Full Text DE-97-004
 
NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD - INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING AWARDS
 
NIH Guide, Volume 26, Number 27, August 15, 1997
 
RFA:  DE-97-004
 
P.T.


Keywords: 

 
National Institute of Dental Research
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  September 12, 1997
Application Receipt Date:  October 22, 1997
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) invites new and
competing applications proposing National Research Service Award
(NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) programs. The
objectives are: (a) to develop highly qualified oral health research
investigators, especially clinician scientists, by supporting
postdoctoral training of individuals with a health professional
degree who are committed to a research career in the basic
biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences pertaining to dental,
oral and craniofacial health and disease; (b) to provide re-training
opportunities for mid-career scientists and clinical researchers to
obtain expertise in particular basic or behavioral sciences relevant
to the NIDR areas of research emphasis; and (c) to train pre- and
early post-Ph.D. biomedical and behavioral scientists.
 
BACKGROUND
 
Programs must be relevant to the research goals of the NIDR.  Primary
emphasis is placed upon understanding, preventing, diagnosing, and
treating dental, oral and craniofacial diseases and disorders.
Current special areas of interest include: inherited diseases and
disorders, including the development of teeth and bone; emerging and
re-emerging infectious diseases, including bacterial, viral, fungal
and parasitic disorders and AIDS; neoplastic diseases; chronic
disabling diseases, such as osteoporosis and related bone disorders,
temporomandibular joint disorders, pain, neuropathies and
neurodegenerative diseases, and other systemic disorders with oral
manifestations; biomimetics, tissue engineering and biomaterials; and
behavior, health promotion, and environment.
 
These areas of NIDR research emphasis encompass an extensive breadth
of basic and behavioral sciences, including molecular and cell
biology, neuroimmunology, human and molecular genetics,
bioengineering, computer science, molecular epidemiology, clinical
trials methodology, biobehavioral medicine, outcomes research,
cognitive psychology, medical sociology and health services research.
To offer the most appropriate training, applicants are encouraged to
consider developing, as deemed necessary, interdisciplinary
collaborations among various components of their health science
center as well as with other regional academic institutions and
private industry so that trainees are provided the strongest
background in the particular basic, clinical, and behavioral/social
sciences.
 
The NIDR has a strong interest in the training of individuals who
will be able to pursue clinical research studies, including clinical
trials. Several NIDR and NIH advisory groups and reports from the
Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, National Academy
of Sciences, have called attention to the need to expand the pool of
clinical investigators in order to take advantage of opportunities
for translation and transfer of fundamental knowledge to improve oral
health care of the public. Clinical or patient-oriented research is
defined as "Research conducted with human subjects (or on material of
human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for
which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human
subjects."  This area of research includes: the development and
evaluation of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, techniques
and devices; mechanisms of human disease and the characterization of
normal and diseased function; therapeutic interventions and clinical
drug trials; patient compliance and disease prevention regimens;
assessment of health care practices by various population subgroups;
and epidemiologic and biobehavioral studies.
 
There is a pool of mid-career oral health researchers, including
basic and behavioral scientists and clinical investigators, who wish
to update their scientific expertise and keep current with the rapid
knowledge developments in the basic, behavioral, and clinical
sciences.  It is important to provide some re-training mechanism that
would enable these individuals to remain viable, active, contributing
members of the scientific research community.  Additional training
also would be relevant for scientists who desire to change their
scientific focus and redirect their research efforts toward dental,
oral and craniofacial, health and disease.
 
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 Request
for Applications (RFA), NRSA - Institutional Training Awards, is
related to the priority area of oral health.  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 202/512-1800).
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Applications may be submitted by domestic, public, and private
institutions, such as dental or medical schools and research
institutions. The applicant  institution must have a strong research
program in the area(s)  proposed for research training and must have
the requisite staff and facilities to carry out the proposed program.
Local collaborations or regional consortia are encouraged where
relevant to the field of training being offered and feasible to
establish.  This is especially important for programs which provide
training in interdisciplinary fields, such as tissue engineering,
molecular epidemiology, and behavioral medicine.
 
Only one application may be submitted by an institution, unless the
proposed training programs are in distinctly different areas of
dental, oral and craniofacial health and disease.
 
