MINORITY INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING GRANTS

Release Date:  November 22, 1999

RFA:  TW-00-001

Fogarty International Center 
Office of Research on Minority Health 

Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  December 10, 1999
Application Receipt Date:   January 14, 2000

PURPOSE

Since 1993 the Fogarty International Center (FIC) and the Office of Research 
on Minority Health (ORMH) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have 
jointly supported scientific training programs that offer international 
research training opportunities to qualified minority undergraduates and 
graduate and medical students underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral 
research careers.  Innovative programs that provide international research 
and training are supported to:
1. Encourage under-represented minority students to pursue biomedical 
research careers.
2. Broaden minority research efforts and scientific training to encompass 
international health problems.
3. Stimulate novel approaches to studying health problems that 
disproportionately affect underserved groups in the U.S. or in developing 
countries.
4. Assist minority scientists to participate in international collaborative 
research relationships and work effectively in the rapidly evolving global 
scientific environment.

The Minority International Research Training (MIRT) program is a component in 
the long-term National Institutes of Health (NIH) strategy to decrease health 
disparities between minority and majority groups in the U.S.

This Request for Applications (RFA) to support MIRT programs at U.S. colleges 
and universities contains revisions that supercede all requirements in 
previous MIRT RFAs.  The most significant change is the increased emphasis on 
providing international research training experiences for undergraduate 
students.  Proposed programs may also include graduate and medical students 
but should restrict faculty research to activities associated with mentorship 
of research trainees.  Priority will be given to funding MIRT program 
proposals that emphasize research training related to health disparities 
among under-served populations in the U.S. or in developing countries.  Both 
new and competing renewal applications are welcome.

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, Minority 
International Research Training (MIRT) Grants, is related to one or more of 
the priority areas.  Potential applicants may obtain a copy of “Healthy 
People 2000” at http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/pubs/hp2000.  

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

The applicant institution and its associated consortia institutions must be 
U.S. colleges or universities that offer baccalaureate degrees in fields 
relevant to biomedical and behavioral sciences.  Only one application per 
institution will be accepted for review.  Those institutions that are 
currently holding a MIRT award from the FY 1999 competition are excluded.  A 
consortium can be formed by the applicant institution that has an active 
international scientific research effort with institutions with limited 
research and training activities for the purpose of recruiting eligible 
student and faculty participants.  Priority will be given to consortia that 
include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving 
Institutions or Tribal Colleges and Universities.

Participating students and faculty must be U.S. citizens or permanent 
residents. Applications will be accepted for programs which recruit 
participants from institutions with enrollments that include substantial 
numbers of students and faculty who are members of socially or economically 
disadvantaged groups who are underrepresented in careers in biomedical and 
behavioral research.  Studies show groups that are underrepresented in 
biomedical and behavioral research careers in the U.S. include but are not 
limited to African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, 
Asian/Pacific Islanders, persons with disabilities and women.  Programs 
should recruit participants who could most benefit from a financially 
supported opportunity for international scientific research experience.  
Programs should focus on supporting students and faculty to pursue biomedical 
and behavioral research careers that will most likely contribute to the 
elimination of health disparities that exist among disadvantaged populations 
in the U.S and between populations living in developing countries and the 
U.S.  Applicants should define the nature and extent of the eligible students 
and faculty members of underrepresented groups available for recruitment to 
the program at their institution and consortium institutions. 

Undergraduate Participants

Proposed programs should give undergraduate research training priority by 
selecting approximately 75% undergraduate participants out of at least ten 
participants per year.  It is suggested that undergraduate participants have 
completed approximately two years of coursework in a major related to 
biomedical or behavioral science, a minimum GPA of 3.0 and/or show other 
evidence of exceptional scientific interest and talent.  Previous 
undergraduate research experience is recommended before entering the MIRT 
program.

