NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD - INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING AWARDS Release Date: August 14, 1998 RFA: DE-98-010 P.T. National Institute of Dental Research Letter of Intent Receipt Date: October 1, 1998 Application Receipt Date: October 22, 1998 PURPOSE The National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) invites new and competing continuation applications proposing National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) programs. The objectives are to: (a) develop highly qualified investigators in dental, craniofacial and oral health research, 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, (b) 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) train predoctoral and early post-Ph.D. biomedical and behavioral scientists interested in oral, dental 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 Domestic public and private institutions, such as dental or medical schools and research institutions, may submit applications. 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 biomimetics and tissue engineering, molecular epidemiology, bioinformatics and behavioral medicine. Only one application may be submitted by an institution, unless the proposed training programs are in distinctly different areas of dental, craniofacial and oral health and disease. Levels of Training and Trainee Eligibility Training in an NIDR area of scientific opportunity is to be provided at one or more of the following levels: (1) dentists, physicians or other health professionals pursuing training in postdoctoral clinical or patient-oriented research, (2) mid-career scientists and clinical researchers who wish to re- train in a basic or behavioral science area related to craniofacial, dental and oral 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 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, 1999. 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 PhD, DDS./DMD, 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 The NIDR expects to make up to five new or competing continuation awards. Each new program will have two positions in the first year. Existing programs may request an appropriate number of positions to maintain current trainees. The estimated total funding for all awards is $500,000 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 and availability of adequate NIDR funds. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background The primary goal of NIDR programs is to improve the dental, craniofacial and oral health of the American people. To attain this goal, the NIDR plans to pursue scientific opportunities in such areas as functional genomics, developmental biology, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, oral neoplastic diseases, tissue engineering, biomimetics and biomaterials, connective and skeletal tissue regeneration, basic and clinical pain, sensory, swallowing, taste and smell disorders, chronic disabling conditions associated with the oral/craniofacial region, relationships between oral and other systemic diseases, clinical trials, clinical outcomes and improved treatment, disease prevention, behavior and health promotion. More detailed information about these areas can be found on the NIDR Home Page at: http://www.nidr.nih.gov/research/extramural/sciprog.htm. Most, if not all, of the scientific opportunities involve multidisciplinary research, which requires teams of scientists from different fields and often utilizes multi- institutional collaborations. The relevance of this theme was emphasized at a planning workshop, "Scientific Opportunities and Research Capacity in the Coming Millennium," held by the NIDR in January 1998. The report can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.nidr.nih.gov/news/strat- plan/millenwkshp.htm. A key recommendation from the workshop was that future research training and career development programs should emphasize "multidisciplinary training approaches, translational research capacity and flexible training paradigms." Trainees should leave with an appreciation and understanding of the integration between biological and behavioral systems and the ability to work in teams on complex research problems. Health research should be viewed "as part of the larger biomedical research enterprise and training programs should be designed to promote interaction between oral- dental-craniofacial health researchers and other biomedical and behavioral or social scientists." A particular deficiency among current biomedical scientists is in the area of translational research, which serves to link bench laboratory results and patients needs by facilitating the application of basic science findings to clinical care. To meet the future needs, there should be a variety of training paradigms according to the types of investigators required and possible alternative strategies for developing their investigative capabilities. Therefore, to offer the most appropriate training for future basic and clinical scientists, applicants for NRSA institutional training programs are encouraged to consider developing, as deemed necessary, interdisciplinary collaborations among various components of their health science center (e.g., dental, medical, public health and graduate school) as well as with other regional academic institutions and private industry so that trainees are provided the strongest and most relevant background for the particular research area they wish to pursue. The NIDR has a strong interest in the training of individuals who will be able to engage in 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 and patient-oriented investigators in order to take advantage of opportunities for translation and transfer of fundamental knowledge to improve the public’s oral health care. 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 type of research includes such topics as: 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, and patient compliance and disease prevention regimens. For example, programs on aspects of clinical research methods, including design of clinical trials and data analysis, could be developed for junior faculty in clinical departments, especially those who have recently completed advanced specialty training. There is a pool of mid-career oral health researchers, including basic and behavioral scientists and clinical investigators, who may wish to update their scientific expertise and keep current with the rapid knowledge developments in science. 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. Objectives and Scope The training program must provide opportunities for individuals to carry out supervised biomedical, behavioral or clinical research and develop research skills in an area 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. As necessary, interdisciplinary approaches and multi-institutional collaborations should be utilized in the research training program to prepare investigators for the probable structure of most future scientific endeavors. 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 or three predoctoral positions in any year. For new programs, 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 individuals with a declared interest in receiving training to conduct patient- oriented research. The remaining postdoctoral positions may be used for basic, behavioral or clinical research trainees in any of the research areas relevant to the mission of the NIDR. Several of these positions should be employed during the duration of the program for re-training mid-career scientists. 