Levels of Training and Trainee Eligibility
 
Training in an NIDR area of emphasis is to be provided at one or more
of the following levels: (1) dentists, physicians, or other health
professionals pursuing postdoctoral clinical research training; (2)
mid-career scientists and clinical researchers who wish to re-train
in a basic or behavioral science area related to dental, oral and
craniofacial health and disease; (3) baccalaureate degree holders
pursuing a Ph.D. or equivalent degree; (4) dentists wishing to pursue
a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a basic biomedical or behavioral
science, although these individuals are encouraged to enter an
Institutional Dentist Scientist Award program if they also desire to
obtain training in a clinical specialty; and (5) Ph.D. degree holders
pursuing postdoctoral research training, although generally they are
expected to apply for an individual postdoctoral NRSA fellowship (F32
mechanism).
 
Preference should be given to post-doctoral trainees who have
received, as of the beginning of an appointment, a dental or medical
degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution.  If the
degree has not yet been conferred, a statement, by an authorized
official of the degree-granting institution, that all degree
requirements have been met is acceptable.
 
Predoctoral trainees must have received a baccalaureate degree as of
the beginning of the appointment and be enrolled in a graduate
program leading to the award of a Ph.D. or an equivalent degree in
biomedical or behavioral oral health research.
 
Individuals who wish to interrupt their professional school studies
for one or more years to engage in full-time research training before
completing their professional degrees are eligible; however, prior
approval by the NIDR, as well as by the institution, is required
before an appointment can be offered.
 
Short-term predoctoral research training positions cannot be
requested through this RFA. Instead, these types of positions must be
supported through NRSA Short-Term Institutional Training grants (T35
mechanism).
 
Trainees must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United
States, or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and
possess an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551) or other legal
verification of such status.  Noncitizen nationals, although not
citizens of the United States, owe permanent allegiance to the U.S.
They are generally born in lands which are not states but are under
U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration.  Individuals on
temporary or student visas are not eligible.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
Awards resulting from this RFA will be the NIH NRSA Institutional
Research Training Grants (T32).  Responsibility for the planning,
direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that
of the applicant.  The total project period for each application
submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed five years.  Awards
may be renewable upon submission of a successful competing
continuation application, depending on programmatic needs and the
availability of funds.  The anticipated award date is July 1, 1998.
 
Trainees may receive up to five years of NRSA support at the
predoctoral level and three years of support at the postdoctoral
level, including any combination of support from institutional
training awards and individual fellowship awards.  Extensions beyond
these periods require a waiver from the NIH.  It is expected that
postdoctoral trainees with Ph.D., D.D.S./D.M.D., MD or equivalent
degrees will engage in not less than two years training.  However,
those mid-career scientists and clinical researchers who seek
re-training in basic or behavioral science research can spend between
one to two years in the program, depending on the desired level of
expertise to be obtained and the period of time allowed by their home
institutions for sabbatical or leave-of-absence.
 
FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
In response to this RFA, the NIDR expects to make up to four new or
competing continuation awards, each with two postdoctoral positions
in the first year.  The estimated total funding for all awards is
$400,000 in the first year.  This level of support is dependent on
the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific
and educational merit.
 
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 
The training program must provide opportunities for individuals to
carry out supervised biomedical or behavioral research and develop
research skills in an area of NIDR emphasis related to dental, oral
and craniofacial health and disease.  Clinical research programs must
have strong relationships with basic or behavioral scientists to
ensure that trainees will have the opportunity to acquire the
necessary foundation for independent investigation.
 
The training program director will be responsible for the selection
and appointment of trainees and for the overall direction of the
program.
 
Applicants can request no more than six postdoctoral positions per
year over the five-year period.  It is appropriate to have two new
appointments in each of the first, second, and third years.  In order
to address the need for clinical investigators, applicants must
allocate not less than two postdoctoral positions during the five
years of the program to trainees with a declared interest in
receiving training to conduct clinical research. The remaining
postdoctoral positions may be allocated to basic, behavioral or
clinical research trainees in any of the research emphasis areas
relevant to the mission of the NIDR.  At least one of these positions
should be for re-training a mid-career scientist or clinical research
investigator.  Up to three predoctoral positions may be requested at
any one time during the five year period.  The number and types of
positions awarded will be determined by the initial review group's
assessment of scientific and educational merit, program needs, and
the availability of funds.
 