Graduate and Medical Student Participants

Approximately 25% of the student participants can be graduate or medical 
students each year.  Priority should be given to students who wish to perform 
research especially pertinent to health disparities among underserved groups 
in the U.S. or in developing countries.  Programs can support medical 
students who show evidence of commitment to pursuing a career in research.  
Graduate and medical students must be involved in original data collection.  
Routine clinical or lab work, coursework or training in scientific techniques 
alone are not the objective of the training supported by this RFA except in 
so far as they allow the students to be involved in original data collection.

U.S. Faculty Participants

The program director should be a full-time faculty member at the applicant 
institution and principal investigator for the application.  The program 
director will be responsible for selecting and matching student participants 
and faculty mentors, screening training plans for foreign sites and 
coordinating the activities of the program in which all trainees participate.  
The program director is also responsible for coordinating evaluations of 
program participants and submitting annual progress reports and trainee 
tracking data to the Fogarty International Center.  Therefore, program 
directors should show evidence of experience at administering multifaceted 
international research programs involving significant student training 
activity.

Other U.S. faculty participants who will serve as mentors for student 
participants must have doctoral degrees and full-time appointments at the 
applicant institution or at an institution in an associated consortium.  U.S. 
faculty mentors should show evidence of their ongoing collaboration with the 
proposed foreign training site institution including sources of funding for 
research conducted there and recent publications resulting from that 
research.  U.S. faculty mentorship may be supported at foreign sites in 
developing countries.  A proposed training plan should be submitted 
describing possible student research projects, research skills to be taught 
and estimating the time that the mentor will spend with students in research 
and training activities before, during (if necessary) and after travel to the 
foreign site.  Proposed U.S. faculty mentors should also provide evidence of 
experience in successfully training undergraduate or graduate students in 
international research.  If a minority faculty member is not available, any 
faculty member who meets the eligibility criteria may serve as a mentor.

Foreign Faculty Participants

International research training should be planned at universities or research 
institutions where U.S. faculty participants have ongoing collaborative 
research relationships.  Foreign research collaborators with doctoral degrees 
and full-time positions can serve as mentors for students training at the 
foreign site(s).  Foreign collaborators should provide a letter of 
collaboration.  Information describing the foreign site institutional 
research effort and productivity in the student project research field and 
documenting the sources of funding for this research should be submitted.  A 
proposed training plan should be submitted describing possible student 
research projects, research skills to be taught and estimating the time that 
the mentor will spend with students in research and training activities 
during their time at the foreign site.  Students must be involved in original 
data collection, not routine clinical or lab work.  In order to build ongoing 
international collaborations, it is recommended that groups of two or more 
student trainees visit the same foreign research site(s) associated with a 
program each year during the life span of the award unless FIC approves a 
well justified change of sites.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the NIH institutional training grant (T37) award mechanism.  
Responsibility for the planning, direction and execution of the proposed 
project will be solely that of the applicant.  The total project period for 
an application submitted in response to this RFA should not exceed four 
years.  The anticipated award date for the FY 2000 competitive review is June 
1, 2000.  Each training grant award must not exceed a total of $200,000 per 
year, including direct and indirect costs.  Applicants are encouraged to 
propose the most effective program with a well justified budget most 
appropriate to their institutional setting.

Allowable Costs

All budget items should be itemized on the NRSA substitute budget pages OO 
and PP in the categories noted in parentheses.

1. During the training period at the foreign site, a minimum of 10-12 weeks, 
stipends of $800 per month may be requested for junior or senior 
undergraduates and stipends of $1225 per month may be requested for graduate 
and medical students.  (Stipends-predoctoral)

2. For U.S. faculty mentors, stipends of up to $1250 per month may be 
requested for the training period, approximately 10-12 weeks, if no other 
federal salary support is available during the time requested to work at the 
foreign site.  (Stipends-postdoctoral)

3. A $500 honorarium may be offered to the foreign mentors from developing 
country institutions that do not charge student bench fees or tuition. 
(Other)

4. Funds to support student research costs (such as lab supplies, computer 
access, small equipment) at the foreign site may be requested for up to a 
maximum level of $600 per month per student.  The anticipated costs should be 
itemized for each foreign site and justification should be provided as to why 
these expenses cannot be covered by funding that already supports faculty 
research at the foreign site.  (Training related expenses)

