and Human Services (HHS)
EXPIRED
Department of Health and Human Services
Participating
Organizations
National
Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of
Participating Organizations
This FOA is developed as an NIH Roadmap Initiative, http://nihroadmap.nih.gov. All NIH
Institutes and Centers are participating. This FOA is being administered by
the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) on behalf of NIH.
Title: 2010 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
Program (DP2)
Announcement
Type
This
is a reissue of RFA-RM-09-003.
Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:
Request for Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-RM-09-011
NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four (4) weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.310
Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: August 26,
2009
Opening Date: September 27, 2009 (Earliest date an
application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not applicable
NOTE: On-time submission requires that applications be successfully
submitted to Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization).
Application Due Date(s): October 27, 2009
Peer Review
Date(s): March-April
2010
Council Review Date(s): May 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): September 30,
2010
Additional
Information To Be Available Date (Activation Date): August 27, 2009 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/newinnovator/faq.asp
Expiration
Date: October 28, 2009
Additional
Overview Content
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part
II Full Text of Announcement
Section
I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research
Objectives
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other-Special Eligibility Criteria
Section
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Request
Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Receipt, Review, and Anticipated
Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Resource Sharing Plan(s)
3.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award
Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3.
Reporting
Section VII. Agency
Contacts
1.
Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review
Contact(s)
3. Financial/Grants
Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other
Information - Required Federal Citations
Part II
- Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1.
Research Objectives
This
Common Fund initiative is part of a series of programs known collectively as
the NIH Roadmap (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/). Roadmap programs are designed to foster new ways of doing research, to fill
fundamental knowledge gaps, and to encourage risk taking to solve complex
problems. The overarching criterion for Roadmap programs is that they are
expected to transform the way research is conducted across the spectrum of
health research. The programs in their entirety therefore do not address
specific diseases, although individual awards within a program may be
disease-specific. The New Innovator Award Program is designed to support
early stage investigators of exceptional
creativity who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that
have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in
biomedical and behavioral research. The term award is used to mean a grant
for conducting research, rather than a reward for past achievements. Biomedical
and behavioral research is defined broadly in this announcement as encompassing
scientific investigations in the biological, behavioral, clinical, social,
physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical sciences.
The research proposed for a New Innovator Award may be in any scientific area relevant to the mission of NIH (biological, behavioral, clinical, social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical sciences) but need not be in a conventional biomedical or behavioral discipline. The focus is on innovation and potential impact.
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal
Citations, for policies related to this
announcement.
Section
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
This FOA will use the DP2 award
mechanism. The Project Director/Principal Investigator
(PD/PI) will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and
executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses Just-in-Time information concepts (see SF424 (R&R) Application Guide). Budgets are not required.
2.
Funds Available
This is a Roadmap initiative. The NIH
Common Fund has set aside sufficient funds in FY2010 to provide at least 33
awards, contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a
sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Awards will be for $300,000 in direct costs each year for five years, plus applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs to be determined at the time of award.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1.
Eligible Applicants
1.A.
Eligible Institutions
The following
organizations/institutions are eligible to apply:
Foreign (non-U.S.) organizations are not eligible to apply.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI), and who meets the eligibility criteria below, is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Women and members of groups underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research are especially encouraged to apply.
Applicants must meet the definition of an Early Stage Investigator (ESI). An ESI is a new investigator (defined as a PD/PI who has not competed successfully for a significant NIH independent research award) who is within 10 years of completing his/her terminal research degree or is within 10 years of completing medical residency (or the equivalent). An extension to the 10-year period may be granted under special circumstances (e.g., family care responsibilities, extended periods of clinical training, disability or illness, etc). To request an extension, an applicant MUST complete the Form for Requesting an Extension in the Early Stage Investigator (ESI) Period (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/esi_extension_add.htm).
Applicants are responsible for reviewing and/or updating their degree information in their eRA Commons account in a timely fashion (refer to NIH Notice, NOT-OD-09-021). Applicants should allow two weeks for an extension request to be processed. NOTE: If an applicant is not identified as an ESI in the eRA Commons, it may result in the application not being reviewed.