Training grants may not be used to support studies leading to a
dental, medical, or other similar professional degrees, or to support
residencies, or other training for dentists providing care to
patients where the majority of their time is spent in non-research
clinical training. However, if a specified period of full-time
research training is creditable toward specialty board certification,
the training grant may support such research training if the trainee
has shown a clear interest in a research career.
 
Applicants are reminded of the importance the NIDR places on
recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities to
sponsored training and career development programs.  Where feasible,
women and minority mentors should be involved as role models.
 
Additional information regarding NRSA Institutional Research Training
Grants is given in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts (NIH
Guide), Vol. 26, No. 16, May 16, 1997.  Copies of the NIH Guide are
usually available through the NIH Home Page, as well as in the office
of sponsored research of most academic institutions and from the
Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, at the
address below.
 
Stipends and Other Training Costs
 
For predoctoral trainees at all levels of experience, the current
stipend is $11,496 per year.
 
For postdoctoral trainees, stipends are provided as a subsistence
allowance to help defray living expenses during the research training
experience.  The stipend is not provided as a condition of employment
with either the Federal Government or the sponsoring institution.
Stipend level for the first year of NRSA support is determined by the
number of FULL years of relevant postdoctoral experience at the time
of appointment.  Relevant experience may include research activities
(including industrial); teaching; internship; residency; clinical
duties; or other time spent in a health-related field beyond that of
the qualifying doctoral degree.  The current postdoctoral stipend
levels are as follows:
 
Years of Relevant Experience
Stipend
 
less than 1
$20,292
greater than or equal to 1 but less than 2
$21,420
greater than or equal to 2 but less than 3
$25,600
greater than or equal to 3 but less than 4
$26,900
greater than or equal to 4 but less than 5
$28,200
greater than or equal to 5 but less than 6
$29,500
greater than or equal to 6 but less than 7
$30,800
greater than or equal to 7
$32,300
 
The stipend for each subsequent year of NRSA support is the next
level in the stipend structure and begins on the anniversary
appointment date. No departure from the standard stipend schedule may
be negotiated between the institution and trainee.
 
Stipend Supplementation.  Supplementation or additional support to
offset the cost of living may be provided by the grantee institution.
Supplementation does not require any additional effort from the
trainee. Federal funds may not be used for supplementation unless
specifically authorized under the terms of both the program from
which such supplemental funds are to be received and the program
whose funds are to be supplemented.  Under no circumstances may DHHS
funds be used for supplementation.
 
Compensation.
 
An institution may provide additional funds to a trainee in the form
of compensation (as salary and/or tuition  remission) for services
such as teaching or serving as a research  assistant.  A trainee 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 research that is part of the research training experience.
 
Under no circumstances may the conditions of stipend supplementation
or the services provided for compensation interfere with, detract
from, or prolong the trainee's approved NRSA training program.
 
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.
 
Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance
 
Tuition, fees, and self-only medical insurance, are allowable trainee
costs if such charges are required of all individuals in a similar
training status at the institution, regardless of  their source of
support.  Family medical insurance coverage is not an appropriate
charge to the NRSA research training grant.  Tuition at the
postdoctoral level is limited to that required for specific courses
in support of the approved research training program.  On an annual
basis, for each trainee, the training grant will cover 100% of the
first $2,000 of the combined cost of tuition, fees, and self-only
health insurance and 60% of any amount above $2,000. Institutions are
instructed to request the full amount of these costs in competing
applications.  Noncompeting awards will reimburse tuition, fees, and
health insurance costs in the amount paid in the previous award year,
unless there is a change in the scope of the award
 
Other Trainee Costs
 
Trainee travel, including attendance at scientific meetings that the
institution determines to be necessary to the individual's training,
is an allowable trainee cost in the amount of $800 per year per
trainee.
 
Institutional costs of $1,500 per year per predoctoral trainee and
$2,500 per year per postdoctoral trainee may be requested to defray
the cost of training related expenses, such as staff salaries,
consultant costs, equipment, research supplies, and staff travel.
 
