and Human Services (HHS)
EXPIRED
NINDS INSTITUTIONAL CENTER CORE GRANTS TO SUPPORT NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH RELEASE DATE: February 11, 2002 PA NUMBER: PAR-02-059 (This PA has been reissued, see PAR-05-070) EXPIRATION DATE: February 28, 2005, unless reissued. PARTICIPATING INSTITUTES AND CENTERS (ICs): National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) (http://www.ninds.nih.gov) THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION o Purpose of the PA o Research Objectives o Mechanism of Support o Eligible Institutions o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators (PIs) o 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 OF THIS PA The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) invites applications for Center Core Grants to support neuroscience research. The purpose of this program is to advance the NINDS mission to promote understanding and treatment of neurological disorders by providing core research facilities that are not otherwise available. Each Center Core Grant will support shared resources and facilities used by investigators with research projects funded by NINDS. This support, by providing more accessible resources, is expected to assure a greater productivity than would be possible from the separate projects. An institution is eligible for a maximum of one NINDS Center Core Grant. These awards will support basic, translational, and clinical research, but will not be used to support clinical trials or to provide patient services. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES NINDS Center Core Grants will support centralized resources and facilities shared by investigators with existing NINDS-funded research projects. Each Center will be composed of one or more research cores, each of which will enrich the effectiveness of ongoing research, and promote new research directions. A Center Core Grant will support individual neuroscience research projects by providing necessary resources and performing required services that would be difficult or impractical to provide in individual labs. Center Core Grants will foster a cooperative and interactive research environment through which multidisciplinary approaches to neuroscience problems and joint research efforts will be stimulated. The applicant institution is encouraged to consider a plan to co-fund the Center, in order to maximize its utility and effectiveness. The NINDS Center Core Grants program is intended to support research infrastructure cores. The program will not provide support for cores that support clinical trials, provide patients services, or conduct pilot projects. To receive a Center Core Grant award, an institution must have at least five qualifying NINDS-funded research projects at the time of application submission (see ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS). All of the qualifying projects must be significant users of the Center, and no more than 50% of total Center usage should be proposed for any single qualifying project. The qualifying projects are necessary, but must not be the only users of the Center. Any NINDS-funded research project at the institution, or at other institutions associated with the Center through consortium agreements, will be eligible to use the Center. The applicant institution should propose a plan that explains how Center capacity will be allocated to PIs of qualifying grants and to PIs with other NINDS funding. The plan should permit some level of access to NINDS PIs who do not hold qualifying grants, even during busy periods of usage, so that the Center will serve as an institutional resource to further neuroscience research. Examples of Research Cores The following areas may be appropriate for individual cores within a NINDS Center. This list is not all-inclusive; applicants may propose other types of research cores. Animal models (general, phenotyping, transgenic) Animal surgery Assay development Cell culture Cell repository Computer/IT DNA sequencing Drug screening Electrophysiology Flow cytommetry Gene vector development and production Histochemistry (immunocytochemistry, autoradiography, in situ hybridization) Imaging (MRI, PET, MEG, NIRS) Informatics Machine shop Mass spectrometry Microarrays Microscopy (light, electron, confocal, laser capture) Molecular biology Monoclonal antibody production Neuropathology (animal and human) Neurotoxicology NMR Protein analysis (proteomics) Protein crystallography/X-ray structure determination Radiochemistry (PET, tracers) Statistics/data analysis Tissue resource MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This PA will use the NIH Center Core Grants (P30) award mechanism. As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project. Applicants may request up to $500,000 per year in direct costs. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this PA may not exceed 5 years. This PA uses just-in-time concepts. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS You may submit an application if your institution has any of the following characteristics: 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 of the federal government o Domestic or foreign Institutions eligible for NINDS Center Core Grants will have, on the date of application submission, at least five qualifying research projects all of which will use the Center, and the usage level proposed for the qualifying projects must be sufficient to justify the size and scope of the Center requested. Qualifying research projects include only NINDS-funded Research Project (R01), Program Project (P01), and Specialized Center (P50) grants provided that there is no overlap between the requested Center and existing cores associated with the P01 or P50 grants. Each P01 or P50 grant will count as one qualifying research project. Up to two of the qualifying NINDS- funded projects can be held by institutions other than the applicant institution, provided that the PIs on those projects will have access to the core facilities through consortium agreements established with the applicant institution and included in the application budget. There should be no overlap between the requested Center core facilities and other pre-existing core facilities at the institutions holding the qualifying projects, and existing facilities should be described in the "Resources" and "Other Support" sections of the application. An institution is eligible for a maximum of one NINDS Center Core Grant. INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH programs. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS A Steering Committee composed of the PI of the Center Core Grant and the PIs of the qualifying projects will establish guidelines to determine the most appropriate methods for providing access to the core facilities and services, and for prioritizing work within the cores. A sharing plan for the distribution of unique research resources developed through Center activities should be included in the application, and will be implemented by the Steering Committee. The sharing plan should preserve research freedom and publication rights, while ensuring appropriate implementation of the Bayh-Dole Act (35 U.S.C. 200 et seq.) and dissemination of research resources. A Federal Register Notice published on December 23, 1999, titled "Principles and Guidelines for Recipients of NIH Research Grants and Contracts on Obtaining and Disseminating Biomedical Research Resources: Final Notice," provides further information, and is available at http://www.ott.nih.gov/policy/rt_guide_final.html. The application should include a request for the funds necessary to implement the sharing plan. To assist NINDS in determining the success of this program, grantees will be required to include in the annual progress report information on Center usage by core and PI, publications to which Center activities made a contribution, and overall impact on neuroscience research progress. WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES We encourage your inquiries concerning this PA and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research, peer review, and financial or grants management issues: o Direct your questions about scientific/research issues to: Thomas Miller, Ph.D. Technology Development National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2139 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: 301-496-1779 FAX: 301-402-1501 Email: [email protected] o Direct your questions about peer review issues to: Chief, Scientific Review Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3208 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: 301-496-9223 FAX: 301-402-0182 o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to: Rebecca Claycamp Grants