Full Text PAR-95-045 NIMH CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN RESEARCH (COR) HONORS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TRAINING GRANT NIH GUIDE, Volume 24, Number 14, April 14, 1995 PAR NUMBER: PAR-95-045 P.T. 44 Keywords: Biomedical Research Training Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl Emotional/Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health Application Receipt Date: September 10, 1995 and May 10 thereafter. PURPOSE The Career Opportunities in Research (COR) Education and Training Program of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is intended to strengthen research and research training experiences in scientific disciplines related to mental health. The program is directed specifically to four-year colleges and universities that serve substantial numbers of students of one or more racial/ethnic minority groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and Asians or Pacific Islanders. Persons belonging to these racial/ethnically defined groups are underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences research relevant to mental health-related fields. An applicant institution must propose a two-year COR Honors Undergraduate program for which six to ten highly talented third- and fourth-year undergraduate students will be selected. Students will be provided with special research training experiences designed to improve their qualifications for entry into advanced research career training programs leading to doctoral- level or M.D. research career degrees. As part of its efforts to stimulate interest among racial/ethnic minority youth for research careers in biomedical and behavioral science, NIMH encourages applicant organizations that have received NIMH COR funding for three or more years to apply for a high school component for their training programs (see PAR-95-046). This provides a unique opportunity for high school students to have hands- on experiences in research or science education enrichment programs and encourages racial/ethnic minority individuals to make the choice of a research career in a mental health- related field. This component also provides an opportunity to offer mentoring and role modeling for up to six racial/ethnic minority high school students per year through interaction with both undergraduate college students who are COR Honors Students and faculty of these institutions. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This Program Announcement (PA), NIMH Career Opportunities in Research Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grant, is related to the priority areas of mental health and mental disorders. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017- 001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Institutions Applicant institutions must be four year public or private, non-profit colleges, universities, or health professional schools with at least 55 percent racial/ethnic minority students from one or more of the ethnically defined groups noted above; and be able to develop the faculty and institutional facilities in order to provide a suitable research environment and high-quality research training in areas relevant to mental health. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply. Trainees Trainee candidates must be outstanding students who are in their third or fourth year of a baccalaureate degree program and have a 3.00 grade point average (on a scale of 4.00). Trainee candidates must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States, or must have been admitted lawfully to the United States for permanent residence and must have in their possession an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-155 or some other legal evidence of admission for permanent residence) at the time of appointment to the training program. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT The mechanism of support is the T34 for minority institution undergraduate research training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Awards range from $100,000 to $200,000 per year, with an average award being $150,000 per year. The maximum period of grant support that an institution may request is five years. The maximum period of support a trainee may receive is two years. Allowable Costs Stipends may be requested for each trainee. The stipend is a pre-established level to help provide for the trainee's living expenses during the period of training. The stipend is not payment for services performed. Trainees are not considered to be employees of either the PHS or the sponsoring institution. The current stipends for COR honors undergraduates is $7,656. Stipend levels are revised periodically and are announced by the PHS. Supplementation of a COR Honors Undergraduate stipend from non-Federal funds is permitted. No Public Health Service grant funds may be used for supplementation. Other Federal funds may be used for supplementation only if explicitly authorized by the program from which funds are derived. Additional support may be provided to the trainee without obligation by the trainee institution or may be conditioned on performance of certain services, such as serving as a laboratory assistant. Under no circumstances, however, may the service requirements detract from or prolong the training. Salary and fringe benefit support for the following budget items may be requested, but each item must be related to the proposed training program and justified: o Personnel Salary and fringe benefit support may be requested for present and additional faculty, to the extent that they reflect the time or effort devoted to this program. Such requests may not exceed 50 percent of the total time for any individual. Funds may be requested for support personnel (e.g., laboratory and secretarial assistance). o Consultants Support may be requested to cover expenses for consultants, such as seminar and colloquium speakers. o Equipment Support may be requested for items necessary to conduct the trainee research projects. o Supplies Support may be requested for necessary supplies; e.g., glassware, chemicals, or animals for conducting trainee research. Other supplies may include general office and instructional supplies needed to conduct the training and research program. o Travel Attendance by trainees and selected faculty at national meetings closely related to the research projects is encouraged, and support for this travel may be requested. Staff travel to off-campus training sites for purposes of consultation with participating off- campus staff/preceptors and evaluation of student progress is allowed. o Other Expenses The applicant may request other items necessary to the training program, such as computer time, reference materials, duplication costs, telephone, and costs related to publishing trainee research papers. o Trainees In addition to stipends, support may be requested for student tuition and fees. o Indirect Costs The applicant may request actual indirect costs, or 8 percent of allowable direct costs, whichever is less. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The principal objectives of COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grants are to: (a) increase the number of well-prepared students from institutions with substantial minority enrollments who can compete successfully for entry into research career training programs leading to doctoral-level or M.D. research careers in mental health; and (b) develop and strengthen biomedical, behavioral, neuroscience, epidemiology, prevention, and/or public health curricula and research training opportunities at institutions with substantial minority enrollments in order to prepare students for research careers related to mental health. Applications must provide information on the following: Institution Characteristics o A brief overview of the applicant institution (i.e., when it was founded, its status as a private or State-supported institution, and other pertinent information) o A description of the research infrastructure (i.e., facilities, laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other resources to be used in the conduct of the proposed program) o Evidence of institutional commitment and support for the proposed program o Where applicable, a description of plans for collaborating with nearby institutions and laboratories for purposes of exchange, consolidation, and sharing of resources, including faculty, equipment, and facilities. Letters of agreement or memoranda indicating intended cooperation must be included with the application. Training Program o A detailed training plan for six to ten students, including core curricula and specific research experiences from entry to completion o A detailed recruitment and retention plan o A detailed summer research and study plan between junior and senior years (It is desirable for students to study and conduct research in graduate departments specializing in behavioral and neuroscience projects related to mental health.) o A detailed plan demonstrating that trainees will receive high-quality scientific training and research experiences that provide both learning and motivation to pursue research careers in the mental health field o Details of seminar and colloquia series, courses, and other plans whereby trainees become knowledgeable research scientists in areas of mental health o Plans for training students in literature search techniques, as well as skills in computer data base searches o Means for preparing trainees in effective communication, both written and oral, about science and scientific issues o Plans for placing students in appropriate graduate research training programs that lead to doctoral degrees in mental health fields o Detailed plan for tracking all students, from entry to graduation and their completion of post-graduate studies. Program Director o Evidence that Program Director is actively engaged in research and/or scholarship in an area related to mental health o Evidence that Program Director can organize and administer the training program o Advisory Committee with a role in selecting and supervising students, and in evaluating the training program (This committee should be representative of faculty and departments participating in the program and be chaired by the Program Director.) Faculty/Preceptors o Evidence that a high percentage of the participating faculty hold a Ph.D. or other doctoral- level degree o Evidence that participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to mental health o Evidence that faculty and preceptors publish in research areas related to mental health o Evidence that sufficient time is committed by preceptors and faculty to conduct a high-quality program (A staffing chart that details percent-of-time allotted for each staff member is recommended.) Trainees o Evidence that trainees will be selected for their potential to pursue graduate work successfully in mental health-relevant sciences, including behavioral, biomedical, epidemiological, neurosciences, prevention, and related fields o Evidence that trainees will be selected for their commitment to pursue graduate programs leading to doctoral level degrees necessary for research careers o Documentation of the number of students majoring in each participating department during the past five years; the number of graduates from the participating departments who continued studies in pursuit of advanced degrees (especially the Ph.D. or M.D. degrees); and the pool of potential COR scholars currently enrolled in the college Evaluation o Evaluation plan for determining success of the program in achieving goals and objectives, including: (1) entry and completion dates for each trainee; (2) departments of trainees' undergraduate degrees; (3) summer internships (locations and research areas); (4) colleges and universities (by department) where trainees pursue graduate studies; (5) areas of trainees' future research; (6) publications; (7) research accomplishments; and (8) awards o Plan for tracking trainees after completion of COR program, including information about graduate schools, assistance in locating financial support, and provisions for followup support and consultations For Competing Continuation Applicants Only The following information about the previous training grant period must be provided for renewal applications: o Number of individuals trained o Research activities of all trainees subsequent to COR training program o Present employment of former COR trainees (i.e., whether in biomedical and behavioral research areas related to goals of the training program) o Attrition rate of COR trainees o Number and types of degrees obtained by COR trainees o Publication record of past and present COR trainees o If there has been a high school training component, or one is planned, description thereof Special Requirements Each COR trainee candidate must meet National Research Service Award (NRSA) eligibility requirements in order to be appointed to an Honors Undergraduate Training Grant. The institution must submit a Statement of Appointment (form PHS 2271) to NIMH each time a trainee is appointed or reappointed to the grant (usually every 12 months). At the end of the total support period for an individual trainee (which may be a maximum of two years under this program), the institution must submit a Termination Notice (form PHS 416-7) to NIMH. Failure to submit the required forms in a timely fashion may result in an expenditure disallowance. As with all NRSA Awards, no funds for tuition, fees, or trainee expenses may be provided from a COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grant to, or on behalf of, any individual unless that individual is receiving a stipend under the grant. No appointment for less than nine months may be made without prior approval by the NIMH. An NRSA may not be held concurrently with other Federally sponsored fellowships or similar Federal awards which provide a stipend or otherwise duplicate provisions of the NRSA. A trainee may, however, accept concurrent educational remuneration from the Veterans Administration (e.g., G.I. Bill) and loans from Federal funds. Trainees in academic institutions are not entitled to vacations as such. They are, however, entitled to the normal short student holidays observed by the training institution. The time between the spring and fall semesters is to be used as an active part of the training period. INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the research. This new policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the Federal Register of March 20, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11, March 28, 1994. Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide additional relevant information concerning the policy. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91). Applicants are required to follow the guidelines of National Research Service Awards (NRSA). Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Westwood Building, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone 301/710-0267. The title and number of the program announcement, "NIMH COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training," PAR-95-045, must be typed in Section 2a on the face page of the application. The completed original application and five legible copies must be sent or delivered to: DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE ROOM 1040 MSC 7710 BETHESDA MD 20892-7710 BETHESDA MD 20817 (for courier service) The entire address should appear in UPPER CASE letters without punctuation to allow optical scanners to read and sort mail. Receipt and Review Schedule Applications for the COR Honors Undergraduate Training Program are submitted and reviewed on the following schedule: Receipt Initial Review Council Earliest Date Group Meeting Meeting Start Date Sep 10, 1995 Feb/Mar May/Jun Jul 1 Beginning fiscal year 1996 (October 1, 1995), applications will be received on a single receipt date of May 10 and will be reviewed on the following schedule: Receipt Initial Review Council Earliest Date Group Meeting Meeting Start Date May 10 Oct/Nov Jan/Feb Apr 1 REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS "Applications will be assigned on the basis of established Public Health Service referral guidelines. Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by study sections of the Division of Research Grants, NIH (or by the review group of the relevant Institute, Center, or Division), in accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures. Following scientific-technical review, the applications will receive a second-level review by the appropriate national advisory council." Applications that are complete and responsive to the program announcement will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIMH in accordance with NIH peer review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second-level review by the National Advisory Mental Health Council. Review Criteria Applications will be assessed for: Quality of Training Program for COR Undergraduates o Scientific and educational merit of the proposed research training plans o Quality of the applicant institution's training record and potential for training future scientists o Adequacy and appropriateness of recruitment, selection, retention, and mentoring/counseling plan components o Adequacy of plans for providing students with appropriate summer research experiences, including linkages and commitments from placement sites o Appropriateness of course requirements and sequencing, and timetable for completing planned activities o Overall organization of training program, the factors involved in assigning trainees to specific research experiences, and the plan for monitoring students' progress o Adequacy of plans for protection of human subjects and/or care of animals in research, where applicable Methods of Selection, Monitoring, and Followup of Trainees o Availability of trainee candidates of high potential o Adequacy of plans for selecting trainees o Methods for monitoring student progress, early identification and remedy of student problems, and provision of support and supervision o Provision of enrichment experiences, professional socialization, and interaction beyond those in the local setting o Knowledge of available graduate training programs and a plan for career advising and choice-assistance of students o Adequacy of plans for placing students in graduate research training programs in mental health, including plans to assist students in securing scholarships and obtaining financial aid o Adequacy of plans for tracking students after graduation. Program Leadership o Qualifications and experience of Program Director o Relevant research experience of COR faculty and mentors o Plans for effective program administration and coordination among faculty and advisory committee by Program Director. Institutional Commitment and Resources o It is the intent of this program to foster interactions across disciplines and departments within institutions. There should be evidence of institutional commitment to the goals and objectives of the COR program as it has an impact on students' academic preparation, research training, and faculty interaction o Access to research facilities and related resources, including laboratory space, computer time, equipment, research samples o Adequacy of plans for linkages with collaborating institutions where necessary o Adequacy of plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the training program o Evidence of involvement of a wide variety of research areas in disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and behavioral sciences. Budget o Appropriateness of budget in relation to scope of proposed training program. Program Evaluation o Adequacy of plans for evaluating the COR program on an annual basis, including methods for assessing the extent to which the COR program increases recruitment, training, and placement of racial/ethnic minority students in graduate programs in mental health fields. AWARD CRITERIA Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved applications assigned to the NIMH. The following will be considered in making funding decisions: quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review, availability of funds, and program priority. INQUIRIES Inquiries are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Rodney R. Cocking, Ph.D. Career Opportunities in Research Education and Training National Institute of Mental Health 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 17C-14 Rockville, MD 20857-8030 Telephone: (301) 443-3641 FAX: (301) 443-8552 Email: RC4@CU.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Diana S. Trunnell Grants Management Branch National Institute of Mental Health 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7C-08 Rockville, MD 20857-8030 Telephone: (301) 443-3065 Email: DT21A@nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.282. 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 6. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and to promote the non-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. .
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