Applicants also must hold an independent research position at a domestic (U.S.) institution as of September 19, 2010. For the purpose of this FOA, independent research position means a position that automatically confers eligibility, by the applicant’s institutional policy, for an investigator to apply for R01 grants, with an appropriate commitment of facilities to be used for the conduct of the proposed research. Investigators still in training or mentored status (postdoctoral fellows) are not eligible to apply unless they have a written commitment of an independent faculty position as of September 19, 2010 that is certified by submission of the application from that institution.
Applicants must never have been the PI on an R01 or equivalent grant (e.g., R23, R29, R33, R42, R44, DP1, DP2, U01, P01 or center grant) or leader of a P01 or center grant peer-reviewed project that was reviewed in the applicant’s name. Multiple PIs have the same leadership status on grants as individual PIs; therefore, applicants who have served as one of multiple PIs on any ineligible grant are no longer considered new investigators and are not eligible to apply for a New Innovator Award. Applicants may submit or have an R01 (or other equivalent) grant application pending concurrently with their New Innovator Award application. However, if that pending grant is awarded in Fiscal Year 2010 with a start date of September 30 or earlier, the applicant is no longer eligible to receive the New Innovator Award. A PD/PI who received a 2-year R01 with ARRA funds with a start date of September 30, 2010 or earlier, a Challenge Grant (RC1) with a start date of September 30, 2010 or earlier, or a GO Grant (RC2) with a start date of September 30, 2010 or earlier, either as the submitting PI or as a PI on a multi-PI application, is not eligible for a New Innovator Award.
Awardees are required to commit at least 25% of their research effort each year to activities supported by the New Innovator Award. Women and members of groups underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research are especially encouraged to apply. Investigators who were not selected for an award in prior years may submit applications this year as long as they meet all eligibility requirements. All applications must be submitted as new applications regardless of any previous submission to the program.
There are no citizenship or residency requirements.
For more detail regarding eligibility requirements, see FAQs on the New Innovator web site at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/newinnovator/.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as defined in the current NIH Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
Number
of Applications. Applicants may
submit only one application as a PD/PI in response to this FOA. There is no
limit to the number of applications that an institution may submit.
Number
of PDs/PIs. Only one PD/PI (i.e., no
multiple PDs/PIs) may be designated on the application.
Resubmissions. Resubmission applications are not permitted.
Renewals. Renewal applications are not
permitted. All applications will be considered new applications, regardless
of any previous applications to the New Innovator Award Program.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
To
download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application
Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, use the Apply for
Grant Electronically button in this FOA or link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow the directions
provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
PDs/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the NIH eRA Commons.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Registered
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
Both the PDs/PI and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application Information
Applicants
must download the SF424 (R&R) application forms and the SF424 (R&R)
Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply. Applicants will
be presented with a list of 10 application packages which correspond to 10
broad scientific areas as listed in section 2 below. Applicants must choose one
of these packages and thereby designate an area of science for their
application.
Note: Only the forms package directly attached to a specific FOA can be used.
You will not be able to use any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample
forms, forms from another FOA), although some of the "Attachment"
files may be useable for more than one FOA.
For further assistance,
contact GrantsInfo -- Telephone 301-710-0267; Email: [email protected].
Telecommunications for
the hearing impaired: TTY: (301) 451-5936
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms modified as outlined below and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply .
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. Some fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The exceptions from the
SF424 instructions and detailed information on the application structure and
components are provided in section IV.6, Other Submission Requirements. All applicants
must follow the specific instructions in that section.
The SF424 (R&R) application has several components. Some components are
required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY includes all applicable
components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this
FOA includes the data in the following components:
Required Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover
component)
Research & Related
Project/Performance Site Locations
Research & Related Other
Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
Optional Components:
PHS398 Cover Letter File
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
All application instructions outlined in the SF 424
(R&R) Application Guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/SF424_RR_Guide_General_Ver2.pdf) are to be followed,
incorporating Just-in-Time information concepts, with the following
exceptions, which are specific requirements for New Innovator Award
applications. Applications that do not conform to the specific instructions
detailed below will not be reviewed.