A facilities and administration allowance (indirect cost allowance)
based on 8 percent of total allowable direct costs (this excludes
amounts for tuition, fees, health insurance, and equipment) may be
requested. Applications from State and local government agencies may
request full indirect cost reimbursement (see PHS Grants Policy
Statement). Payback Provisions
 
Postdoctoral trainees must complete and sign a Payback Agreement Form
(PHS 6031) to fulfill the NRSA payback requirement when they are
appointed initially to a research training grant.  Postdoctoral
trainees in the first twelve months of NRSA support incur one month
of obligation for each month of support.  Postdoctoral trainees in
the thirteenth and subsequent months of NRSA support are not required
to sign the Payback Agreement Form and do not incur a service payback
obligation.  The thirteenth and subsequent months of postdoctoral
NRSA support are considered acceptable payback service for prior
postdoctoral support. Individuals appointed to their initial NRSA
postdoctoral period in a project funded in response to this RFA and
who continue under that award for two years have fulfilled their
obligation by the end of their second year.  Service payback
obligations also can be paid back by conducting biomedical or
health-related behavioral research, teaching in a health professional
school, college, or high school, or engaging in additional research
training for more than 20 hours per week for a period equal to the
period of support, up to 12 months.  Clinical practice and
administrative responsibilities not directly related to scientific
research are unacceptable for payback service.
 
Postdoctoral NRSA recipients must begin to undertake any remaining
obligated service on a continuous basis within two years after
termination of NRSA support.  The period for undertaking payback
service may be delayed for such reasons as temporary disability,
completion of residency requirements, or completion of the
requirements for a graduate degree. Requests for an extension must
be made in writing to the Division of Extramural Research, NIDR,
specifying the need for additional time and the length of the
required extension.  Recipients of NRSA support are responsible for
informing the Division of Extramural Research, NIDR, of changes in
status and address.  Individuals who fail to fulfill the obligation
through service must pay back the total amount of funds paid to the
individual for the obligation period plus interest at a rate
determined by the Secretary of the Treasury.  Financial payback must
be completed within three years of the date the United States becomes
entitled to recover such amount.  Under certain conditions, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services may extend the period for
starting service or for repayment, permit breaks in the period of
service or repayment, or otherwise waive or suspend the payback
obligation of an individual.
 
Officials of the applicant organization responsible for recruitment
of trainees should familiarize themselves with the terms of the
payback service requirement and explain them carefully to prospective
trainees before an appointment to the training grant is offered.
 
For additional information on aspects of the Institutional NRSA such
as payback provisions, trainee reporting requirements, leave,
stipends, tax liability and the grounds for approving extensions of
support and payback provisions, refer to the announcement in the NIH
Guide, "NIH National Research Service Award Institutional Research
Training," Volume 26, Number 16, May 16, 1997.
 
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 policy results from
the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43).  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 28, 1994 (FR 59
14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume
23, Number 11, March 18, 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.
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by September 12, 1997, a
letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed
research training program; the name, address, and telephone number of
the program director; the identities of other key personnel and
participating institutions; and the number and title of the RFA in
response to which the application may be submitted.
 
Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does
not enter into the review of subsequent applications, the information
that it contains is helpful in planning for the review of
applications.  It allows NIDR staff to estimate the potential review
workload and to avoid conflicts of interest in the review.
 
The letter of intent is to be sent to Dr. James A. Lipton at the
address listed under INQUIRIES.
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
It is strongly recommended that prospective applicants contact Dr.
Lipton early in the planning phase of application preparation.
Applicants must use the grant application form PHS 398.  It contains
special instructions for Institutional National Research Service
Awards (T32).
 
The PHS 398 form is available on the NIH website at
http://www.nih.gov and at institutional offices of sponsored research
or their equivalent.  If not available locally or from the Internet,
call 301-710-0267 or send a request, accompanied by a self-addressed
mailing label, to: ASKNIH Extramural Outreach and Information
Resources National Institutes of Health 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC 7910
Bethesda, MD 20892-7910 Email:  asknih@odrockm1.od.nih.gov.
 
For competitive continuation applications, cumulative information on
the career development of all former trainees, including information
about their minority and gender status, must be included.  For new
applications, data should be provided about the career
accomplishments of individuals who have completed research training
programs at the institution(s).
 
