Full Text HL-94-018 NHLBI MINORITY TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 29, August 5, 1994 RFA: HL-94-018 P.T. 44, FF Keywords: Biomedical Research Training Cardiovascular Diseases Blood Diseases Pulmonary Diseases National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Application Receipt Date: October 20, 1994 PURPOSE The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) invites grant applications for research training and career development programs directed at developing the research capabilities of minority individuals in areas relevant to cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic* diseases and resources. The specific minority research training and development programs encompassed under this request for applications (RFA) include: (1) the Minority Institutional Research Training program; (2) the Minority School Faculty Development Award program; (3) the Short-Term Training for Minority Students program; and, (4) the Research Development Award for Minority Faculty program. The purpose of these programs is to encourage the enhancement of research skills by minority individuals and to increase the number of minority individuals involved in research endeavors in the areas of interest to the NHLBI. * Within NHLBI, the term "hematologic" means research on thrombosis and hemostasis, immunohematology, blood cell disorders, hematopoiesis, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, transfusion medicine, blood resources including blood component and derivative therapy, blood substitutes and blood resource management, aspects of AIDS-products in AIDS prevention and treatment, and AIDS-related bone marrow and hematologic disorders. Other Institutes of the NIH are responsible for research on disorders of white cells, including the leukemias and other blood malignancies, and basic immunology related to the lymphoid system. Therefore, NHLBI cannot provide support for such studies. 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 RFA, NHLBI Minority Training and Development Programs, is related to the priority area of heart disease and stroke. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (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 Awards for the programs described in this RFA will be made to domestic U.S. institutions or organizations, including minority institutions, engaged in health related-research in areas related to heart, lung, or blood disorders. Candidates for the career development awards and trainees appointed to the training programs must be either citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible. Individual eligibility requirements for the specific grant awards listed above are as follows: Minority Institutional Research Training Program (T32). Awards in this program will be made to domestic minority institutions, each of which will collaborate with a research center that has well-established cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research and research training programs. A minority school is defined as a domestic medical or non-medical college, university or equivalent school in which students of minority ethnic groups including Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, Asians, or Pacific Islanders comprise a majority of the school's enrollment. The program director at the minority school will be responsible for the selection and appointment of trainees and the overall direction of the training program. Trainees appointed to the program will be placed with a mentor who is an accomplished investigator at the cooperating research center and who will assist the advisor at the minority institution in the trainee's development and research plan. Trainees must: (1) be training at the post-baccalaureate level (i.e., predoctoral level) in a relevant biomedical or behavioral science and have made a strong commitment to completing a doctoral degree, (2) be enrolled in a minority health professional school, or (3) have a doctoral degree or equivalent in a biomedical or behavioral science (i.e., postdoctoral level). The collaborating research center should be a university, medical school, or comparable institution that has strong, well-established research and research training programs in areas relevant to heart, lung, and blood diseases. Cooperation between institutions is needed to provide each trainee with a mentor who is recognized as an accomplished investigator in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research and who will assist the advisor at the minority institution in the trainee's development and research plan. Minority School Faculty Development Award Program (K14). Awards in this program will be made to domestic minority institutions on behalf of individuals, each of whom will work with a mentor at a nearby (within 100 miles) research center. The mentor must be recognized as an accomplished investigator in the area proposed and must provide guidance for the awardee's development and research plan in research areas related to heart, lung, or blood disorders. The commitment of the institution to the faculty candidate's research and development must clearly be presented in the application. This must include statement(s) from the Dean and departmental chair indicating that the candidate will be provided with sufficient release time from other duties to accomplish the research goals stated in the application. Candidates for this award are minority school faculty members who: (1) are citizens of the United States, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents at the time of application, (2) have a doctoral degree or equivalent in a biomedical or behavioral science, (3) wish to receive specialized training in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research, and (4) have the background and potential to benefit from the training. Each candidate must identify and complete arrangements with a nearby mentor (within approximately 100 miles) who is recognized as an accomplished investigator in the research area proposed and who will provide guidance for the awardee's development and research plan. Plans for the intensive training during the summer period (two to three months) as well as during the academic years must be developed with the mentor. Short-Term Training for Minority Students Program (T35). Awards in this program will be made to domestic institutions or organizations, including minority institutions, engaged in research in areas related to