The following documents must be attached to
the application: Abstract, Public Health Relevancy Statement, Essay,
Biographical Sketch (PD/PI only), List of Current and Pending Research Support,
a Facilities Statement, and, if applicable, plans for Human and Vertebrate
Animal Subjects. All documents must be in PDF format and must comply with page
limits shown below. No additional documents should be uploaded to the
application. (See detailed information on each component below)
1. AREA
OF SCIENCE DESIGNATION
In order to assist NIH staff in assigning applications to the most appropriate
reviewers, applicants must designate their area of science by choosing one
application package in Grants.gov from ten packages corresponding to the
following science areas:
01 Behavioral and Social Sciences
02 Chemical Biology
03 Clinical and
Translational Research
04 Epidemiology
05 Immunology
06 Instrumentation
and Engineering
07 Molecular and Cellular Biology
08 Neuroscience
09 Physiology and
Integrative Systems
10 Quantitative and
Computational Biology
Download the application package that best describes your area of proposed research. You may download and submit only one of the ten application packages.
The application requirements and instructions are identical for all ten packages and are described further in the sections that follow. The only difference between the packages is the indicated category of scientific research. The selection of scientific area by applicants is solely to aid in selection of the most appropriate group of peer reviewers and does not in itself affect an application’s funding potential. All ten scientific areas are considered as a single competition, are reviewed in the same time period, and compete for a single source of funds.
2. SF424 (R&R) COVER COMPONENT
Item Number 8. Type of Application: Must be New .
Item Number 13. Proposed Project: Enter start date: 09/30/2010; Enter end date: 7/31/2015.
Item Number 16. Estimated Project Funding: Enter $1,500,000.
Item Number 16a. Total Estimated Project Funding: Enter $1,500,000. (See note below.)
Item Number 16b. Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds: Enter $1,500,000.
Note: The Budget Request is entered only on Line 16a and b, as described above.
Funds may be requested for personnel (including co-investigators and
collaborators), supplies, equipment, sub-contracts, and other allowable costs.
Only the five-year total $1.5 million -- should be entered on Line 16a and b.
Applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs will be determined at
the time of award and should not be included in the budget request. A detailed
budget is not requested and will not be accepted.
3. R&R Other Project Information Component:
Item Number 1. Are Human Subjects Involved? If Yes , upload plan for protection of human subjects to Item 11, Other Attachments, on this form.
Item Number 2. Are Vertebrate Animals Used? If Yes, upload plan for protection of vertebrate animal subjects to Item 11, Other Attachments, on this form.
Item Number 6. Project Summary/Abstract: Attach abstract of 300 words or less describing the goals, significance, and potential impact of the project. Text only no figures, animations, or Web links are allowed.
Item Number 7. Project Narrative: Attach Public Health Relevance Statement: In 2 3 sentences using plain language, describe how the proposed research can positively impact public health.
Item Number 8. Bibliography & References Cited: Do not use. Reference citations are not required, but may be included in the essay and are included in the ten-page limit.
Item Number 9. Facilities & Other Resources: Do not use. Include a brief statement of the facilities to be used for the conduct of the research in the List of Current and Pending Research Support document.
Item Number 10. Equipment: Do not use.
Item Number 11. Other Attachments: All applicants must attach the Essay. If appropriate, applicants must also attach plans for protection of human subjects and/or vertebrate animals.
