PAR-02-144: ORAL HEALTH RESEARCH CURRICULUM GRANTS

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)

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ORAL HEALTH RESEARCH CURRICULUM GRANTS RELEASE DATE: August 8, 2002 PA NUMBER: PAR-02-144 (This PAR has been reissued, see PAR-06-160) EXPIRATION DATE: August, 2005, unless reissued National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/) THIS PA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION o Purpose of the PA o Education Program Objectives and Description o Mechanism of Support o Eligible Institutions o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators 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 purpose of the NIDCR Oral Health Research Curriculum (OHRC) Grants is to infuse an appreciation of science and the results of scientific research in the dental school curriculum. The main emphasis of this new program is to strengthen the research component of dental education and to enhance the application of basic and clinical research findings to clinical training. Projects funded through this grant should encourage students and faculty to participate in broadly defined scholarly activity, monitor the latest science and provide students with an appreciation for research so they may be more likely to pursue academic careers, advanced degrees and research training. Through these grants clinical, basic and behavioral science researchers will become an active part of the educational fabric and interact with students throughout all four years of dental school as well as during the postgraduate specialty training period. EDUCATION PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION Several recent reports have considered the rationale for and ways to strengthen the interaction between research and dental education. The reports were "Dental Education at the Crossroads - Challenges and Change" (Institute of Medicine, 1995), "Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General" (Department of Health and Human Services, 2000) and the "Future of Dentistry" (American Dental Association, 2001). Each of these documents reinforced the fundamental importance of research to oral health, the dental profession and dental education. Major recommendations of these reports were related to the creation and expansion of oral health knowledge, the importance of research and scholarship and the interaction between research and education. OHRC grants should create, develop, design, implement and evaluate educational experiences in research in dental schools at the predoctoral and postdoctoral levels that enhance the education process, cultivate future scientists and encourage the participation of clinician graduates in oral health research and academic careers. To develop a stimulating dental curriculum and supportive internal environment in which the creation and acquisition of new scientific and clinical knowledge are valued and actively pursued, goals and activities such as the following may be included in the grant: o Incorporate a scientific perspective into all elements of dental education and the curriculum, which should be "invigorated with the spirit of faculty research." o Develop and implement effective ways to accelerate the transfer, translation and integration of basic and clinical research findings into the dental curriculum such that "clinically relevant education" is provided in the basic sciences and "scientifically based education" is offered in clinical care. This is especially important during the years of clinical training for dental students. o Involve and integrate oral health researchers in the design and implementation of the dental school curriculum and in clinical activities. o Expect faculty to be critically knowledgeable about scientific advances in their field, and remain current in their teaching and practice. o Provide interested students with a direct opportunity to learn research methods, to undertake research projects as part of their regular classes, especially during the third and fourth predoctoral clinical training years, and to participate in faculty and independent research projects. This requires available faculty who can guide or mentor students, accessible facilities, adequate funds for materials and supplies, appropriate time at all stages of pre- and postdoctoral education, an opportunity for students to present research findings, and a faculty member or administrator designated to insure that these conditions are met. o Develop educational tracks with special curricula, degrees or certification for predoctoral students and postgraduate trainees interested in research and academia. o Enhance the participation and commitment of underrepresented minorities and women to careers in oral health research. This can be accomplished by improving the quality of mentoring in oral health relevant research areas for underrepresented minorities and women, and providing summer research experiences and mentoring for underrepresented minority and women junior faculty. o Develop a plan to evaluate the program implemented through this award. o Provide documentation that funds will be made available by the institution to ensure that the program developed through this grant is continued after termination of the award. The NIDCR expects applicant institutions to propose their own creative and innovative programs encompassing topics such as those listed above. Individuals supported by NIH training and career development mechanisms (K, T or F grants) may receive educational experiences funded by these mechanisms as participants, but may not receive salary or stipend supplementation from the R25 program. In addition, the OHRC Grants may not be used for support of non-research clinical training. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This PA will use the NIH Education Research Program grant (R25) award mechanism. As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project. This PA uses just-in-time concepts. Awards are renewable one time only. Initial support is limited to four years, during which a planning phase should be completed by the end of the first year. The remaining three (or fewer) years should be used for implementing and evaluating the plan. Funds can be used to cover costs for such things as faculty coordinator(s), clerical and administrative support, consultants, travel, supplies, equipment and an evaluation process. With strong justification, up to three additional years may be requested through a competitive renewal application to finish the implementation and evaluation. The length of the grant period should be consistent with the objectives of the program. In most cases, these awards will be made to develop new educational approaches for which the institution will subsequently assume support. Funds requested for this program are limited to $150,000 per year in direct costs. Requests for lower direct costs as well as institutional commitment are strongly encouraged. Institutional commitment consists of support provided by the institution or parent university/health science center for the development of the dental school"s research curriculum throughout the project funding period and beyond the award. The Institution may contribute resources in terms of released time for the Principal Investigator and support for clerical and administrative personnel, travel, consultants and meetings, faculty support, core facilities and space and equipment. The NIDCR anticipates making three to five R25 awards each year, depending on their excellence and relevance as judged by peer review and program staff. