RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL
PREDOCTORAL FELLOWS (F31)
RELEASE DATE: December 08, 2003
PA NUMBER: PA-04-032
(Reissued as PA-07-002 as of October 6, 2006)
(see NOT-EB-06-004 for policy clarification)
EXPIRATION DATE: October 6, 2006
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION:
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
(http://www.nih.gov)
COMPONENTS OF PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
(http://www.ninds.nih.gov)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
(http://www.niaaa.nih.gov)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
(http://www.nibib.nih.gov)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
(http://www.nidcd.nih.gov)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
(http://www.nida.nih.gov)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
(http://www.nimh.nih.gov)
CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBERS: 93.272 (NIAAA), 93.286
(NIBIB), 93.173 (NIDCD), 93.278 (NIDA), 93.282 (NIMH), and 93.853 (NINDS)
This program announcement supersedes PA-00-125
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-00-125.html, which appeared
in the NIH Guide on July 25, 2000.
THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
o Purpose
o Research training Objectives
o Mechanism of Support
o Eligibility Requirements
o Eligible Sponsoring Institutions
o Allowable Costs
o Supplementation of Stipends, Compensation, and Other Income
o Tax Liability
o Service Payback
o Leave Policies
o Part Time Training
o Other Special Requirements
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Submitting an Application
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations
PURPOSE
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National
Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH), and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
(NINDS) provide Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards
(Kirschstein-NRSA) to individuals for doctoral-level training. These
Institutes award Kirschstein-NRSA individual predoctoral fellowships (F31) to
promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent
investigators in their scientific mission areas.
Each Institute has a unique scientific purview and different program goals and
initiatives that evolve over time. Therefore, it is critical that all
applicants consult the appropriate Institute website and contact the
appropriate Institute office, both listed under Where to Send Inquiries,
prior to preparing an application to obtain current information about each
Institute's program priorities and policies with regard to fellowships. This
action is of utmost importance since applications with marginal or no
relevance to NIAAA, NIBIB, NIDCD, NIDA, NIMH, or NINDS programs will not be
accepted for review or funding by the participating Institutes.
RESEARCH TRAINING OBJECTIVES
This program will provide predoctoral training support for doctoral candidates
who have successfully completed their comprehensive examinations or the
equivalent by the time of award and will be performing dissertation research
and training. The applicant should provide evidence of potential for a
productive research career based upon the quality of previous research
training and academic record. The applicant must propose a dissertation
research project and training program which falls into a research area within
the scientific mission of the NIAAA, NIBIB, NIDCD, NIDA, NIMH, or NINDS. The
research training experience must enhance the applicant’s conceptualization of
research problems and research skills, under the guidance and supervision of a
committed mentor who is an active and established investigator in the area of
the applicant's proposed research. The research training program should be
carried out in a research environment that includes appropriate human and
technical resources and is demonstrably committed to the research training of
the applicant in the program he/she proposes in the application.
The application must include evidence that current and ongoing instruction in
the principles of responsible conduct of research will be incorporated into
the proposed research training plan (see below: Instructions in the
Responsible Conduct of Research).
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
The mechanism of support is the Kirschstein-NRSA individual predoctoral
fellowship (F31) which is intended to provide biomedical or behavioral
research training experiences to individuals committed to pursuing a career in
research within the scientific missions of the participating Institutes.
Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Fellowship awardees are required to pursue their research training on a full-
time basis, devoting at least 40 hours per week to the training program. The
F31 fellowship supports research training applied toward preparation of a
dissertation and does not support study leading to the M.D., D.O., D.D.S.,
Psy.D., or similar professional degrees unless it is part of a combined degree
program such as the M.D./Ph.D. For those students who are pursuing a combined
degree program, see the following programs:
o NIDCD DUAL-DEGREE INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR TRAINING PHYSICIAN-
SCIENTISTS: PA-01-122
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-01-122.html
o For NIAAA, NIDA, and NIMH: INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
AWARDS FOR M.D./PH.D. FELLOWSHIPS: PA-99-089
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-99-089.html
o NINDS MEDICAL STUDENT DUAL-DEGREE MD/PHD OR MD/MPH FELLOWSHIPS: PA-01-100
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-01-100.html
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Citizenship: By the time of award, candidates for the predoctoral
Kirschstein-NRSA fellowship award must be citizens or non-citizen nationals
of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United
States for Permanent Residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Alien
Registration Receipt Card I-551, or other legal verification of such status).
Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying possessions of
the United States (i.e., American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals on
temporary or student visas are not eligible. Individuals may apply for the
F31 in advance of admission to the United States as a Permanent Resident
recognizing that no award will be made until legal verification of Permanent
Resident status is provided.
Degree Requirements: Applicants must have received, as of the activation date
of the award, a baccalaureate degree and must be enrolled in a program leading
to a research doctorate such as the Ph.D. or D.Sc.
Duration of Support: Individuals may receive up to 5 years of aggregate
Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level, including any combination
of support from institutional training grants (T32) and individual fellowship
awards (F31). However, it is not possible to have concurrent NRSA support
(e.g., F31 and T32) during the same time period. Applicants must consider
any prior NRSA predoctoral research training in determining the duration of
fellowship support requested. Accurate information regarding previous
Kirschstein-NRSA support must be included in the application and will be
considered at time of award. Requests for support and recommendations of
review committees are generally for two or three years of support for
individual fellows conducting dissertation research and training.
Training beyond the 5-year aggregate limit may be possible under rare and
exceptional circumstances, but a waiver from the NIH awarding component is
required. Individuals seeking additional Kirschstein-NRSA support beyond the
fifth year are strongly advised to consult with relevant NIH staff before
preparing a justification. Any waiver will require a detailed justification
of the need for additional research training. Waiver requests should be made
to program officials at the respective sponsoring NIH Institute prior to the
termination date of the fellowship.
Sponsor: Before submitting a fellowship application, the applicant must
identify a sponsoring institution and an individual who will serve as a
sponsor (also called mentor or supervisor) and will supervise the training
and research experience. The applicant's sponsor should be an active
investigator in the area of the proposed research who will directly supervise
the candidate's research. The sponsor must document the availability of
research support and facilities for high-quality research training.
Foreign Sponsorship: Applicants requesting predoctoral fellowship support for
foreign research training must show in the application that the foreign
institution and sponsor offer unique opportunities and clear scientific
advantages over positions currently available in the United States.
ELIGIBLE SPONSORING INSTITUTIONS
The sponsoring institution may be any of the following:
o For-profit or non-profit organizations
o Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
and laboratories
o Units of State and local governments
o Eligible agencies and labs of the Federal government including NIH
intramural labs
o Domestic or foreign
ALLOWABLE COSTS
Stipends: Kirschstein-NRSA awards provide stipends to predoctoral fellows as a
subsistence allowance to help defray living expenses during the research
training experience. The awards are not provided as a condition of employment
with either the Federal government or the sponsoring institution. For the
current stipend levels, see the NIH website at
http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm. The awarding NIH institute will
adjust awards on the anniversary date of the fellowship award to ensure
consistency with the stipend level in effect at that time.
For fellows sponsored by domestic non-federal institutions, the stipend will
be paid through the sponsoring institution. For fellows sponsored by Federal
or foreign institutions, the monthly stipend payment will be deposited in the
fellow's U.S. bank account or paid directly to the fellow by U. S. Department
of Treasury check.
Tuition and Fees: The NIH will reimburse 100 percent of the cost of tuition up
to $3,000 and 60 percent of tuition costs above $3,000 for the predoctoral
fellow. Tuition, for the purposes of this policy, means the combined cost of
tuition, fees, and health insurance (see below). A full description of the
tuition policy is contained within the NRSA section of the Grants policy
statement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm
Health Insurance: Self only health insurance (available to fellows without
families) or family health insurance (available to fellows with families) is
an allowable cost for fellows at the awardee or sponsoring institution only if
such self or family health insurance is required of all persons in a similar
training status regardless of the source of support. Health insurance for
predoctoral fellows who are eligible for this coverage is included in the
calculation of the combined tuition, fees, and health insurance.