5. Funds for tuition, fees and self-only medical insurance expenses 
associated with the international research experience may be requested up to 
a maximum level of $1500 per student participant.  Tuition at the U.S. 
institution for trainees during travel to the foreign site will be allowed 
only if such charges are required of all persons in similar training status 
at that institution.  Bench fees at foreign institutions are allowed in the 
category of tuition.  Tuition for specific coursework related to the project, 
such as language courses at the U.S. or foreign institution can be supported.  
The program may provide funds to cover fees for passports, visas, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention recommended vaccinations and prophylactic 
drugs.  Students and faculty should be required to have medical insurance 
coverage while travelling to a foreign site.  If institutional or personal 
medical insurance does not cover participants, self-only medical insurance 
may be charged to the grant.  All expenses in the category of tuition, fees 
and insurance should be itemized and justified for each foreign site.  
(Tuition, fees and insurance)

6. Foreign living expenses of up to $1000 per month may be requested for 
participants.  Budgets should provide a list of costs and description of 
living conditions at each foreign site.  Additional funds (up to $2000 per 
month) may be requested for U.S. faculty mentors with thorough justification 
of increased need.  (Trainee travel)

7. Students from consortium institutions may be supported for travel and per 
diem expenses to attend orientation and responsible conduct of research 
presentations as well as post-travel activities associated with the MIRT 
program at the director’s institution.  (Trainee travel)

8. Economy class round trip airfare on U.S. carriers (to the maximum extent 
possible) and local ground transportation to the foreign site may be 
requested.  Anticipated costs should be provided for travel to each foreign 
site.  (Trainee travel)

9. Travel expenses may be requested for short-term visits (less than 1 month) 
of foreign faculty mentors to the U.S. applicant institution or associated 
consortia institutions to participate in MIRT program associated student 
training and related collaborative research activities such as planning, 
writing scientific manuscripts or grants, etc.  Short-term travel expenses 
may include economy class round trip airfare on U.S. carriers (to the maximum 
extent possible) plus per diem at U.S. government rates.  Current U.S. 
government per diem allowances can be checked at this web site:  
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC.  
(Trainee travel)

10. The applicant institution may request up to ten percent of total direct 
costs to support the principal investigator and/or other personnel for 
administrative efforts related to the MIRT program.  The administrative 
responsibilities and time commitment for personnel receiving salary support 
should be thoroughly described.  To calculate the maximum amount allowed, 
take 10% of the sum of the expenses from all other categories.  (Other)

11. Funds may be requested for administrative expenses such as photocopying, 
MIRT course materials, long distance phone/fax costs, etc. directly related 
to the MIRT program.  (Training related expenses)

12. Funds may be requested to cover expenses related to MIRT program 
evaluation requirements such as post-travel meetings, internet access and 
computer software needed for Web based reporting and tracking of student 
trainees.  The purchase of one computer to be devoted to MIRT activities may 
be requested with sufficient justification.  A laptop model computer is 
recommended for additional MIRT use at foreign sites.  (Training related 
expenses)

13. Funds should be requested (flight plus per diem for two days for each 
year of the award) for the MIRT program director to attend an annual network 
meeting in Washington, D.C., sponsored by Fogarty International Center and 
the Office of Research on Minority Health.  (Trainee travel)

14. Funds may be requested to support MIRT students to present their research 
findings at national scientific conferences.  (Trainee travel)

15. Facilities and administrative expenses (indirect costs) should be 
included in the budget request at a rate of eight percent of allowable direct 
costs.  (Checklist form page II)

FUNDS AVAILABLE

The Fogarty International Center and the Office of Research on Minority 
Health intend to commit approximately $1,800,000 to fund 9 to 10 new and/or 
competing renewal awards in FY 2000.  An applicant may request a project 
period of up to four years and an annual budget of up to $200,000 total 
costs.  Because the nature and scope of the projects proposed vary, it is 
anticipated that the size of each award will vary.  Although the financial 
plans of the Fogarty International Center and the Office of Research on 
Minority Health provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this RFA 
are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient 
number of meritorious applications.  At this time, it is not known if 
competing renewal applications beyond FY 2000 will be accepted and /or if 
this RFA will be reissued after FY 2000.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

