Blood Section National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7926 Bethesda, MD 20892-7926 Telephone: (301) 435-0166 Email: jane_davis@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 the authority of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grant policies and Federal Regulations at 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. 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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