Institutional Allowance: At the time of publication of this program
announcement, predoctoral fellows receive an institutional allowance of $2,750
per 12-month period to nonfederal, nonprofit, or foreign sponsoring
institutions to help defray such awardee expenses as research supplies,
equipment, books, and travel to scientific meetings. This allowance is
intended to cover training related expenses for the individual awardee, and is
not available until the fellow officially activates the award. If an
individual fellow is enrolled or engaged in training for less than 6 months of
the award year, only one-half of that year's allowance may be charged to the
grant. The Notice of Research Fellowship Award will be revised and the
balance must be refunded to NIH.
NIH will provide an institutional allowance of up to $1,650 for predoctoral
fellows sponsored by Federal laboratories or for-profit institutions for
expenses associated with travel to scientific meetings, health insurance, and
books. For fellows at for-profit institutions, the $1,650 will be paid to the
institution for disbursement to the fellow. Funds for fellows at Federal
laboratories will be disbursed from the NIH awarding institute.
The Institutional Allowance is adjusted from time-to-time. Prospective
applicants are advised to check for the current Institutional Allowance in the
most recent documentation related to NRSA stipends at
http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm.
Other Training Costs: Additional funds may be requested by the institution
when the training of a predoctoral fellow involves extraordinary costs for
travel to field sites remote from the sponsoring institution, or for
accommodations for fellows who are disabled, as defined by the Americans With
Disabilities Act. The funds requested for costs of this nature must be
reasonable in relationship to the total dollars awarded under the fellowship
and must be directly related to the approved research training experience.
Such additional funds shall be provided only in exceptional circumstances that
are fully justified and explained by the sponsoring institution.
Awards for training at a foreign site may include a single economy or coach
round-trip travel fare. No allowance is provided for dependents. U.S. flag
air carriers must be used to the maximum extent possible when commercial air
transportation is available for travel between the United States and a foreign
country or between foreign countries. Funds are not provided to cover the
cost of travel between the fellow's place of residence and a domestic training
institution. However, in cases of extreme need or hardship, a one-way travel
allowance may be authorized by the sponsoring institution. Such travel must
be paid from the institutional allowance.
Facilities and Administrative Costs. F&A (indirect) costs are not allowed on
individual fellowship awards.
SUPPLEMENTATION OF STIPENDS, COMPENSATION, AND OTHER INCOME
The sponsoring institution is allowed to provide funds to the fellow in
addition to the stipends paid by the NIH. Such additional amounts either may
be in the form of augmented stipends (supplementation) or in the form of
compensation, provided the conditions described below are met. Under no
circumstances may the conditions of stipend supplementation or the services
provided for compensation interfere with, detract from, or prolong the
fellow's approved Kirschstein-NRSA training program.
Stipend Supplementation: Supplementation or additional support to offset the
cost of living may be provided by the sponsoring institution.
Supplementation does not require additional effort from the fellow. DHHS
funds may not be used for supplementation under any circumstances.
Additionally, no funds from other Federal agencies may be used for
supplementation unless specifically authorized by the NIH and the other
Federal Agency.
Compensation: The sponsoring institution may provide additional funds to a
fellow in the form of compensation (as salary and/or tuition remission) for
services such as teaching or serving as a research assistant. A fellow may
receive compensation for services as a research assistant or in some other
position on a Federal research grant, including a DHHS research grant.
However, compensated services should occur on a limited, part-time basis
apart from the normal research training activities, which require a minimum
of 40 hours per week. In addition, compensation may not be paid from a
research grant supporting the fellow's research training experience.
Educational Loans or G.I. Bill: An individual may make use of Federal
educational loan funds and assistance under the Veterans Readjustment
Benefits Act (G.I. Bill). Such funds are not considered supplementation or
compensation.
Concurrent Awards: A Kirschstein-NRSA fellowship may not be held concurrently
with another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal award that
provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of this award.
TAX LIABILITY
Section 117 of the Internal Revenue Code applies to the tax treatment of all
scholarships and fellowships. Under that section, non-degree candidates are
required to report as gross income any monies paid on their behalf for
stipends, or any course tuition and fees required for attendance. Degree
candidates may exclude from gross income (for tax purposes) any amount used
for tuition and related expenses such as fees, books, supplies, and equipment
required for courses of instruction at a qualified educational organization.