The Minority International Research Training grants are designed to offer 
research training opportunities to qualified eligible students and faculty to 
participate in international biomedical and behavioral research programs 
abroad.  The proposed training program is expected to increase awareness of 
international research issues and opportunities, acquaint students with a 
range of career opportunities in biomedical and behavioral research and 
encourage participants to pursue post-baccalaureate degrees and careers in 
biomedical and behavioral research especially related to minority health 
problems.  The program is also expected to enhance the training efforts and 
international collaborative research activities of the faculty participants.

The following specific objectives have been identified based on the overall 
goals for the MIRT program:

1. To support research experience for qualified eligible undergraduate 
students in international laboratories under the mentorship of outstanding 
U.S. and foreign scientists including:
o Training in experimental design, interpretation of data and the use of 
current scientific equipment and analytical methods.
o Knowledge of the scientific literature associated with their projects, 
biomedical research ethics and cultural aspects affecting scientific and 
medical issues at the foreign site.
o Experience in the written and oral presentation of scientific research.
o Encouragement to complete a baccalaureate degree and enter graduate or 
professional school to pursue a biomedical or behavioral research career.

2. To support eligible graduate and medical student training in an 
international setting that provides unique opportunities for research 
relevant to their dissertation or clinical studies, contributes to the 
completion of advanced biomedical or behavioral science degrees and results 
in scientific conference presentations and publications.

3. To facilitate research collaborations between minority scientists and 
scientists at centers of excellence in biomedical and behavioral research 
abroad resulting in expanded research capabilities, scientific conference 
presentations, publications and subsequent grant applications for continuing 
research support.

The Fogarty International Center and Office of Research on Minority Health 
recognize that there will be significant differences in the institutional 
environments, participants and approaches to international research 
collaboration among applicant programs.  Therefore, applicants should define 
the goals, methods to achieve these goals and specific measurable objectives 
(such as recruitment success, scientific productivity, career outcomes, etc.) 
to assess their program with reference to the overall goals described above.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Program Evaluation

The Program Director will be required to interact regularly with Fogarty 
International Center staff who will closely monitor the progress of each 
training grant program through in-depth reviews of annual progress reports, 
network meetings and site visits.

Applications should include a description of how the program will be 
evaluated by its participants and how the scientific training and research 
progress of all participants will be monitored.

A progress report will be required at the end of each budget year.  Data on 
each current and previous participant will be submitted via the Internet to a 
web based tracking system that will be used to monitor the impact of the 
program on the careers of these participants.  Therefore, applicants should 
describe their capability to monitor and submit data on current participants 
as well as previous participants (including those from consortium 
institutions) via the Internet.  Details of the required format for the 
narrative progress report and instructions for submission of data to the Web 
tracking system will be provided by the Fogarty International Center when 
grants are awarded.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Applicants should describe plans for mandatory teaching of responsible 
conduct in biomedical research to all trainees including the topics, format, 
participation of faculty, instructional materials, and the frequency and 
duration of the training provided and how trainee attendance will be 
monitored.  If the proposed program accepts students from other institutions, 
an explanation of how they will participate in this training must be 
provided.  If the plan is unacceptable to application reviewers, the 
application will not be considered for an award until an acceptable plan is 
provided.

Protection of Research Subjects

Applicants should be aware that provisions for the protection of human 
research subjects and laboratory animals must be met in research done in both 
domestic and foreign institutions including obtaining any necessary single 
project assurances.  Applicants should see Title 45 CFR, Part 46 for 
information concerning Department of Health and Human Services regulations 
for the protection of human subjects and the PHS Policy on the Humane Care 
and Use of Laboratory Animals.  These are available from the office for 
Protection from Research Risks, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive 
Boulevard, MSC 7507, Rockville, MD 20892-7507 
(http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/).

