Short and Sweet: Selling Your Science in 12 Pages ASBMR Grant Writing Workshop Friday, 15 October 2010 Toronto, ON Jane E. Aubin, Ph.D. Dept of Molecular Genetics Centre for Modeling Human Disease University of Toronto

THE MAIN CONCERN OF A GRANTS REVIEW PANEL IS TO SEPARATE THE OUTSTANDING FROM THE MERELY REALLY GOOD BY ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING: WHAT HASN’T CHANGED? Significance: Is the question being asked really significant? Does anyone care what the answer is? Investigator: Are you the person who can answer it? Innovation: Is the proposal innovative? Is it a really novel question and/or are you proposing to answer it in really novel ways? Approach: Is the proposal feasible? Environment: Is where you’re doing the work enhancing your chances of getting novel answers? weaknesses Considering all the strengths and weaknesses, can you convince the reviewer that your proposal will exert a sustained powerful influence on the field?

1. To get the panel excited about the project - the question is interesting/important/novel and this proposal is so terrific, and the answer will have such impact, it just has to be funded 2. To demonstrate that the project is built on a great foundation - progress/published work (yours/others) - preliminary data; feasibility of what is proposed 3. To convince the panel that you can do the work - your track record - your research team - resources available (environment) - how well you’ve written your story in the grant WHAT HASN’T CHANGED? YOUR GOALS re: REVIEWERS CONCERNS

WHAT HASN’T CHANGED “The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure, and the intelligent full of doubt” - Bertrand Russell Why we don’t enjoy writing grants You can do it! GOOD GRANT WRITING IS FORMULAIC, LEARNABLE

WHAT HAS CHANGED YOUR FORMULA HAS CHANGED AND YOU NEED TO LEARN THE NEW ONE where you used to have 25 pages, now you have 12 (also have Specific Aims (1 page)) but it’s not just about writing shorter proposals, the emphasis has changed “If in the past, the devil was in the details, that devil is gone!” lengthy “boring” published or experimental details are trumped by significance, innovation, impact

WHAT HAS CHANGED OLD NEW THE RESEARCH PLAN THE RESEARCH STRATEGY Background and SignificanceSignificance-Less detailed history of a field/more about why something is significant Preliminary Studies and ProgressGone (see Approach) Report Innovation-It’s no longer buried! Are the concepts or approaches novel/paradigm-shifting? Research DesignApproach-Preliminary studies and Methodology progress are wrapped into Approach; is the rationale clear; are the overall strategies, methods, analyses well- conceived and appropriate for the goals (feasible); are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented?

WHAT HAS CHANGED How logically and seamlessly does your story flow between Significance-Innovation-Approach? Significance - Why you want to do the studies proposed Innovation - What makes your studies novel Approach - How you want to meet your proposed objectives If you can address these questions compellingly in one page (Specific Aims), you can write your story in 12 pages!

WHAT HAS CHANGED NEW Specific Aims - Start here! A crucial page! Get this page right! State the goals and the expected outcomes, including the impact that the results will have on the field List the specific objectives to test an hypothesis, solve a problem, challenge a paradigm, address a critical barrier to progress or develop a new technology - Create interest by describing SIGNIFICANCE - Demonstrate INNOVATION and NOVELTY - Articulate expected IMPACT on the field

WHAT HAS CHANGED NEW Specific Aims - A crucial page! Start here! Significance : Why you want to do the studies proposed The Formula: 1-2 sentences: Introduce the big picture, and an important challenge or uncertainty in the field or area being studied 2-3 sentences: Expand on the challenge/uncertainty and what is currently being done to solve it 2-3 sentences: Concisely summarize the gap or hurdle or barrier that your proposal will address and, by doing so, advance the field This is where you make the reviewer INTERESTED AND EXCITED!

WHAT HAS CHANGED NEW Specific Aims - A crucial page! Start here! Innovation: What makes your studies novel The Formula: 1-2 sentences: Propose an approach to solving the challenge or uncertainty you identified. Explain why your approach is novel or innovative. 2-3 sentences: Explain why you (and your team) are positioned to solve the challenge or uncertainty. State your progress: Cite one or more of your previous papers on the subject, or point to unpublished work. State clearly how your field will benefit from what you propose. This is where you emphasize the NOVELTY of your approach, its INNOVATION, and why YOU are positioned to do it.

WHAT HAS CHANGED NEW Specific Aims - A single crucial page! Start here! Approach: How you want to meet your proposed objectives The Formula: 1 phrase: To accomplish [the overall objective/goal], we will use the following specific aims: Aim 1: To achieve [objective/goal 1 of WHAT you wish to do], we will [explain HOW you will do it]. You may wish to include subaims, but use the same outline. Aim 2: To achieve [objective/goal 2 of WHAT you wish to do], we will [explain HOW you will do it], etc. Maximum 2-4 Aims 1 sentence: The Denouement: Remind readers why the studies are significant and why successful completion of the goals will advance the field. Together, this is how you emphasize expected IMPACT.

WHAT HASN’T CHANGED Start EARLY! Set up an internal peer review committee Imitate great style - Get copies of a couple of great grants. What did they do? How did they say it? Use 1st person, expository style. Get it down! Don’t caress sentences forever! 1. Get it down 2. Get it right 3. Get it pretty 4. Get it out!

The need for compelling proposal construction Base the 12 pages on the Specific Aims page. Tell an integrated story that engages the reader: Significance-Innovation-Approach Write the Approach around each Specific Aim For each Specific Aim, identify your Objective/Goal, your Rationale, your Approaches/Methods and the Progress that will allow you to move forward; state your Expected Outcomes, Potential Problems, Alternative Strategies, but avoid unnecessary details. Use figures wisely and selectively. Be bold but realistic; stay focused; don’t be overly- ambitious WHAT HASN’T CHANGED

Productivity (number and quality of papers) Number of other grants The independence issue Your research team: each member has a clearly-stated and appropriate role and the expertise required The need to place yourself in a strong position WHAT HASN’T CHANGED

Sometimes, you aren’t funded! “If at first you don’t succeed, then sky- diving is not for you” - W. Smith, Globe and Mail

References NIH Web Sites CIHR Web Site