1) Essay: An essay of no more than 10 pages that addresses (1) the significance and potential impact of the project, (2) what makes the approaches exceptionally innovative and how the applicant will address risks and challenges, and (3) the applicant’s qualifications for this award. The essay should begin with a statement of the significance and potential impact of the project. The description of the scientific plan should be written with a level of detail appropriate for reviewers who are broadly knowledgeable but who may not be directly involved in the proposed area of research. To focus the essay on the goals of the New Innovator Award program and the review criteria for applications, presentation of the proposed research as a series of specific aims is discouraged. Preliminary data are allowed but not required. Bibliographic citations (references), figures, and illustrations may be included, but must fit within the 10-page limit. The essay should include the following sections within the 10-page limit, in the following order, with the headings shown:
1. Project description: Describe the scientific problem that you propose to address, its importance, and how solving this problem would have a major impact on a broad area of biomedical/behavioral science. Why is the planned research uniquely suited to the New Innovator Award program, rather than a traditional grant mechanism? How is this project distinct from other research that may be supported in your laboratory?
2. Innovativeness: State clearly and concisely what makes your project unusually innovative. If the approaches entail a high degree of risk, what will you do if these approaches are not successful?
3. Investigator qualifications: Provide evidence to support your claim of innovativeness and creativity in your research. For example, which personal qualities and experiences demonstrate your inclination to challenge paradigms and take intellectual risks, develop unique collaborations, integrate diverse sources of information, or develop novel approaches when new challenges or opportunities arise?
2.) Human/Vertebrate Animal Subjects Information: If appropriate, separately attach human subjects/vertebrate animal subjects information.
NOTE: Applicants may need to upload up to three documents in Field 11 of this application component as follows: 1) Essay; 2) Human subjects information; and 3) Animal subjects information. Applicants uploading more than one document to this field may receive a warning stating that the maximum number of documents has been exceeded. This warning should be ignored as it does not apply to New Innovator Award applications.
4. SF424 (R & R) SENIOR/KEY PERSON PROFILE COMPONENT:
Profile PD/PI Attach Biographical Sketch: Complete items only for Project Director/Principal Investigator. Do not submit profiles for other senior/key personnel. Attach PD/PI’s biographical sketch, two pages maximum, following the sample format shown in the URL in Section 4.5.2 of the Application Guide, omitting Section C, Research Support.) No other biographical sketches are to be submitted.
Profile PD/PI Attach Current and Pending Support: Attach a list of Current and Pending Support from all sources, including current year direct costs and percent effort devoted to each project. Use the format shown in Section 3.1.8 of the Application Guide. A statement must be included that, if chosen to receive an award, the applicant will commit a minimum of 25% of his/her research effort to the project supported by the New Innovator Award. Applicants must also include a brief statement of the facilities to be used for the conduct of the research.
Profile Senior Key Person 1: Do not use. Submit information only for PD/PI. Information on collaborators or other key personnel is not required but may be included in the Essay.
5. PHS 398 Cover Letter (Optional):
Cover letters should be included only when submitting late applications or Changed/Corrected applications after the submission deadline. Do not submit cover letters for initial submissions or for changed/corrected applications submitted before the submission deadline. The cover letter should contain only the following information:
PD/PI name; Funding Opportunity Title: 2010 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program (DP2); and an explanation of the reason for the late submission.
(See full instructions for submitting the Cover Letter Component in Section 5.2 of the Application Guide. Note: Items 3 6 of the Guide do not apply to New Innovator Award applications.)
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections:
Not applicable.
Appendix Materials:
Appendices are not allowed and will not be accepted. Applications that contain attachments other than those specified may be rejected during the agency validation process.
3.
Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A. for details.
3.A. Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates
Opening Date: September
27, 2009 (Earliest
date an application may be submitted to Grants.gov)
Application Due Date(s): October 27, 2009
Peer Review
Date(s): March-April 2010
Council Review
Date(s): May 2010
Earliest
Anticipated Start Date(s): September 30,
2010
3.B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the
NIH
To submit an application in response to this
FOA, applicants should access this FOA via http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp and follow Steps 1-4. Note: Applications must
only be submitted electronically. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE
ACCEPTED.
3.C.
Application Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be
successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization) on the application due date(s). (See Section IV.3.A. for all dates.) If an application is not submitted by the due date(s)
and time, the application may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two weekdays (Monday Friday, excluding Federal holidays) to view the application image to determine if any further action is necessary.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the CSR and responsiveness by the IC. Incomplete and non-responsive applications will not be reviewed.