Management Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3290 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: 301-496-9231 Fax: 301-402-0219 Email: [email protected] SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: [email protected]. APPLICATION RECEIPT DATES: Applications submitted in response to this PA will be accepted at the standard application deadlines, which are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm. Application deadlines are also indicated in the PHS 398 application kit. OTHER INSTRUCTIONS: The title and number of the PA must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. The Specific Aims and a description for each qualifying project, not exceeding 2 pages per project, should be included in the application. The budget section of the application must include an overall summary budget for the Center that includes the cost of the individual cores, and a separate detailed budget for each proposed core. ALLOWABLE COSTS: Allowable costs are governed by the NIH Grants Policy Statement and applicable cost principles. Specific limits appear below as well as certain items that may be requested. Salary support for the PI may not exceed 5% effort. Support for secretarial and administrative staff may be requested to the extent that it relates directly to the management of the Center. Costs for PI salary and support for secretarial and administrative staff may not exceed 15% of the total direct costs for a Center in any year. Salary may not be requested for PIs of qualifying projects or directors of individual cores within the Center. Salary may be requested for technical support personnel and consultants. Requests for shared equipment are allowed. Consumable supplies may be requested to the extent they are directly related to the operation of the cores. These supplies should be generic in nature and used for purposes that are not project specific. Unique research reagents and supplies that are specific to the support of individual projects, including experimental animals, may not be requested. Costs for animal purchase and care are not allowed, except in animal models cores. Travel costs are not allowed. Patient care and recruitment costs are not allowed. Costs for seminars and workshops are not allowed. Alteration and renovation costs are not allowed. SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and four 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 express/courier service) In order to facilitate the review of applications, the applicant should, at the same time, mail or deliver one copy of the application to: Chief, Scientific Review Branch National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3208 Bethesda, MD 20892 Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service) APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by or mailed before the receipt dates described at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm. The 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. PEER REVIEW PROCESS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR and for responsiveness by NINDS. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate scientific review group convened by NINDS in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will: o Receive a written critique o Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score o Receive a second level review by the NINDS advisory council REVIEW CRITERIA The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of your application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals: o Significance o Approach o Innovation o Investigator o Environment The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria in assigning your application's overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Your application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, you may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward. (1) SIGNIFICANCE: Does your study address an important problem? If the aims of your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific knowledge? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field? (2) APPROACH: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? (3) INNOVATION: Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches, or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does your project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies? (4) INVESTIGATOR: Are you appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to your experience level as the PI and to that of other researchers (if any)? (5) ENVIRONMENT: Does the scientific environment in which your work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support? ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, your application will also be reviewed with respect to the following: PROTECTIONS: The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals, or the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project proposed in the application. DATA SHARING: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data. BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed research. OTHER REVIEW CRITERIA: The scored applications will receive an overall priority score, based on the standard NIH review criteria listed above and the following P30-specific criteria. (1) Individual Cores The individual cores will be evaluated on the quality and usefulness of the facilities and services to be provided, and on the contribution to the overall effectiveness of the Center. Important factors for this evaluation will include: o The significance of the core support to increased research productivity. o The ability of the core to promote collaborative research. o The ability of the core to provide the latest and most advanced techniques and services to a community of investigators. o The training and suitability of the core director and personnel, and their ability to devote adequate time and effort to the core. (2) Leadership and Administration Important factors for the evaluation of the leadership and administration of the Center will include: o The qualifications of the PI, and the PI's ability to effectively administer the Center Core Grant. o The extent of the commitment and support by the institution to the goal of supporting research on the nervous system and its disorders. This commitment and support may be demonstrated by provision of significant space commitments, faculty position commitments, payment or partial payment of salaries for support staff, purchases of equipment, and financial support for any necessary new construction or renovation. o The plans for coordination of ongoing research among the NINDS-funded qualifying projects, and for access of other NINDS-funded projects to the Center. o The ability of the Center to significantly enhance the established research base of the host institution. o The proposed financial administration, procurement, property and personnel management, planning, and budget functions of the core facilities. o The implementation plan for the Steering Committee to determine access to Center facilities and services and to prioritize research projects so that the Center will serve as an institutional resource. o The sharing plan for dissemination of unique research resources developed through Center activities. o The overall environment for the Center, including space, equipment, facilities, and the potential for interaction with scientists from other departments and institutions. (3) Research Base Important factors for the evaluation of the research base include: o The aggregate quality of the Center's research base, and the relevance of the qualifying research projects to the overall goals of the Center. o The interrelatedness of the qualifying research projects, and the possibility of synergies leading to the development of collaborations and new research directions for the local neuroscience research community. AWARD CRITERIA Applications submitted in response to this PA will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions: o Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review o Availability of funds o Relevance to program priorities REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS 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://grants.nih.gov/grants/stem_cells.htm 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 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. 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: This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.853, and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. 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 described at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. 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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