heart, lung, or blood disorders. These grants will support short-term research training experiences of two to three months duration for minority undergraduate students, minority students in health professional schools, and minority graduate students. The grantee institution will be responsible for the selection and appointment of trainees. Special attention should be given to the recruitment of individuals from minority groups that are underrepresented nationally in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, i.e., Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders. Trainees must have successfully completed at least one undergraduate year at an accredited school or university or have successfully completed one semester at a school of medicine, optometry, osteopathy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy or public health, or an institution with an accredited graduate program, prior to participating in the program. Trainees appointed to the program need not be from the grantee institution, but may include a number of minority students from other institutions, schools, colleges, or universities. These grants are intended to introduce students to research that would not otherwise be available through their regular course of studies. For graduate students, this may include graduate students in programs, such as mathematics, where they would not normally be exposed to biomedical research or graduate students who may need a specialized research experience to supplement their normal graduate education. Individuals holding Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent doctoral degrees in the health sciences are not eligible. Research Development Award for Minority Faculty (K14). Awards in this program will be made to domestic institutions or organizations, including minority institutions, on behalf of individuals. Individuals applying for this program must have been awarded a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.O. degree or its equivalent), have a faculty appointment at an accredited college or university at the time of award, and be members of an underrepresented minority group. For the purpose of this program, underrepresented minority faculty members are defined as individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group that has been determined by the grantee institution to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research. In making grant awards under this program, the NHLBI will give priority to projects involving Black, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, and other ethnic or racial group members who have been found to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research nationally. Candidates must be nominated by an institution on the basis of qualifications, interests, accomplishments, motivation, and potential for performing quality research. The candidate's academic background, previous experience, and career goals should determine both the necessary length and the kind of program that is appropriate. Each candidate must identify a sponsor(s) who is an accomplished investigator in the research area proposed, who is engaged in research in areas related to heart, lung, or blood disorders, and has experience in developing independent investigators. The sponsor is not required to be affiliated with the applicant institution. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional research training grant (T32), Short-Term Training grant (T35), and Career Development Award (K14). Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed training and career development programs will be solely that of the applicant. The total project period for an application in response to this RFA may not exceed five years. The anticipated award date is May 1, 1995. Funding beyond the first year of the grant is contingent upon satisfactory progress during the preceding year and the availability of funds. Indirect costs will be awarded based on eight percent of total direct costs exclusive of equipment and tuition and fees. Specific characteristics of each program are as follows: Minority Institutional Research Training Program (T32). Minority Institutional NRSA Research Training programs may support predoctoral, postdoctoral, and short-term trainees in health professional schools. The stipend level for predoctoral and short-term trainees is $10,008 per year, and stipend levels for postdoctoral trainees range from $19,608 to $32,300 per year. Stipends may be supplemented from non-Federal sources. Training related expenses ($1,500 annually for predoctoral trainees and $2,500 annually for postdoctoral trainees), tuition and fees, and travel expenses ($800 per trip) may also be requested for trainees, although the levels may vary depending on the type of training to be supported. The trainees may be appointed for 9 to 12 months (for short-term trainees, the period of appointment may be of 2 to 3 months duration) at any time during the course of the budget period after acceptance as a full-time student. A strong interest in a cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research career must be evident. Minority School Faculty Development Award Program (K14). The awardee may receive salary support up to a maximum of $50,000 per year plus fringe benefits for five years. All funds must be used to support the awardee. Awardees must commit 100 percent effort during the summer and/or off quarter periods and at least 25 percent effort during the academic year. In addition to the salary requested for the candidate, support for up to 10 percent of the mentor's salary during the summer experience may also be requested. Up to $20,000 per year will be provided for research support. Details regarding the apportionment of these funds between the minority institution and the research center must be worked out with the mentor at the research center and agreed to by representatives of both institutions. If funds are to be transferred to the mentor's institution for any purpose, arrangements for the transfer or conduct of activities should be formalized in a contract or written agreement with the mentor's institution and submitted as part of the application. The award is non-renewable and may not be transferred to another institution or another faculty member. The indirect cost rate on subcontract costs for the mentor's institution may not exceed eight percent of total costs. Short-Term Training for Minority Students Program (T35). Institutions may request support for short-term training programs for at least four and not more than 24 trainees per year. Trainees may be minority undergraduate, graduate, or health professional students. The stipend level for trainees is $834 per month. Stipends may be supplemented from non-federal funds. Training-related expenses up to $125 per month per trainee may be requested. In addition, up to $500 per trainee may be requested to cover domestic travel to and from the training site and up to $250 per month per trainee may be requested to cover the cost of housing at the training site. Trainee tuition and fees, where necessary to the research training, must be covered by the Training Related Expenses. Research Development Award for Minority Faculty (K14). The awardee may receive salary support up to a maximum of $50,000 plus fringe benefits per year for five years. All funds must be used to support the awardee. A minimum of 80 percent effort must be devoted to the research program. The remainder may be devoted to other teaching, clinical, or administrative pursuits that are consistent with the program goals, i.e., the candidate's development into an independent biomedical scientist or the maintenance of the teaching and clinical skills needed for an academic research career. In addition to the salary request for the candidate, support for up to five percent of the sponsor's salary may be requested. Up to $30,000 per year will be provided for research support. Substitution of another sponsor and/or a change of institution may be permitted with the prior approval of the NHLBI. FUNDS AVAILABLE The estimated funds (total costs) available for the first year of support for the entire program is expected to be approximately $2 million in fiscal year 1995. The actual amounts for the specific mechanisms may vary, depending on the response to the RFA and availability of funds, but the anticipated number of awards for each mechanism is as follows: Minority Institutional Research Training Program: 2 new awards Minority School Faculty Development Award Program: 3 new awards Short-Term Training for Minority Students Program: 10 new awards Research Development Award for Minority Faculty: 12 new awards RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Many studies have emphasized the need for minority individuals to participate in modern research activities to develop their investigative talents. Whereas approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population is Black, less than 0.25 percent of individuals holding a Ph.D. degree in biomedical science are Black. Furthermore, the number of doctorates, both M.D.s and Ph.D.s, awarded to other ethnic minority groups, such as Native Americans or Hispanics, is proportionally lower than for Blacks. There are existing programs at the NIH that are designed to answer this need. These include the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program, the Minority Access to Research Careers Program, and the Minority Research Supplements Program. Even though these programs appear successful in meeting their specific objectives and career development goals, minority graduate students, health professional students, and postdoctoral students in minority schools need further opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral research skills and become productive investigators. While there is strong interest in the scientific community in attracting minority students into research careers, few minority students opt for science degrees and research careers, and few minority graduates of health professional schools go on to investigative careers. The shortage of qualified minority investigators in academic research positions may even exacerbate the situation due to a lack of visible role models for students. One method of addressing this problem is by attracting minority students to research opportunities and by providing them with research training to develop their research capabilities in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic disease areas. In addition, by increasing the research capabilities of minority faculty members and faculty members at minority institutions, these individuals may serve as role models for minority undergraduate and graduate students, and stimulate these students to become more cognizant of research opportunities in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic disease areas. The present RFA is designed to offer research training and career development opportunities for minority individuals and encourage their participation in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic research. The Minority Research Training and Career Development programs are intended to: o Bolster the participation and research capabilities of minority individuals in research areas relevant to heart, lung, and blood diseases. o Increase the pool of qualified minority investigators pursuing research in heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood disease and transfusion medicine. Specific objectives for the individual programs are as follows: The Minority Institutional Research Training Program is intended to: o Train graduate students, health professional students, and postdoctoral students at minority schools that have the potential to develop a meritorious program in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research for research careers in areas relevant to these diseases. o Stimulate cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases and hematologic resources research, prevention, control, and education by offering minority school graduate students, health professional students, and postdoctoral students the opportunity to enhance their research capabilities in these areas. The Minority School Faculty Development Award is intended to: o Encourage the development of faculty investigators at minority schools in areas relevant to cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases and transfusion medicine. o Stimulate cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic disease research, prevention, control, and education by offering minority school faculty members the opportunity to enhance their research capabilities in these areas. The Short-Term Training for Minority Students program is intended to: o Provide minority undergraduate students, graduate students, and students in health professional schools exposure to opportunities inherent in research careers in areas