The taxability of stipends, however, in no way alters the relationship
between Kirschstein-NRSA trainees or fellows and their institutions.
Kirschstein-NRSA stipends are not considered salaries. In addition, trainees
supported under the Kirschstein-NRSA are not considered to be in an employee-
employer relationship with the NIH or the awardee institution. It is
therefore inappropriate and unallowable for institutions to charge costs
associated with employment (such as FICA, workman's compensation, or
unemployment insurance) to the fellowship award. It must be emphasized that
the interpretation and implementation of the tax laws are the domain of the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the courts. The NIH takes no position on
the status of a particular taxpayer, and it does not have the authority to
dispense tax advice. Individuals should consult their local IRS office about
the applicability of the law to their situation and for information on their
tax obligations.
SERVICE PAYBACK
Recipients of Kirschstein-NRSA predoctoral support do not incur service
payback.
LEAVE POLICIES
In general, fellows may receive stipends during the normal periods of
vacation and holidays observed by individuals in comparable training
positions at the sponsoring institution. For the purpose of these awards,
however, the period between the spring and fall semesters is considered to be
an active time of research and research training and is not considered to be
a vacation or holiday. Fellows may receive stipends for up to 15 calendar
days of sick leave per year. Sick leave may be used for the medical
conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth. Fellows may also receive
stipends for up to 30 calendar days of parental leave per year for the
adoption or the birth of a child when those in comparable training positions
at the grantee institution have access to paid leave for this purpose and the
use of parental leave is approved by the program director.
A period of terminal leave is not permitted and payment may not be made from
fellowship funds for leave not taken. Fellows requiring periods of time away
from their research training experience longer than specified here must seek
approval from the NIH awarding component for an unpaid leave of absence.
PART-TIME TRAINING
Under unusual and pressing personal circumstances, a fellow may submit a
written request to the awarding component to permit less than full-time
training. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. They
must be approved by the awarding NIH Institute or Center in advance for each
budget period. The nature of the circumstances requiring the part-time
training might include medical conditions, disability, or pressing personal
or family situations such as child or elder care. Permission for part-time
training will not be approved to accommodate other sources of funding, job
opportunities, clinical practice, clinical training, or for other
responsibilities associated with the fellow's position at the institution.
In each case, the fellow must submit a written request countersigned by the
sponsor and an appropriate institutional business official that includes
documentation supporting the need for part-time training. The written
request also must include an estimate of the expected duration of the period
of part-time training, an assurance that the fellow intends to return to
full-time training when that becomes possible, and an assurance that the
trainee intends to complete the proposed research training program. In no
case will it be permissible for the fellow to be engaged in Kirschstein-NRSA
supported research training for less than 50 percent effort. Individuals who
must reduce their commitment to less than 50 percent effort must take a
leave-of-absence from Kirschstein-NRSA fellowship support. The fellowship
notice of award will be reissued and the stipend will be pro-rated during the
period of any approved part-time training.
OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Fellowships must be administered in accordance with the current NRSA section
of the Grants Policy Statement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm,
and any terms and conditions specified on the award notice.
Certification and Reporting Procedures: No application will be accepted
without the applicant signing the certification block on the face page of the
application. Individuals admitted to the United States as permanent residents
must submit notarized evidence of legal admission prior to the award. When
support ends, the fellow must submit a Termination Notice (PHS 416-7) to the
NIH. Forms may be found on the NIH Website at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.
Inventions and Publications: Fellowships made primarily for educational
purposes are exempted from the PHS invention requirements. F31 awards will
not contain any provision giving the PHS rights to inventions made by the
awardee.
Copyrights: Except as otherwise provided in the terms and conditions of the
award, the recipient is free to arrange for copyright without approval when
publications, data, or other copyrightable works are developed in the course
of work under a PHS grant-supported project or activity. Any such copyrighted
or copyrightable works shall be subject to a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and
irrevocable license to the Government to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use
them, and to authorize others to do so for Federal Government purposes.
WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES
Inquiries are strongly encouraged. Prospective applicants should visit each
Institute's website in order to obtain current information about the
scientific missions, program priorities, research topics of interest, and
policy guidelines:
NIAAA: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/ExtramuralResearch/PAs/career.htm
NIBIB: http://www.nibib.nih.gov
NIDCD: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/research/training/index.asp
NIDA: http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResTrainingSites.html
NIMH: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/grants/training.cfm
NINDS: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/research_training.htm
Direct inquiries regarding specific programmatic issues to the appropriate
institute representative listed below:
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
Laurie Foudin, Ph.D.
Division of Metabolism and Health Effects
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
6000 Executive Blvd., Room 402, MSC 7003
Bethesda, MD 20892-7003
Telephone: 301-443-0912
FAX: (301) 594-0673
Email: Lfoudin@nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND BIOENGINEERING
Meredith D. Temple-O Connor, Ph.D.
Acting Director, Division of Interdisciplinary Training
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
National Institutes of Health/DHHS
6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20892-5477
Telephone: (301) 451-4792
FAX: (301) 480-1614
Email: templem@mail.nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
Daniel A. Sklare, Ph.D.
Division of Scientific Programs
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Blvd., Room 400C, MSC-7180
Bethesda, MD 20892-7180
Telephone: (301) 496-1804
FAX: (301) 402-6251
Email: sklared@nidcd.nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Suman A. Rao, Ph.D.
Deputy Research Training Coordinator
Office of Science Policy and Communications
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd. Room 5230, MSC 9591
Bethesda, MD 20892
301-443-6071
301-443-6277 (FAX)
SRao@mail.nih.gov
M. Beth Grigson Babecki, M.A.
Deputy to Training Coordinator
Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd. Room 4282, MSC 9555
Bethesda, MD 20892
301-435-0899
301-594-6043 (FAX)
mb128t@nih.gov
Paul A. Coulis, Ph.D.
Center on AIDS and other Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse (CAMCODA)
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd. Room 5199, MSC 9593
Bethesda, MD 20892
301-443-2105
301-594-6566 (FAX)
pc58q@nih.gov
Jamie Biswas, Ph.D.
Chief, Medications Research Grants Branch
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd. Room 4123, MSC 9551
Bethesda, MD 20892
301-443-8096
301-443-9649 (FAX)
jb168r@nih.gov
Aria Crump, Sc.D.
Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5153, MSC 9589
Bethesda, MD 20892-9589
Telephone: (301) 435-0881
FAX: (301) 480-2542
Email: ac94h@nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
Mary F. Curvey
Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7211, MSC 9647
Bethesda, MD 20892-9647
Telephone: (301) 443-3107
FAX: (301) 443-1731
Email: mcurvey@mail.nih.gov
Nancy L Desmond, Ph.D.
Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7197, MSC 9645
Bethesda, MD 20892-9645
Telephone: (301) 443-3563
FAX: (301) 443-1731
Email: ndesmond@mail.nih.gov
Mark Chavez, Ph.D.
Division of Mental Disorders, Behavioral Research and AIDS
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6219, MSC 9621
Bethesda, MD 20892-9621
Telephone: (301) 443-9700
FAX: (301) 443-6000
Email: mchavez1@mail.nih.gov
Fred Altman, Ph.D.
Division of Mental Disorders, Behavioral Research and AIDS
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6220, MSC 9621
Bethesda, MD 20892-9621
Telephone: (301) 443-9700
FAX: (301) 443-6000
Email: faltman@mail.nih.gov
Enid Light, Ph.D.