There will be an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commons https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/. The submitting AOR/SO receives the Grants.gov acknowledgments. The AOR/SO and the PI receive Commons acknowledgments. Information related to the assignment of an application to a Scientific Review Group is also in the Commons.
Note: Since email can be unreliable, it is the responsibility of the applicant to check periodically on the application status in the Commons.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.
4.
Intergovernmental Review
This initiative is not
subject to intergovernmental review.
5.
Funding Restrictions
All NIH awards are
subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations
described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Pre-award
costs are allowable. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior
approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days
before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or renewal
award if such costs: 1) are necessary to conduct the project, and 2) would be
allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If specific
expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain
NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required for any
costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial
budget period of a new or renewal award.
The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a
competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make
the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made
for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award
costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs
result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not
impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the
approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project
(see the NIH Grants Policy
Statement).
6. Other Submission Requirements
PD/PI Credential (e.g., Agency Login)
The NIH requires the PD(s)/PI(s) to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component.
Organizational DUNS
The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections
Not applicable.
Appendix Materials
Appendices are not allowed and will not be accepted. Applications that contain attachments other than those specified may be rejected during the agency validation process.
Resource Sharing Plan(s)The following resource sharing plans will be requested as just-in-time information if an award is being considered:
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only
the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.
2. Review and
Selection Process
Applications that are complete and responsive to this FOA will compete for available funds with all other applications submitted in response to this FOA. Applications will be reviewed in two phases by a multidisciplinary scientific review group of outside experts convened by NIGMS on behalf of the Office of the Director, NIH, and in accordance with NIH peer review procedures (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/peer), using the review criteria stated below. Applications will initially be evaluated for scientific and technical merit. Subsequently, an editorial-style panel will consider the applications and the comments of the initial reviewers to select those applications that they deem to be the most meritorious. These will be discussed, and the panel will determine impact/priority scores for them. Applications that the panel considers less meritorious will not be discussed. The Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), NIH, will conduct the final level of review. The Director, NIH, will make the final selection of awardees based on the outcomes of the scientific peer review, the recommendations of the ACD, and programmatic considerations. Final selection of awardees will be in July 2010.
Applications that are not selected for the second phase of review will receive summary statements with brief reviewer comments. These applications will be designated as Not Discussed and will not receive a numerical impact/priority score. Applications selected for the second phase of review will receive summary statements with brief reviewer comments and a numerical impact/priority score. Criterion scores will not be provided for any application.
The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
The mission of the NIH is to support science in pursuit of knowledge about the biology and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. As part of this mission, applications submitted to the NIH for grants or cooperative agreements to support biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
The review criteria for New Innovator Award applications will emphasize the importance and potential impact of the scientific problems in biomedical and behavioral research, the novelty and innovativeness of the approach, and evidence of the applicant’s potential for creative and innovative research as a new investigator.
The following core review criteria also will be used in assessing the merit of applications:
Significance. Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?
Investigator(s). Is the PD/PI well suited to the project? If an Early Stage Investigator or New Investigator, does s/he have appropriate experience and training? If established, has s/he demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)?
Innovation. Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?
Approach. Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?
Environment. Will the scientific environment in which the
work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the
institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the
investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit
from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or
collaborative arrangements?
Additional Review Criteria. As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider the following additional items in the determination of scientific and technical merit.
Protections for Human Subjects. For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials.
Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children. When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children.
Vertebrate Animals. The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia.
Biohazards. Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
Additional Review Considerations. As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will address each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.
Budget and Period Support. Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
Select Agent Research. Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).
Resource
Sharing Plans. Will be expected if an award is
considered likely, or an explanation of why sharing is not possible.
3. Anticipated
Announcement and Award Dates
Applicants will be notified whether their application has
or has not been selected for the second phase of review in March 2010. Awardees will be notified in July 2010, and awards will begin September 30,
2010.
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1.
Award Notices
If the application is under consideration
for funding, NIH will request just-in-time information from the applicant.