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 sub-populations 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 Guideline for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as subjects in Clinical 
Research” which was published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 
59 14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts Vol.23 No.11, 
March 18, 1994, available on the web at: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-100.html.

For international research, the frame of reference for inclusion of 
minorities in research is whether the participants would be considered to be 
minorities in the U.S. population.  Programs are encouraged to include 
adequate representation of women in selecting foreign  and U.S. participants.

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 the 
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: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html.

Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies 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 a letter of intent that includes a 
descriptive title of the proposed research training, the name, address, email 
address, telephone and fax 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 a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows 
the Fogarty International staff to estimate the potential review workload and 
avoid conflict of interest in the review.  The letter of intent is to be sent 
to the program staff listed under INQUIRIES by the receipt date listed in the 
heading of this RFA.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) is to be used in 
applying for these grants.  Applicants should use the additional instructions 
for preparing Institutional NRSA applications on pages V1-V7 in Form 398 when 
preparing their applications. 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.

The RFA label available in the PHS 398 application form must be affixed to 
the bottom of the face page of the application.  The RFA label and line 2 of 
the application form must indicate the RFA number.  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 2 of the face page of the application form 
and the YES box must be marked.

The sample RFA label available at: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/labels.pdf
has been modified to allow for this change.  Please note this is in pdf
format.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the 
Checklist and three signed photocopies in one package to:

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040, MSC 7710
BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)

At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must be 
sent to:

Helen Sunshine, Ph.D.
Office of Scientific Review
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Room 1AS.13fF
45 Center Drive MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Telephone: (301) 594-2881
FAX: (301) 480-8506
Email: sunshinh@nigms.nih.gov

Applications must be received by the application receipt date listed in the 
heading of this RFA.  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 in 
response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending 
initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application.  The 
CSR will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one 
already reviewed.  This does not preclude the submission of substantial 
revisions of an application already reviewed, but such applications must 
include an introduction addressing the previous critique.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by CSR and 
responsiveness by the Fogarty International Center.  Incomplete and/or non-
responsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further 
consideration.

Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be evaluated 
for educational and scientific merit of the proposed training by an 
appropriate peer review group convened by the National Institute of General 
Medical Sciences in accordance with the review criteria stated below.  As 
part of the initial merit review, the peer review group will discuss all 
applications, assign a priority score and provide a written critique that 
will be sent to the applicants. Applications then receive a second level of 
review by Fogarty International Center Advisory Board before funding 
decisions will be made.

Review Criteria

The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of 
biological systems, improve the control of disease and enhance health.  In 
their written and oral comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the 
following aspects of the application in order to judge the likelihood that 
the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these 
goals.  Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning 
the overall score, weighing them as appropriate for each application.  Note 
that the application does not need to be strong in all categories to be 
judged likely to have major impact and thus deserve a high priority score.

Significance

1. Adequacy of the proposed program to provide international research 
training experiences likely to encourage participants to pursue biomedical or 
behavioral research careers by entering graduate or health professional 
programs.

2. Adequacy of the proposed program to enhance minority scientist 
participation in international collaborative research relationships

3. Adequacy of proposed program to promote research related to health 
disparities in populations in the U.S. or in developing countries.

Approach

1. Adequacy of the student selection process including:
o A recruiting and application process that captures a pool of the best 
qualified eligible undergraduates (and graduate/medical students, if 
included) who could most benefit from an international research experience in 
terms of encouraging their pursuit of a biomedical research career.
o If applicable, adequacy of the plans for the management and participation 
of the students and faculty of the consortium institutions in the program.
o Methods and criteria for selecting student and U.S. and foreign faculty 
participants. 
o Process of matching students to U.S. and foreign mentors and research 
projects.

2. Adequacy of pre-travel trainee instruction in:
o Responsible conduct of research, particularly considerations associated 
with the projects at the foreign site(s).
o Scientific preparation of the student participants (in lab safety, 
technical writing, statistical methods, computer program training, scientific 
literature related to their research, theoretical basis of techniques used, 
etc.).
o Cultural preparation (familiarity with foreign site scientists, foreign 
language, international studies, etc.).