Division of Services and Intervention Research
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7160, MSC 9635
Bethesda, MD 20892-9635
Telephone: (301) 443-3599
FAX: (301) 594-6784
Email: elight@mail.nih.gov
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
NINDS Training and Career Development Officer
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 2154
Bethesda, MD 20892-9531
Telephone: (301) 496-4188
FAX: (301) 402-4370
Email: NINDSTrainingOffice@ninds.nih.gov
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:
Judy Fox
Chief, Grants Management Branch
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
6000 Executive Boulevard, Room 504, MSC 7003
Bethesda, MD 20892-7003
Telephone: (301) 443-4704
FAX: (301) 443-3891
Email: jsimons@mail.nih.gov
Florence Turska
Grants Management Specialist
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
National Institutes of Health/DHHS
6707 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 900, MSC 5469
Bethesda, MD 20892-5469
Telephone: (301) 496-9314
FAX: (301) 480-4974
Email: ft7p@nih.gov
Sherry Dabney
Grants Management Branch
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Executive Plaza South, Room 400C
6120 Executive Blvd., MSC-7180
Bethesda, MD 20892-7180 (for regular mail)
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier mail)
Telephone: (301) 402-0909
FAX: (301) 402-1758
Email: sherry_dabney@nih.gov
Daisey Parker
Grants Management Specialist
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6101 Executive Blvd, Suite 242, MSC 8403
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: 301-443-6710
Fax: 301-594-6849
Overnight Delivery Address:
6101 Executive Blvd, Suite 242
Rockville, MD 20852
Rebecca Claycamp
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6122, MSC 9605
Bethesda, MD 20892-9605
Telephone: (301) 443-2811
FAX: (301) 443-6885
Email: rclaycam@mail.nih.gov
Michael Loewe
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 3290
Bethesda, MD 20892-9537
Telephone: (301) 496-9231
FAX: (301) 402-0219
Email: loewem@ninds.nih.gov
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Individuals must submit the application using the Ruth L. Kirschstein National
Research Service Award Individual Fellowship Form (PHS 416-1, rev. 06/02)
available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. Applications must have a
Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as the
Universal Identifier when applying for Federal grants or cooperative
agreements. The DUNS number can be obtained by calling (866) 705-5711 or
through the web site at http://www.dunandbradstreet.com/. The DUNS number
should be entered on line 12 of the face page of the PHS 416-1 form. For
further assistance contact GrantsInfo, telephone (301) 710-0267, email:
GrantsInfo@nih.gov. APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST THREE SEALED LETTERS
OF REFERENCE. APPLICATIONS WITHOUT AT LEAST THREE LETTERS OF REFERENCE MAY BE
RETURNED OR DELAYED IN REVIEW. If the applicant has been lawfully admitted to
the United States for permanent residence, the appropriate item should be
checked on the Face Page of the application. Applicants who have applied for
and have not yet been granted admission as a permanent resident should check
the Permanent Resident block on the Face Page of the PHS 416-1 application,
and also write in the word "pending." A notarized statement documenting legal
admission for permanent residence must be submitted prior to the issuance of
an award.
The applicant should identify the number of this Program Announcement (PA) in
Item 3.
Instructions in the Responsible Conduct of Research:
Applications must include the candidate's plans for obtaining instruction in
the responsible conduct of research, including the rationale, subject matter,
appropriateness, format, frequency and duration of instruction. The amount
and nature of faculty participation must be described. Although the NIH has
not established specific curriculum or format requirements for this training,
it is suggested that the following topics be covered: conflict of interest,
data sharing, responsible authorship, policies for handling misconduct,
policies regarding the use of human and animal subjects, and data management.
Applications without plans for training in responsible conduct of research
will be considered incomplete and may be returned without review. No award
will be made if an application lacks this component.
Instructions Regarding Human Subjects Research:
If the proposed research involves human subjects, the applicant must be
responsive to the instructions in the form PHS 416-1 (revised 6/02). The
adequacy of plans to include appropriate human subjects is included in the
fellowship evaluation (see Additional Review Criteria below). Note that NIH
defines children as individuals under 21 years of age. To comply with the
Inclusion of Children Policy, however, all relevant age groups need to be
addressed. Hence, inclusion of individuals from 18-21 does not automatically
satisfy the requirement to include children. Consult the decision tree for
the exemptions that apply:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/tree_children_hs.pdf
APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be mailed on or before the receipt
dates for individual NRSA fellowships described at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm (see also
Schedule below). The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any
application in response to this PA 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 a
substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but such application
must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique.