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS Applicants are limited to public or private U.S. dental schools. Those institutions which have ongoing research training activities and a substantial number of program faculty with active research projects in which students and junior faculty can gain relevant experiences will be viewed most favorably. If multiple sites are to be used, the applicant institution must be one of those sites and a strong justification must be included for the other sites. Institutions with existing Institutional National Research Training Grants (T32) or other federally funded training programs may apply for an OHRC grant provided the proposed educational experiences are distinct from those training programs receiving NIH support. INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed program 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 Allowable Costs Allowable costs must be consistent with NIH policy and be reasonable, allocable, and well documented and justified for the research curriculum program. Grant funds may not be used to supplant funds otherwise available at the applicant institution. Personnel Costs professional staff participating in the design and implementation of the program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the percent of time devoted to the program. The principal investigator may request salary support for his/her role in leadership, management, coordination, and evaluation of the Program, in accordance with at least a 25 percent effort commitment to the Program. This is deemed the minimal amount of time expected for a successful project. Salary support in accordance with percent effort commitment to the program may be requested for other program faculty critical to the design, development, implementation and refinement of the specialized curricula essential to the didactic needs of the program. Salary support also may be requested for program faculty for their service on an Advisory Committee. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution"s policy for similar positions. The principal investigator and Program faculty may derive additional compensation from other Federal sources or awards provided the additional compensation does not exceed the maximum annual salary level for Federal employees and their percent effort on all awards does not exceed 100 percent. If mentoring interactions and other activities with students is considered a regular part of an individual"s academic duties, then mentoring and other interactions with students are non- reimbursable from grant funds. Funds also may be requested for consultants as necessary. Limited administrative and clerical salary costs for staff that are directly supporting the program may be requested and must be specifically identified and justified. Consultation costs, equipment, supplies, necessary travel (including foreign travel for uniquely qualified foreign faculty), and other program related expenses must be justified as specifically required by the program proposed and not duplicate items generally available for educational programs at the host institution. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs, formerly known as "indirect costs," may be allowed for the applicant organization and any approved subcontract based on 8 percent of total direct costs exclusive of tuition and fees and expenditures for equipment. Note that all costs associated with consortium/contractual arrangements, both direct and F&A costs, are included in the $150,000 direct costs ceiling limitation for this program. 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 programmatic issues to: Dr. James Lipton Division of Population and Health Promotion Sciences National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Natcher Building, MSC 6402 Room 4AS-37J Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2618 FAX: (301) 480-8318 Email: James_Lipton@nih.gov o Direct your questions about peer review issues to: Dr. George Hausch Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Building 45, Room 4AN-44F Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 594-2904 FAX: (301) 480-8303 E-mail: George_Hausch@nih.gov o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters to: Kevin Crist Grants Management Branch Division of Extramural Activities, NIDCR Natcher Building, Rm 4AN-44B Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-4800 FAX: (301) 480-8301 Email: Kevin_Crist@nih.gov LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information: o Descriptive title of the proposed program o Name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator o Names of other key personnel who will participate in the program o Participating institutions o Number and title of this PA Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NIDCR staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review. The letter of intent is to be sent approximately four weeks prior to the application receipt date, as indicated at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/dates.htm. The letter should be sent to Dr. George Hausch, Acting Director, Division of Extramural Activities. 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: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Applicants must use the forms for regular research grants and follow the specific instructions in the PHS 398 application kit, with the exceptions listed below. Note that the page limitations given in the instructions apply to this mechanism. A complete detailed budget (Form Pages 4 & 5) with narrative justifications is required. Applications that do not conform to the specific instructions detailed below will be returned without review. Specific Instructions for Applications in Response to this Program Announcement: 1. Application face page: item number two on this page must include the program announcement number and the title, Oral Health Research Curriculum Grant (R25). 2. Description, Performance Sites, and Key Personnel (Form Page 2): under Performance Sites include "Consortium/Contractual Arrangements" if applicable, with a description of plans for collaborating with other institutions for purposes of exchange and sharing of resources, including faculty, equipment and facilities. If multiple sites are to be used, the applicant institution must be one of those sites and for other sites a strong justification must be included. 3. Resources (Resources Format Page): describe the educational environment, include a description of the facilities, laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other resources to be used in the conduct of the proposed program. Use continuation pages, as necessary. 