3. Adequacy of the proposed research at the foreign site(s) for student and 
faculty participants including:
o Providing research experience in areas related to health disparities in 
populations in the U.S. and developing countries
o Appropriate student research projects, training schedules and research 
skills taught and other mentored activities.
o Qualifications of the program director (graduate degrees, areas of 
research, quality and quantity of publications, training record).
o Qualifications of the U.S. and foreign mentors (graduate degrees, areas of 
research, quality and quantity of publications, training record).  
Biographical Sketch (page FF) and Other Support (page GG) forms should be 
submitted for each U.S. and foreign mentor.
o Assistance with common student trainee problems (such as health and safety 
concerns, social isolation and poor communication or lack of regular 
constructive critique from mentors, etc.).

4. Adequacy of the post-travel activity including:
o Analysis of research samples or data collected.  
o Summarizing scientific results of the training experience in required 
written reports and oral presentations by the student and faculty 
participants.
o Written evaluation of quality of overseas research experience by student 
and faculty participants.

5. Adequacy of the methods used by the program to monitor the impact of the 
international research training experience on the subsequent careers of the 
student and faculty participants (past and present).

Innovation

1. Overall creativity of overall design for providing international research 
training experience.

2. Introduction of new ways to enhance minority scientist participation in 
international collaborative research.

3. Novelty of approaches to encourage the study of health problems that 
disproportionately affect underserved populations in the U.S. and in 
developing countries

Investigators

Adequacy of the qualifications of the principal investigator, U.S. and 
foreign faculty participants to direct the international research training 
activities of the student projects and act as effective mentors for the 
trainees based on scientific research experience and student training 
records.

Environment

Adequacy of the foreign site(s) selected for the research described including 
sources of support for the research training there.  A Resource form (page 
HH) should be submitted for each foreign site lab where students will be 
trained.

The following criteria will also apply for applications for competitive 
renewal:

1. Progress and accomplishments of previous undergraduate and graduate 
student trainees supported by the MIRT program such as completions of 
baccalaureate degrees, entry into graduate and health professional programs 
to obtain a masters degree, Ph.D, M.D. or other advanced degree, pursuit of 
biomedical and behavioral research careers, presentations at scientific 
meetings and co-authored peer reviewed publications should be provided in 
table format.

2. Productivity of previous faculty participants including number of students 
mentored, expanded research capabilities, scientific conference 
presentations, peer reviewed publications derived from MIRT funding, grant 
applications submitted and funded for research support, etc should be 
provided in table format.

In addition to the above criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all 
applications will also be reviewed with respect to the following:

1. If pertinent, the adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities 
and their subgroups and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of 
the research.  Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also 
be evaluated. 

2. If pertinent, the adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals 
or the environment to the extent they may be adversely affected by the 
project proposed in the application.

3. Appropriateness of the budget estimates in relation to the proposed 
research training plans.


Schedule:
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:    December 10, 1999
Application Receipt Date:         January 14, 2000
Peer Review Date:                 March/April 2000
Council Review:                   May 2000
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:  June 1, 2000

AWARD CRITERIA

The criteria that will be used to make the award decisions include the 
scientific, technical and educational merit of the application as determined 
by peer review, the likelihood that the proposal will contribute to the 
achievement of the MIRT program’s objectives and the availability of funds.

INQUIRIES

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:

Barbara Sina, Ph.D.
Division of International Training and Research
Fogarty International Center
Building 31 Room B2C39
31 Center Drive MSC2220
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-1653
FAX: (301) 402-0779
Email: barbara_sina@nih.gov

Direct Inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Susan Bettendorf
Division of International Training and Research
Fogarty International Center
Building 31 Room B2C39
31 Center Drive MSC2220
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-1653
FAX: (301) 402-0779
Email: susan_bettendorf@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 
93.106.  Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service 
Act, Title IV. Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 
USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal 
Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  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 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 portions 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.

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
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