Although there is no immediate acknowledgement of the receipt of an
application, applicants are generally notified of the review and funding
assignment within 8 weeks. Normally the complete review process takes between
5 and 8 months.
Schedule:
(NOTE: The earlier start date months in the range accommodate the NIDCD’s
planned expedited review/award schedule)
Application Receipt Dates: Apr 5 Aug 5 Dec 5
For AIDS Related Applications: May 1 Sept 1 Jan 2
Initial Review Dates: Jun/Jul Oct/Nov Feb/Mar
Earliest Start Dates: Aug-Dec Dec-March April-June
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED
Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application (including the
Checklist, Personal Data form, AT LEAST THREE SEALED REFERENCE LETTERS, and
all other required materials) and two (2) exact, clear, single-sided
photocopies of the signed application, 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 express/courier service)
All applications submitted to the Center for Scientific Review must come via
United States Postal Service or a recognized delivery/courier service.
Individuals may not personally deliver packages to the building on Rockledge
Drive. For further information please see
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-012.html.
Note: Applicants submitting applications that are within the scientific
purview of the NIDCD should send, at the time of submission, one of these
copies and all sets of appendix materials, if any, to:
Chief, Scientific Review Branch
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 400-C - MSC-7180
Bethesda, MD 20892-7180
Telephone: (301) 496-8683
ATTN: NRSA predoctoral fellowship
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Complete applications will be assigned to the appropriate participating
Institute and a suitable Scientific Review Group (SRG) in the Center for
Scientific Review (CSR) or in the assigned NIH Institute or Center.
Applicants will be notified by mail of their application's Institute and SRG
assignment.
Applications receive two sequential levels of review. The first level is an
assessment of the merit of the research training by an SRG, composed primarily
of non-government scientists selected for their competence in research and
research training in a scientific area related to the application. Shortly
after the SRG meeting, applicants will be notified by mail of the SRG
recommendation and the name and phone number of the Institute program official
responsible for the application. After the SRG meeting, the Scientific Review
Administrator (SRA), a designated Federal official, who coordinates the review
of applications for the SRG, prepares a written summary of the review of each
application and forwards it to the appropriate NIH Institute. When the
program official representing the Institute receives the written summary of
the review, prepared by the SRA after the review meeting, a copy will be
forwarded to the applicant. Staff within the assigned funding Institute or
Center provides a second level of review. Following the second-level review,
the program official will notify applicants within the funding range of the
final disposition of the application. Any questions on SRG recommendations
and funding possibilities should be directed to the appropriate Institute
program official, not the Scientific Review Administrator of the SRG.
REVIEW CRITERIA
The F31 individual predoctoral fellowship is designed to train future
generations of outstanding scientists committed to pursuing research careers
relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes. The review of
an application will focus on the following: the applicant, the research
training plan, the sponsor, and the institutional environment/commitment.
Information from the letters of reference will be used by the review
committee in their consideration of these factors, and the final priority
score will reflect the overall evaluation of the entire application.
Applicant:
o the applicant's potential for, and commitment to, a productive scientific
career. The reviewers may take into account the applicant's history as a
student, as well as past and current involvement in research activities.
Research Training Plan:
o objectives, design, and direction of the proposed research program;
o soundness and feasibility of the experimental approach and methodology
proposed to carry out the research;
o specificity and clarity of the description of the research skills and
knowledge to be acquired;
o overall coherence and potential of the research training plan to provide
the fellow with individualized supervised experiences that will develop
research skills;
o clarity, completeness, originality, and significance of the goals of the
proposed research training plan;
o adequacy of knowledge and presentation of relevant literature and current
methods in the proposed research area;
o potential of proposed research training to serve as a sound foundation that
will lead the applicant to a productive research career in scientific areas
related to alcohol abuse and alcoholism, biomedical imaging and/or
bioengineering, deafness and other communication disorders, drug abuse and
addiction, mental health, or neurological disorders and stroke research;
o adequacy of plans for the protection of human subjects, animals, or the
environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the research
proposed;
o adequacy of plans to include women, children and minorities as subjects in
research, if applicable;
o adequacy of plans to provide training in the responsible scientific conduct
of research.
