Release Date: September 2, 2011
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) announces an administrative supplement program to provide additional funds to Neonatal Research Network (NRN) and the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network (U10) grants to support advanced research experiences of exceptional individuals early in their research careers in the field of maternal fetal medicine or neonatology. The purpose of this program is to provide opportunities for clinically trained individuals to continue to conduct research and to enhance their research skill set during the years of fellowship or early academic career (within 5 years of completion of maternal fetal medicine or neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship training).
Support through this administrative supplement program is expected to enhance the scientific and professional development of the participating individuals, speed their transition to research independence as clinical investigators, and contribute to scientific knowledge that advances the mission of the Maternal Fetal Medicine Units and Neonatal Research Networks.
Research Opportunity
The goal of this program is to help physician-investigators move more efficiently and effectively from the period of clinical training to the next stage of their research careers by supporting focused, protected research time during fellowship or early academic career. The proposed research experience must be an integral part of the approved, ongoing research of the parent grant and must have the potential to contribute significantly to the candidate s research career.
Applications are expected to summarize:
- The candidate’s supplemental research project
- A plan that is designed to enhance his/her research skills, scientific knowledge, and related professional skills including plans for subsequent funding applications that would help maintain the candidate s research momentum.
To ensure flexibility of research opportunities, the specific plan and scope of the research experience may vary depending on such factors as the nature of the parent grant, the candidate’s technical skill set and goals, and the candidate’s available effort. Applications are strongly encouraged to document the Principal Investigator’s commitment to provide appropriate guidance and supervision of the candidate.
Eligible Applicants
Recipients
of NICHD-supported U10 Neonatal Research Network (NRN) and/or Maternal Fetal
Medicine Units (MFMU) Network Cooperative Agreement awards are eligible to
submit an application in response to this Notice. This includes institutions
that received a new award or competing continuation award and are actively
recruiting into ongoing clinical studies and trials in the 2011-2016 grant
cycle of each network. The eligible institutions may submit one application
per network from the site PD/PI on behalf of the candidate. Up to one award
for the MFMU and one award for the NRN for an individual site will be made. The
research proposed in the supplement must be within the general scope of the
peer-reviewed activities and aims of the parent grant.
At the time of a supplemental award, the
parent grant must have support remaining for a reasonable period (usually two
years or more).
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Scientific/Research Contact listed at the end of this Notice to discuss a potential supplement application.
Eligible Candidates
This supplement will support specialized study for individuals with a health professional doctoral degree who are committed to a career in laboratory or clinical based research in maternal fetal medicine or neonatal perinatal medicine. Candidates must demonstrate the potential to develop into independent investigators. The supplement supports a two- to three-year period of supervised research experience that may integrate didactic studies with laboratory or clinically based patient related research.
Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria at the time of application:
1) Must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
2) Must have graduated from an M.D. or D.O. program;
3) Must currently be in good standing in an ACGME-accredited clinical fellowship program or have an academic appointment in neonatal or maternal fetal medicine at the instructor or assistant professor level; and
4)
Must
be able to commit no less than 6 person-months (50% of full-time professional
effort) to the proposed research experience.
The
Department Chair, Division or Section Chair or Fellowship Training Director
must document that the research activities and associated time commitment
proposed in the supplemental application will be supported by the institution
and will not adversely affect the candidate’s board eligibility or prolong the
period of clinical fellowship, as appropriate.
Applicant institutions are encouraged to identify individuals from
underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with
disabilities for support under this supplement program.
IMPORTANT:
The research proposed by the NIH grantee in the supplement application must be
within the original scope of the NIH-supported grant project. The funding
mechanism being used to support this program, administrative supplements, can
be used to cover cost increases that are associated with achieving certain new
research objectives as long as they are within the original scope of the
project. Any cost increases need to result from making modifications to the
project in order to take advantage of opportunities that would increase the
value of the project consistent with its originally approved objectives and
purposes.
Selection Factors
Administrative supplement requests will be reviewed at NICHD by Program and Grants Management Staff.
Selection factors will include the following:
- Scientific merit of the proposed research experience;
- Quality of candidate’s academic and clinical training record as well as potential for an independent research career conducting maternal fetal medicine or neonatal-perinatal research;
- Potential for development into an independent investigator;
- Commitment to a research career;
- Relevance of the proposed activities to the funded (parent) grant and the mission and research priorities of the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch at NICHD;
Merit and appropriateness of the proposed research experience plan including evidence that the proposed activities are feasible within the context of fellowship and early faculty appointment, and that sufficient institutional commitment exists for the proposed research experience.
Budget and Funding Information
Applications will be accepted until December 19, 2011 for
consideration for funding, although earlier submission is strongly
encouraged. All applications should be preceded by consultation with
NICHD Program staff (see Inquiries section below) to discuss the application
process and determine availability of funds. All awards are subject to the
terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in
the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
NICHD intends to commit $300,000 in FY2012 to fund up to two awards per
network. Budgets are limited to direct costs of $50,000 per year for up to
three years. Requested amounts must reflect actual needs of the proposed
project.
The NICHD will
provide salary support for the candidate in addition to other justified
expenses, such as travel and supplies, to enable the candidate to participate
fully in the proposed research experience. The requested salary and
fringe benefits must be in accordance with the salary structure of the grantee
institution for individuals in comparable positions, consistent with the level
of effort.
An award issued under this Notice is contingent upon adequate progress on the
parent grant during the current project period, the availability of funds, and
the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Reporting
In non-competing continuation applications (using PHS Form 2590), the Progress Report and budget for the supplement must be clearly delineated from the Progress Report and budget for the parent grant. The Progress Report should describe the research activities of the MD fellow or faculty member during the prior budget period even if support for future years is not requested. If future support is requested, plans for the supplement research activities during the next budget period should be described. Continuation of supplemental support in the remaining years of the grant’s competitive segment will depend on satisfactory review by the NICHD of progress for the parent grant and the supplement project, the proposed research and other activities for the next budget period, and the appropriateness of the proposed budget for the proposed effort. A final supplement report is due no later than 90 days after the end of the supplemental award.
How To Apply
Applications
will be accepted until December 19, 2011 for consideration for funding
beginning April 1, 2012, although earlier submission is strongly
encouraged.
Requests under this Notice should be prepared using PHS 398 forms (available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html). The request must
be signed by the authorized Business Official.
Please direct all inquiries to:
Rosemary D. Higgins, MD
Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch
6100 Executive Blvd, 4B03B, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Telephone 301-435-7909
Email: [email protected]
Grace Poe
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, 8A, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Telephone: 301-435-7011
Email: [email protected]
and Human Services (HHS)