4. Research Plan: part "c" of this section should be retitled "Preliminary Data and Activities" and included if applicable. This section should contain information on steps that have led to the proposed program. A section entitled "Progress Report" is required for competing continuation and supplemental applications. 5. Research Plan: part "d" of this section should be retitled " Oral Health Research Curriculum Program Plan" and should contain material organized under the following subheadings, as appropriate to the specific program: a) Program Direction - describe arrangements for administration of the program, provide evidence that the Program Director is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to oral health, and can organize and administer the program, as well as evidence of institutional and community commitment and support for the proposed program. b) Program Faculty/Staff - describe the characteristics and responsibilities of the faculty, provide evidence, as necessary, that participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to oral health. c) Proposed Research Curriculum Program - provide programmatic detail on the special activities proposed that will be implemented to strengthen the research component of dental education and to enhance the application of basic, behavioral and clinical research findings to clinical training (e.g., courses, activities). A description of plans to provide education to students in the responsible conduct of research must be in the curriculum. This must include the protection of human subjects, animal welfare and conflict of interest. Training in genetics also is a mandatory component of the program. d) Program Participants - provide detail about the proposed participants (e.g., predoctoral dental students, postgraduates in clinical residency programs), include a description of plans for recruiting as participants individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women and persons with disabilities. Competing continuation applications must include a detailed account of experiences in recruiting and retaining individuals from underrepresented groups during the previous award period. e) Research Curriculum Evaluation Plan - include evaluation plans for determining success of the program in achieving its goals and objectives. Please note that applications that do not have an adequate evaluation plan will be considered non-responsive to this program announcement. The inclusion of evaluation instruments is encouraged. APPLICATION RECEIPT DATES: Applications submitted in response to this program announcement 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. SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three 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) At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must be sent to: George Hausch, Ph.D. Acting Director, Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Natcher Building, MSC 6402 Room 4AN-44F Bethesda, MD 20892-6402 Telephone: (301) 594-2904 FAX: (301) 480-8303 Email: George_Hausch@nih.gov APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by or mailed on or 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 substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but such applications must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique. PEER REVIEW PROCESS Applications submitted for this PA will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines. An appropriate scientific review group convened by the NIDCR will evaluate applications for scientific and technical merit. 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 National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council REVIEW CRITERIA Applications for the OHRC Grant program should be characterized by innovation, scholarship and responsiveness to the special and/or changing needs of oral health research. 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 program 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 impact and thus deserve a high priority score. (1) SIGNIFICANCE: Does the proposed program address the objectives stated in this program announcement and the overall mission of the NIDCR? (2) APPROACH: Is the proposed specialized curriculum appropriate and adequate to achieve the goals outlined? For competitive renewal applications, is the need for further R25 support clear? (3) INNOVATION: Does the curriculum include original and unique approaches or methods for addressing purpose and educational program objectives in this PA? Are plans to challenge existing paradigms or develop new approaches or techniques described? (4) INVESTIGATOR: Does the program leadership demonstrate a record of achievements and are their qualifications appropriate to meeting the proposed goals and implementing the stated plan? (5) ENVIRONMENT: Is the scientific/education environment described, indicating the unique features and probability of success of the program? Is institutional commitment to the proposed program documented? If multiple sites are to be used, is this adequately justified in terms of the educational experiences provided? Are plans provided for the coordination and communication between multiple sites? ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, the application will also be reviewed with respect to the following: EVALUATION: Is there an adequate plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the program in achieving its objectives? For competing continuation applications, has the program been adequately evaluated and has the level of success been satisfactory? CONTINUATION of the program after Federal supports ends: Is there an adequate plan for continued institutional support after the R25 award terminates? 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. INCLUSION: 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. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated. (See Inclusion Criteria included in the section on Federal Citations, below) DATA SHARING: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data, especially on evaluation and effectiveness of the program with other academic institutions through publications in the literature. BUDGET: Are justifications provided for each budgeted item and for each year of support that is requested? Are requests for administrative and clerical personnel appropriately justified? If more than 5% in total direct cost is requested for the Research Education Evaluation Plan, is an appropriate justification provided? AWARD CRITERIA Applications submitted in response to a 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 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. 93.121 and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. Awards are made under authorization 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 grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. Awards will be administered under NIH grants policies described at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm. The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the nonuse 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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