Sections of a standard grant proposal: Emphasis on Specific Aims

Brought to you from BUSPH Deborah Bowen, PhD Professor and Chair Community Health Sciences Director Prevention Research Center Roberta F. White, PhD Professor and Chair Environmental Health Associate Dean for Research BUSPH

Scientific sections Project summary/abstract Specific aims Significance Innovation Approach (References, Human subjects, animals)

Abstract/project summary Clear summary of study Minimize jargon Highpoints: Context Importance (scientific, clinical) Uniqueness Innovation Translation

Specific aims-1 Very specific, concrete Scientific aims, not process aims Between 1-4 aims Worded to convey exactly what you are going to get from the studies Describe substantial body of work that can be accomplished methodologically and with requested resources--be careful of being “overly ambitious” in aims

Specific aims--2 Aims often preceded by text that links to national or big picture science: state why study will produce new science, how it is innovative Aims often followed by summary methods paragraph that may include clinical/translational applications of findings Some people imbed hypotheses in aims

Significance Provides the why and the so what of the grant Shaped like a V, from general to specific Often one third of the grant text Identifies the scientific area, argues that you can fill the gap with your studies

Innovation This section has to knock the reviewers’ socks off with excitement Often formatted in hard hitting, clear and snappy bullets Often begins with the phrase, This project is innovative because: and then lists a set of bulleted innovations

Preliminary studies go anywhere! Made to answer the “why you” part of this grant Filled with unpublished and preliminary data – yours and others A place where you can show off a little and provide evidence of your readiness

Approach Here is where you tell them how you will do it Needs to be orderly, detailed, referenced, clear Needs to address any thought of “How?” Careful use of appendix here is often necessary

Audiences Title/abstract Whole grant Abstract/Specific aims Review section administrators Agency/institute project officers Whole grant Primary, secondary, tertiary reviewers (include quotable sections addressing as many review criteria as possible) Abstract/Specific aims Other members of study section or review committee

Aims example (funded R01) Specific aims are as follows: To evaluate the mediating cross-sectional effects of material resources (e.g., walkability of neighborhood, availability of healthy foods; cost of food);psychosocial context (e.g., body image, norms of family and culture);and stress process (e.g., mood, sleep disturbance, cortisol) in the relationship between SES, weight-related behaviors (physical activity and eating patterns) and BMI in middle-age women To evaluate the relationship between SES and change in weight over a 3-year period To evaluate longitudinally the mediating effects of material resources, psychosocial context, and the stress process in the relationship between SES, weight-related behaviors, BMI and central adiposity in middle aged women. Middle-aged obesity in women as relates to SES and other factors Focus on Hispanic women

Aims example (funded R21) Thus, the specific aims of this proposal are to: 1) create a package of proven health promotion and prevention interventions that is culturally appropriate in AI/AN workplace settings; 2) test the feasibility of implementing this package in 4 different types of AI/AN workplaces; and 3) evaluate its acceptability and usability. R21 on American Indian/Alaska Native people, health dispartities and intervention approaches

Aims example 3 (funded R01) Specific Aim 1: Obtain repeated measurements of PBDEs in consumer products (source), dust samples (microenvironments), personal air and hand-wipe samples (personal exposure), and human serum (total absorbed dose): a. Recruit a cohort of 50 adults from different households in the Boston (MA) metropolitan area; b. Develop and administer a questionnaire on potential PBDE sources in three microenvironments (home, workplace, car) and other potential determinants of PBDE exposure (e.g., age, diet, activity patterns); c. Estimate PBDEs in potential sources (e.g., furniture, carpet, electronics) from three microenvironments using a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to measure bromine as a surrogate for PBDEs; d. Measure PBDEs in dust samples collected from three microenvironments; Study on how people are exposed to flame retardants that have health effects

Example 3--2 Measure PBDEs in personal air samples and hand-wipe samples collected from each participant; Collect a venous blood sample for the analysis of PBDEs as a measure of total absorbed dose, and for the analysis of hormone levels as a potential measure of early effect; Repeat sub-aims (b) through (f) twice more at six month intervals for a total of three sampling rounds; When possible, obtain a hand-wipe sample and blood sample from a child in the same households as the adults;