Consider the New RM1 Broad Funding Opportunity for Your Team Science Project

Many research questions in biomedical science can be pursued by single investigators and their close collaborators. However, some scientific problems require investigators with complementary expertise to work as an integrated, interdependent team. 

The newly issued Collaborative Program Grant for Interdisciplinary Teams (RM1 - CT Optional) (PAR-27-003) broad funding announcement brings several NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) together to support this type of integrated team science to address complex and challenging research goals. In the Team Science RM1, the members of the team do not have separate projects the way they do in a program project grant (P01) but instead work together to achieve the shared goal, which will be more ambitious in scope than the aims in a typical multi-PI R01 project. 

Strong applications for Team Science RM1 projects are generally: 

• Built around a problem, where combined expertise of investigators is essential to achieving the scientific objective, not simply complementary contributions that could proceed independently
• Designed for interdependence, as separating the investigators into individual projects could fundamentally limit or prevent the proposed science
• Assembled with the expertise a problem requires and may involve established or new collaborations
• Support goals that can be achieved in 5-10 years
• Planned around trust and shared vision for the team, with thoughtful approaches to leadership, decision-making, communication, resource allocation, and professional credit
• Inclusive of different career stages and various perspectives as part of the integrated team

Peer reviewers will assess whether the science truly requires a team approach. In addition to scientific and technical merit, reviewers will consider:

• Whether the research goal calls for the high level of integration described in the funding opportunity, and could not simply be accomplished through separate projects
• How intentionally and cohesively the proposed work integrates scientific frameworks, technical approaches, and team coordination
• The effectiveness of the leadership management plan 

If an integrated, synergistic team is needed, and the research exceeds the scope of a multi-PI project, the Team Science RM1 grant may be worth considering. Prospective applicants should review the announcement in its entirety, check available submission dates, and are encouraged to contact the relevant participating ICO staff before applying. Please also review the ICO profile pages to better understand their research priorities, missions, and other relevant funding policies.