Sponsor:
o caliber of the sponsor as a researcher, including successful competition
for research support;
o evidence of the proposed sponsor's understanding of and commitment to
fulfilling the role of sponsor and mentor;
o evidence of an understanding of the applicant's research training needs and
a demonstrated ability, on the part of the sponsor, to assist in meeting
those needs;
o past research training record of the sponsor in terms of the rate at which
former predoctoral trainees obtain their doctoral degree and go on to
postdoctoral or other scientific careers.
Institutional Environment/Commitment:
o training environment, including the institutional commitment to research
training and career development, the quality of the facilities and related
resources (e.g., equipment, laboratory space, computer time, subject
populations) and the availability of research support.
Additional Review Criteria:
In addition to the above criteria, the following items may be considered in
the determination of scientific merit and the priority score:
o Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human
subjects and protections from research risk relating to their participation in
the proposed research will be assessed. (See criteria included in the section
on Federal Citations, below).
o Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in research: The adequacy of
plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and
subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the
research will be assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of
subjects will also be evaluated. (See Inclusion Criteria in the sections on
Federal Citations, below).
o Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If vertebrate animals are to
be used in the project, the five items described on page 21 of the PHS 416-1
fellowship application instructions (rev. 6/2002) will be assessed (see
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm).
AWARD CRITERIA
The responsibility for award decisions resides solely with authorized program
staff of the Institutes. The following criteria will be used in making award
decisions: (1) overall merit of the application; (2) relevance of the
application to the research priorities and mission of the awarding institute
and programs; and (3) availability of funds.
Activation: No funds may be disbursed until the fellow has started training
under the award and an Activation Notice (PHS 416-5) has been submitted to the
NIH. An awardee has up to 6 months from the issue date on the award notice to
activate the award. Under unusual circumstances, an NIH institute may grant an
extension of the activation period upon receipt of a specific request from the
fellow.
REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS
HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTION: Federal regulations (45CFR46) require that
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against
these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and
others, and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained.
http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm
DATA AND SAFETY MONITORING PLAN: Data and safety monitoring is required for
all types of clinical trials, including physiologic, toxicity, and dose-
finding studies (phase I); efficacy studies (phase II), efficacy,
effectiveness and comparative trials (phase III). The establishment of data
and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for multi-site clinical
trials involving interventions that entail potential risk to the
participants. (NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for
Grants and Contracts, June 12, 1998:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL RESEARCH: It is the policy of
the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations
must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a
clear and compelling justification is provided indicating 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 clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines
for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research -
Amended, October, 2001," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
on October 9, 2001
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a
complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm.
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of
clinical research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with
the new OMB standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase
III clinical trials consistent with the new PHS Form 398; and updated roles
and responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a)
all applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of
plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by
sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable;
and b) investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting
analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group
differences.
INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS:
The NIH maintains a policy 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 is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm.
REQUIRED EDUCATION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECT PARTICIPANTS: NIH
policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for
all investigators submitting NIH proposals for research involving human
subjects. You will find this policy announcement in the NIH Guide for Grants
and Contracts Announcement, dated June 5, 2000, at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS (hESC): Criteria for federal funding of research on
hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only
research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem
Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding (see http://escr.nih.gov).
It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide, in the project
description and elsewhere in the application as appropriate, the official NIH
identifier(s)for the hESC line(s)to be used in the proposed research.
Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without
review.
PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT: The
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to
provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a
project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2)
cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action
that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed
through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope
of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this PA in a public
archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should
include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include
information about this in the budget justification section of the
application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure
informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the
potential for wider use of data collected under this award.
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. Furthermore,
we caution reviewers that their anonymity may be compromised when they
directly access an Internet site.
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 PA
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.
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
Kirschstein-NRSA awards are made under the authority of Section 487 of the
Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 288), and Title 42 of the Code
of Federal Regulations, Part 66. All awards are subject to the terms and
conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH
Grants Policy Statement. The NIH Grants Policy Statement can be found at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm. This program is not subject
to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or
Health Systems Agency review.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free
workplace and discourage the 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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