relevant to cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases. o Attract highly qualified minority students into biomedical and behavioral research careers and increase the already short supply of minority investigators. The Research Development Award for Minority Faculty is intended to: o Encourage research-oriented minority faculty to develop independent research skills and gain experience in advanced methods and experimental approaches in the basic and applied sciences relevant to heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases and transfusion medicine. o Increase the pool of highly trained minority investigators who can use advanced technologies to address the major problems in heart, blood vessel, lung, blood diseases, and transfusion medicine. STUDY POPULATIONS 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 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513), and reprinted 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. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91). 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. Guidelines and supplemental instructions for each of the specific programs may be obtained from NHLBI staff listed under INQUIRIES. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. 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 and number must be typed on line 2a of the face page of the application form 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: Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health Westwood Building, Room 240 Bethesda, MD 20892** Two additional copies of the application must be sent to: Scientific Review Administrator NHLBI Research Training Review Committee National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Westwood Building, Room 550 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 594-7450 Applications must be received by October 20, 1994. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not accept any application to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. 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 All applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by the Research Training Review Committee of the Division of Extramural Affairs, NHLBI, followed by a second level review by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council. The following criteria will be considered when assessing the merit of career development applications, including the Minority School Faculty Development Award and the Research Development Award for Minority Faculty. o Candidate -- The candidate's overall competence as demonstrated by academic record and performance, potential for a career in independent research, and commitment or interest in pursuing an academic research career. o Sponsor(s) -- The sponsor's accomplishments in the scientific research area(s) proposed, experience and track record in training investigators, and commitment for the duration of a candidate's research development. o Environment -- The applicant institution's ability to provide adequate facilities, resources, and opportunities necessary for the candidate's training, and the institutional commitment to the candidate. If different from the applicant institution, the quality and extent of interaction of the faculty in the basic and clinical sciences, and the quality of the research and research training programs at the sponsor's institution. o Career Development Plan -- The adequacy of the research career development plan, based on the candidate's past research experience, training, and career goals. o Research Project -- Scientific merit of the proposed research project and its appropriateness as a vehicle for developing the candidate's research skills. o If applicable, adequacy of adherence to NIH policy concerning the inclusion of women and minorities in clinical research study populations. The following criteria will be considered when assessing the merit of a research training grant application, including the Minority Institutional Research Training program and the Short-Term Training for Minority Students program. o Adequacy of faculty, facilities, and resources for the proposed research training; o Commitment of the relevant faculty and the institution to the goals of the training program and the caliber of preceptors as researchers including successful competition for research support; o Past research training record for the program director and designated preceptors in terms of the success of trainees pursuing research activities; o Objectives, design, and direction of the research training program. AWARD CRITERIA The following will be considered in making funding decisions: o Technical merit of the application as determined by peer review o Availability of funds o Program balance among the research areas of the announcement 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 program guidelines, supplemental instructions, or programmatic issues to: John Fakunding, Ph.D. Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Federal Building, Room 3C04 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-1724 LeeAnn Jensen, Ph.D. Division of Blood Diseases and Resources National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Federal Building, Room 5C04 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-8387 Mary Reilly, M.S. Division of Lung Diseases National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Westwood Building, Room 640A Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 594-7466 Thomas Blaszkowski, Ph.D. Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Federal Building, Room 208A Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-1841 James P. Kiley, Ph.D. National Center for Sleep Disorders Research National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Building 31, Room 4A11 Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 496-7443 Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Jane Davis Division of Extramural Affairs National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Westwood Building, Room 4A15C Bethesda, MD 20892 Telephone: (301) 594-7436 AUTHORITY AND REGULATION This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839. Awards are made under the authority of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 288) and administered under PHS grant policies and Federal Regulations at 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people. .
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