For details, applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part
II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General
.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award
(NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization. The NoA signed by the
grants management officer is the authorizing document. Once all administrative
and programmatic issues have been resolved, the NoA will be generated via email
notification from the awarding component to the grantee business official.
Selection of an application for award is not an
authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the
NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the
extent considered allowable pre-award costs. See Section IV.5., Funding
Restrictions.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All NIH grant
and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards,
Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and
Activities.
The following terms and conditions will be incorporated into the NoA and will be provided to the PD/PI and the appropriate institutional official at the time of award.
1. This award provides funding for an application submitted in response to RFA-OD-09-011. This grant should be administered in accordance with the guidelines described in this specific announcement. These guidelines are in addition to the standard Terms and Conditions referenced in Section III of this Notice of Grant Award.
2a. When issuing statements, press releases, and other documents describing projects or programs funded as a NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, please use the following acknowledgement: "This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health through the NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program, grant number DP2-OD-xxxxxx. Information on the New Innovator Award Program is at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/newinnovator/.
2b. As indicated in the FOA, awardees are expected to commit at least 25% of their research effort to the project supported by the New Innovator Award.
2c. Awardees are expected to attend an annual symposium
in the Bethesda, MD, area.
3. Reporting
Awardees will be
required to submit the Non-Competing
Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
Awardees will be required to submit a scientific progress report on June 1 of each year describing the progress made under this grant and to submit a final progress report, Final Invention Statement, and Financial Status Report at the end of the budget/project period.
A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is terminated.
We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research (program), peer review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s):
Ravi Basavappa, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, Room 2As19e, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-0828
Email: [email protected] (e-mail
is the strongly preferred method for inquiries)
2. Peer Review Contact(s):
Richard Okita, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, Room 2As49, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-3827
Email: [email protected] (e-mail is the strongly preferred method for
inquiries)
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s):
Marcia
F. Cohn
Grants Management Officer
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, MSC 6200
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Phone: 301-594-3918
FAX: 301-480-2554
Email: [email protected]
Section VIII. Other Information
Required Federal Citations
Use of Animals
in Research:
Recipients of PHS support for activities involving
live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf) as mandated by the Health
Research Extension Act of 1985 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm), and the USDA Animal
Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm) as applicable.
Human Subjects
Protection:
Federal regulations (45 CFR 46) require that
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against
these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others,
and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety
Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types
of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies
(Phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative
trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The
establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for
multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks
to the participants ( NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking
$500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a
plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing). Investigators should seek
guidance from their institutions, on issues related to institutional policies
and local institutional review board (IRB) rules, as well as local, State and
Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy Rule. Reviewers will
consider the data sharing plan but will not factor the plan into the
determination of the scientific merit or the priority score.
Policy for Genome-Wide
Association Studies (GWAS):
NIH is interested in advancing genome-wide association
studies (GWAS) to identify common genetic factors that influence health and
disease through a centralized GWAS data repository. For the purposes of this
policy, a genome-wide association study is defined as any study of genetic
variation across the entire human genome that is designed to identify genetic
associations with observable traits (such as blood pressure or weight), or the
presence or absence of a disease or condition. All applications, regardless of
the amount requested, proposing a genome-wide association study are expected to
provide a plan for submission of GWAS data to the NIH-designated GWAS data
repository, or provide an appropriate explanation why submission to the repository
is not possible. Data repository management (submission and access) is governed
by the Policy for Sharing of Data Obtained in NIH Supported or Conducted
Genome-Wide Association Studies, NIH
Guide NOT-OD-07-088. For additional information,
see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/gwas/
Sharing of Model Organisms:
NIH is committed to support efforts that encourage
sharing of important research resources including the sharing of model
organisms for biomedical research (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/model_organism/index.htm). At the same time the NIH
recognizes the rights of grantees and contractors to elect and retain title to
subject inventions developed with Federal funding pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act
(see the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Beginning October 1, 2004,
all investigators submitting an NIH application or contract proposal are
expected to include in the application/proposal a description of a specific
plan for sharing and distributing unique model organism research resources
generated using NIH funding or state why such sharing is restricted or not
possible. This will permit other researchers to benefit from the resources
developed with public funding. The inclusion of a model organism sharing plan
is not subject to a cost threshold in any year and is expected to be included
in all applications where the development of model organisms is anticipated.