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 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. Those dental students interested in pursuing the DDS/DMD and PhD in a joint effort should consider applying for the NRSA Individual Predoctoral Dental Scientist Fellowship, or F30 award. Information about this can be accessed in the NIH Guide on the Internet at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-97-094.html. 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. Stipends and Other Training Costs For predoctoral trainees at all levels of experience, the current stipend is $11,748 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 $21,000 greater than or equal to 1 but less than 2 $22,176 greater than or equal to 2 but less than 3 $26,160 greater than or equal to 3 but less than 4 $27,492 greater than or equal to 4 but less than 5 $28,824 greater than or equal to 5 but less than 6 $30,144 greater than or equal to 6 but less than 7 $31,476 greater than or equal to 7 $33,012 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 payback 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 notice "NIH National Research Service Award Institutional Research Training," which is available in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 26, No. 16, May 16, 1997. This can be accessed on the Internet at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-007.html. 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 103A3). 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. NIH POLICY AND GUIDELINES ON THE INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS It is the policy of NIH that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all human subjects research conducted or supported by NIH unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them. This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for receipt dates after October 1, 1998. All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Children as Participants in Research Involving Human Subjects" that was published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998 and is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are asked to submit, by October 1, 1998, 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. The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 5/95) is to be used in applying for these grants. These forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone 301/710-0267, email GrantsInfo@nih.gov. Applications kits are also available on the web at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html 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) within the past five to ten years. 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. 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. In addition, the RFA title (NRSA - Institutional Training Awards) and number (DE-98-010) must be typed on line 2 of the face page of the application and the YES box must be marked. 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 20817-7710 (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, 1998. If an application is received after that date it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) 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 by CSR and responsiveness to the RFA by NIDR staff. Incomplete and/or nonresponsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIDR in accordance with the standard 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 Dental Research Council. The following review criteria are applicable to both new and competing continuation applications: Clarity and quality of the program objectives and design. Training programs should focus on scientific opportunities in the NIDR emphasis areas, as delineated under Background. In addition, trainees should be able to at least learn about, if not participate in, multidisciplinary research and interdisciplinary collaborations through a well-structured team approach. Research experience and mentoring accomplishments of the program director, especially his/her record as a recipient of peer-reviewed research grants and as a mentor of basic, behavioral or clinical research scientists, Caliber of preceptors as researchers, including successful competition for grant support and as mentors of junior scientists, The institutional training environment, including the level of institutional commitment, quality of the facilities, availability of appropriate courses, and availability of research support, Recruitment and selection plans for trainees and the availability of high quality candidates, especially mid-career basic or behavioral scientists, clinical research investigators, underrepresented minorities and women. When appropriate, the concomitant research training of health-professional postdoctorates (i.e., individuals having the DDS M.D., D.O., etc.) with basic science postdoctorates (i.e., individuals with a Ph.D. or equivalent) or linkages with basic science departments. For competing continuation applications, the following additional criteria will be considered: 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 can include receipt of postdoctoral fellowships, mentored clinical career development (K mechanism) 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. Record of the program in retaining health-professional postdoctoral trainees for at least 2 years in research training or other research activities. For new applications, additional criteria are: Career accomplishments of individuals who have completed research training programs at the institution during the past five to ten years, Potential recruitment pools for trainees. Additional Review Considerations 1) 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 research training grants must include a specific plan to recruit and retain underrepresented minorities in the training program. In addition, all competing continuation applications 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, Vol. 22, No. 25, July 16, 1993 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not93-188.html). 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 minority trainees who were appointed to the grant, the report should include information about the duration of research training and whether those trainees have finished training in good standing. Where applicable, new applications should include relevant information about the above topics for previous or ongoing basic, behavioral or clinical research training programs at their institution. 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 that addresses 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 considered incomplete 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 be described 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. Staff within the NIH awarding component will judge the acceptability of the revised plan. 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 Letter of Intent Receipt Date: October 1, 1998 Application Receipt Date: October 22, 1998 Initial Review Group Meeting: February 1999 Council Meeting: May 1999 Earliest Award Date: July 1999 AWARD CRITERIA Funding decisions will be based on the recommendations of the Special Grant Review Committee and NADRC, 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 1999. 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, DDS, 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 Email: 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 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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