The purpose of this RFA is to encourage and enable the development of an interdisciplinary workforce by ensuring that undergraduate, pre-doctoral, and postdoctoral students receive the didactic and research experiences necessary to lead and/or engage in integrative and team approaches to solve complex biomedical and health problems. To accomplish this aim, the National Institutes of Health invites applications for implementing novel training programs focused on new interdisciplinary science. These programs will support a variety of new and innovative didactic and research activities designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and research experience to apply interdisciplinary solutions to complex biomedical and health problems. Applicants are encouraged to build these new training programs around existing institutional research programs, whether formal (e.g., research programs supported by program project, center, or cooperative agreement mechanisms) or informal (e.g., loose networks of collaborating R01 grantees).
Links are provided to the following information on this website:
As a result of over a year of receiving input from recognized leaders in academia, industry, government, and the public, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap was announced in a Press Release on September 30, 2003 (http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/sep2003/od-30.htm). One of the three themes of the NIH Roadmap is “Research Teams of the Future”. It is becoming more obvious that, as research problems become more complex, it is often times necessary to amalgamate a research team with many disciplines (multidisciplinary) in order to effectively tackle the research problem. However, the traditional divisions within biomedical research in some instances may impede the pace of scientific discovery. The purpose of the Interdisciplinary Research initiative is to develop innovative approaches of combining skills and disciplines in order to accelerate discovery of fundamental knowledge and advance our existing knowledge.
The Interdisciplinary Research Implementation Group was charged with the task of developing specific RFAs to fill the needs of the research community. One RFA, called “Training for a New Interdisciplinary Research Workforce” (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-04-015.html) encourages existing disciplines to merge and provide training opportunities for future generations of interdisciplinary scientists. Undergraduate, predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees may receive didactic and research experiences necessary provide them with the skills and knowledge to lead or participate in integrative and team approaches. Applicants are encouraged to build new Interdisciplinary Training programs around existing institutional research or training programs, such as Centers, Program Programs or collaborative R01 projects.
Mechanism of Support
The T90 grant mechanism will be utilized for this RFA. This was patterned according to the existing T32 mechanism for Institutional Training Grants. Therefore, the applications should be prepared with particular attention to the PHS398 instructions in Section V. Institutional National Research Service Award. A comparison of the T32 and T90 grant mechanisms is provided in the next table.
Comparison between T32 (NRSA Program) and T90 Program
T32
T90
Trainee eligibility
NRSA requirements
Open to NRSA plus college students and non-USA citizens, at any stage of career
Allowance for personnel salary
Not allowable cost
10% of salary allowed for mentor
Training approach
Standard NRSA courses, multidisciplinary
Team approach, interdisciplinary, institutional commitment
Evaluation of program
Success based on peer review and progress reports
Self-evaluation, annual meeting in Bethesda, MD
Payback requirements
2271s for all trainees
2271s for all trainees, but no payback requirement for college student trainees and non-USA citizen trainees
Unfilled trainee positions based on application
Some flexibility between pre-docs and post-docs, based on language provided in the Notice of Grant Award
The ratio between trainees approved under NRSA guidelines and trainees approved under non-NRSA guidelines will be fixed at time of award. Unfilled positions will remain unfilled.
Refer to RFA-RM-04-015 for specific instructions pertinent to the T90 application. Separate budget pages are required for trainees eligible under NRSA requirements and trainees not eligible under NRSA requirements (college students, students who are not USA citizens.
IRWG develops funding plan for the most meritorious applications
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 30, 2004
Inclusion Guidelines - Guidelines on the Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in NIH-Sponsored and/or-Supported Intramural and Extramural Meetings and Conferences. "Appropriate representation" is that based on the availability of scientists from these groups known to be working in a particular field of biomedical or behavioral research. If appropriate representation is not apparent, NIH will not make an award until the applicant has submitted acceptable documentation regarding compliance.
Review Process and Criteria
The goal of this RFA is to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to evaluate the application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. The scientific review group will address and consider each of the following criteria in assigning the application's overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application.
Program direction
Participating faculty members
Training program
Student pool
Research and training environment
Minority recruitment and retention plan
Additional details are given in the RFA.
Answers to FAQs
Contact information:
For Scientific and Research Training issues:
Terry Rogers Bishop, Ph.D.
T90 Project Leader
Training and Hematology Program Director
Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases
NIDDK/NIH
6707 Democracy Blvd., Rm. 619
Bethesda, MD 20892-5458
301-594-7726 (direct line) tb232j@nih.gov
FAX: 301-480-3510