Access to Research Data through the Freedom of
Information Act:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular
A-110 has been revised to provide access to research data through the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are: (1) first
produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds;
and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an
action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be
accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic
scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm. Applicants may wish to
place data collected under this funding opportunity in a public archive, which
can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an
indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description
of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in
the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants
should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human
subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under
this award.
Inclusion of Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
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
clinical research projects unless a clear and compelling justification is
provided indicating 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 clinical research should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html); a complete copy of the
updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. The amended policy incorporates:
the use of an NIH definition of clinical research; updated racial and ethnic
categories in compliance with the new OMB standards; clarification of language
governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials consistent with the SF424
(R&R) application; and updated roles and responsibilities of NIH staff and
the extramural community. The policy continues to require for all NIH-defined
Phase III clinical trials that: a) all applications or proposals and/or
protocols must provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as
appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups,
including subgroups if applicable; and b) investigators must report annual
accrual and progress in conducting analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or
racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of Children as Participants in Clinical Research:
The NIH maintains a policy that children (i.e.,
individuals under the age of 21) must be included in all clinical research,
conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical
reasons not to include them. 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 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH policy requires education on the protection of
human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications
for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key
personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC):
Criteria for Federal funding of research on hESCs can
be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only research using hESC
lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be
eligible for Federal funding (http://escr.nih.gov/). It is the responsibility
of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the
application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s)
to be used in the proposed research.
NIH Public Access Policy Requirement:
In accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy, investigators
funded by the NIH must submit or have submitted for them to the National Library
of Medicine’s PubMed Central (see http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/), an electronic version of their final,
peer-reviewed manuscripts upon acceptance for publication, to be made publicly
available no later than 12 months after the official date of publication. The
NIH Public Access Policy is available at (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html). For more
information, see the Public Access webpage at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/.
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued
final modification to the "Standards for Privacy of Individually
Identifiable Health Information", the "Privacy Rule", on August
14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal regulation under the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection
of individually identifiable health information, and is administered and
enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
Decisions about applicability and implementation of
the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher and his/her institution. The OCR
website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/) provides information on the
Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text and a set of decision tools
on "Am I a covered entity?" Information on the impact of the HIPAA
Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review, funding, and progress
monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and research contracts can be
found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs
in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals
for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. For
publications listed in the appendix and/or Progress report, Internet addresses
(URLs) or PubMed Central (PMC) submission identification numbers must be used
for publicly accessible on-line journal articles. Publicly accessible
on-line journal articles or PMC articles/manuscripts accepted for publication
that are directly relevant to the project may be included only as URLs or PMC submission identification numbers accompanying the full reference
in either the Bibliography & References Cited section, the Progress Report
Publication List section, or the Biographical Sketch section of the NIH grant
application. A URL or PMC submission identification number citation may be
repeated in each of these sections as appropriate. There is no limit to the
number of URLs or PMC submission identification numbers that can be cited.
Healthy People 2010:
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to
achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of
"Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting
priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority areas.
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and Regulations:
This
program is described in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive
Order 12372. Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of
the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal
Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92. All awards are subject
to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described
in the NIH Grants Policy
Statement.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and discourage the 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.
Loan Repayment Programs:
NIH encourages applications for educational loan
repayment from qualified health professionals who have made a commitment to
pursue a research career involving clinical, pediatric, contraception,
infertility, and health disparities related areas. The LRP is an important
component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the next generation of researchers
by providing the means for developing a research career unfettered by the
burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is not required for
eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications are encouraged.
The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing the LRP
recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP awardees must
commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week based on a 40
hour week) for two years to the research. For further information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov/.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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