Applications must include a description of formal and or informal
activities related to instruction about the responsible conduct of
research to be incorporated into the proposed research training
program. Information must be provided on the rationale, subject
matter, appropriateness, format, frequency, and duration of
instruction; and the amount and nature of faculty participation.
Progress reports in competing and non-competing continuation
applications must include the type of instruction, topics covered,
and other details, such as attendance by trainees and names of the
instructors.  No award will be made if an application lacks this
component.
 
To identify the application as a response to this RFA, check "YES" on
item 2 on the face page of the application and enter "RFA: DE-97-004
after "Number" and "NRSA - Institutional Training Awards" after
"Title." The RFA label available in the application form PHS 398 must
be affixed to the bottom of the face page.  Failure to use this label
could result in delayed processing of the application such that it
may not reach the review committee in time for review.
 
Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including
the Checklist, and three signed, photocopies, in one package to:
 
DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
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
also must be sent to:
 
H. George Hausch, Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute of Dental Research
Natcher Building, Room 4AN.44F
Bethesda, MD  20892-6402
Telephone:  (301) 594-2372
 
This RFA is for a single competition.  Applications must be received
by October 22, 1997. If an application is received after that date or
deemed non-responsive to the RFA, it will be returned to the
applicant without review.  The DRG will not accept any application
that is essentially the same as one already reviewed.  This does not
preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications
already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction
addressing the previous critique.
 
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
 
Applications will be reviewed for completeness and responsiveness to
the RFA by NIH staff.  Incomplete or nonresponsive applications will
be returned to the applicant without further consideration.
Remaining applications may be subjected to triage by the NIDR Special
Grants Review Committee, a standing NIH initial review group, to
determine their merit, relative to others received in response to the
RFA.  The NIDR will withdraw applications judged to be noncompetitive
and notify the applicant.  Applications judged to be competitive will
be evaluated further for scientific and educational merit by the
review committee.
 
The following review criteria will be applied:
 
o  Past research training record of both the program and the
designated preceptors as determined by the success of former trainees
in seeking further career development and in establishing productive
scientific careers.  Evidence of further career development
caninclude receipt of fellowships, career awards, further training
appointments, and similar accomplishments.  Evidence of a productive
scientific career can include a record of successful competition for
research grants, receipt of special honors, a record of
publications,receipt of patents, promotion to scientific positions,
and any other measure of success consistent with the nature and
duration of the  training received.
 
o  Objectives, design, and direction of the research training
program;
 
o  Caliber of preceptors as researchers, including successful
competition for research support;
 
o  The institutional training environment, including the level of
institutional commitment, quality of the facilities, availability of
appropriate courses, and availability of research support;
 
o  Recruitment and selection plans for trainees and the availability
of high quality candidates,especially mid-career basic or behavioral
scientists and clinical research investigators and minorities and
women.
 
o  Record of the research training program in retaining
health-professional postdoctoral trainees for at least 2 years in
research training or other research activities;
 
o  When appropriate, the concomitant research training of
health-professional postdoctorates (i.e., individuals with the D.D.S,
M.D.,  D.O., etc.) with basic science postdoctorates (i.e.,
individuals with a Ph.D., etc.) or linkages with basic science
departments. Additional Review Considerations Minority Recruitment
Plan:  The NIH remains committed to increasing the participation of
individuals from underrepresented minority  groups in biomedical and
behavioral research. As first announced in  1989, all competing
applications for institutional NRSA researchtraining grants must
include a specific plan to recruit and retain underrepresented
minorities in the training program.  In addition,  all competing
continuation applications also must include a report on  the
recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities during  the
previous award period.  If an application is received without a plan,
or without a report on the previous award period, the  application
will be considered incomplete and will be returned to the  applicant
without review. Additional information on this requirement was
published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 22,
Number 25, July 16, 1993.
 
As indicated above, competing continuation applications must include
a detailed account of experiences in recruiting individuals from
underrepresented groups during the previous award period.
Information must be included on successful and unsuccessful
recruitment strategies. The report should provide information on the
racial/ethnic distribution of:
 
o  students or postdoctorates who applied for admission or positions
within the department(s) relative to the training grant;
 
o  students or postdoctorates who were offered admission to or a
position within the department(s);
 
o  students actually enrolled in the academic program relevant to the
training grant;
 
o  students or postdoctorates who were appointed to the research
training grant.
 
For those trainees who were appointed to the grant, the report should
include information about the duration of research training and
whether those trainees have finished their training in good standing.
After the overall educational and technical merit of an application
has been assessed, peer reviewers will examine and evaluate the
minority recruitment plan and any record of recruitment and
retention.  For competing continuation applications, the reviewers
will examine and evaluate the record of the program in recruiting and
retaining underrepresented minority trainees during the previous
award period.  The panel also will consider whether the experience in
recruitment during the previous award period has been incorporated
into the formulation of the recruitment plan for the next award
period. The findings of the panel will be included in an
administrative note in the summary statement.  If the minority
recruitment plan or if the record of recruitment and retention of
minorities is judged to be unacceptable, funding will be withheld
until a revised plan thataddresses the deficiencies is received.
Staff within the NIH awarding component, with guidance from the
appropriate national advisory committee or council, will determine
whether amended plans and reports submitted after the initial review
are acceptable.
 
Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research:  Every predoctoral
and postdoctoral NRSA trainee supported by an institutional research
training grant must receive instruction in the responsible conduct of
research. (For more information on this provision, see the NIH Guide
for Grants and Contracts, Volume 21, Number 43, November 27, 1992.)
Applications must include a description of a program to provide
formal or informal instruction in scientific integrity or the
responsible conduct of research.  Applications without plans for
instruction in the responsible conduct of research will be
consideredincomplete and may be returned to the applicant without
review.  NIH initial review groups will assess the applicant's plans
on the  basis of the appropriateness of topics, format, amount and
nature of  faculty participation, and the frequency and duration of
instruction.  The plan will be discussed after the overall
determination of merit,so that the quality of the plan will not be a
factor in the determination of the priority score. Plans will be
judged as acceptable or unacceptable.  The acceptability of the plan
will bedescribed in an administrative note on the summary statement.
Regardless of the priority score, applications with unacceptable
plans will not be funded until a revised, acceptable plan is provided
by the applicant.  The acceptability of the revised plan will be
judged by staff within the NIH awarding component.
 
The second level of review will be by the National Advisory Dental
Research Council (NADRC).  Among the factors that the NADRC considers
will be the report of the Special Grants Review Committee on the
plans for, and success in, recruitment and retention of women and
individuals from underrepresented minority groups.
 
The NIDR will notify the applicant of the NADRC's action shortly
after its meeting.
 
Schedule
 
Applications will be processed according to the following schedule:
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:    September 12, 1997
Application Receipt Date:         October 22, 1997
Initial Review Group Meeting:     February 1998
Council Meeting:                  June 1998
Earliest Award Date:              July 1, 1998
 
AWARD CRITERIA
 
Funding decisions will be based on the Special Grant Review
Committee's and NADRC's  recommendations; the need for research
personnel in particular program areas, including the need to train
clinical investigators; and the availability of funds.  The earliest
award date is July 1, 1998.
 
The NIDR appreciates the value of complementary funding from other
public and private sources, including foundations and industrial
concerns, for activities that will complement and expand those
supported by the NIDR.
 
INQUIRIES
 
Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.
The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential
applicants is welcome.
 
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:
 
James A. Lipton, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute of Dental Research
Natcher Building, Room 4AN-18J
Bethesda, MD  20892-6402
Telephone:  (301) 594-2618 or 594-7710
FAX:  (301) 480-8318
Email:  liptonj@de45.nidr.nih.gov
 
Direct inquiries pertaining to fiscal matters to:
 
Mr. Martin R. Rubinstein
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute of Dental Research
Natcher Building, Room 4AS-55
Bethesda, MD  20892-6402
Telephone:  (301) 594-4800
FAX:  (301) 480-8301
e-mail:  rubinstein@de45.nidr.nih.gov
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.121.  NRSA Institutional Research Training Grants
are made under the authority of Section 487 of the Public Health
Service (PHS) Act as amended (42 USC 288).  Title 42 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, Part 66, is applicable to this program.  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 and contract recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and 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 routing 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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	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)