Pearls to get your grants funded Steven Kornblau

NCI Grant Allocations 2011 Career Awards $74 million Research Awards $1.63 Billion $414 to new grants

2012 Data Funding applications up, # funded way down Success rate P01 21 of 96 awarded 22% 43 mil R of % 256 mil R of % 46 mil U01 29 of % 29 mil – RO1 7% or better all funded. Virtually none >18% – R21 8% all -12% down to 50% get funded What is currently funded – 1711 RO1 – 52 P01 – 41 U01 – U54 24

How does the NCI Score ? 9 point scale 1= outstanding….9 Abysmal 5 factors, all not weighted equally 2012 range for funded – Significance – Investigator – Approach2-3.3 – Innovation – Environment

What score do I need to get funded? RO1 – 7% or lower all got funded. – 8% or higher, 60, 40, 20% virtually none >18% R21 – 8% or lower all got funded – Down to 12%, 50% get funded, nil >12%

Significance Must be relevant to Human cancers Will it advance the field ?

Investigator Not much variation among the funded grants, so it can’t help but can hurt you Use the personal statement in the Biosketch to really sell yourself – Why you are the right person for this research – That you have enough (unique!) expertise

Approach They like hypothesis driven – They hate Fishing expeditions Must have supporting preliminary data How will you verify? Include “enough” methodology details – The goldilocks point is hard to define – Just because a method is standard they need to see that YOU can do it It works in your setting Address pitfalls – Don’t assume it will work – What will you do if it doesn’t work? Maintain FOCUS Include a timeline

Innovation Novel technology? – Novel application of existing technology? Conceptually novel? Novel reagents? Check the literature to make sure that what you are proposing wasn’t already published – If it was, then you better have a really convincing argument of why your study is needed Check the NCI website to make sure that they have not already funded something similar

Environment There is not a lot of variation in the environment score among funded grants – It can’t help you but it can sure hurt you! Make sure you have letters of support from your : – Institution – document that you have resources – Collaborators, Consultants

Write for your reviewers Assume they know very little about your area Think about when they will read your grant – After hours, weekends, on the plane to a conference, distracted by family, TV etc, They are tired, possibly ignorant & maybe had a drink or two – Guess what will happen if you try to make them read something scientifically obtuse! Therefore – Use simple sentence structure – GRAMMAR COUNTS in exceedingly large amounts – Make ideas clear and easy to absorb – Tell then clearly what you want them to learn form each sentence or figure, don’t make (let) them draw the conclusions for themselves – Figures must be SIMPLE, CLEAR, READABLE don’t use tiny fonts – afa

Some strategies Only 1 resubmit- so don’t submit prematurely Local review – Bounce the ideas off others in your dept or area. – Show them prelim data and Specific aims before you write. – Take their advice If they see holes, so will the reviewer If they say an aim is weak, believe them Follow all rules – Page limits: Write as much as you need first. Make sure you get all the ideas down, then trim to fit. Otherwise you will omit key details. – Dates: Make sure you leave enough time for your institution to process it. Don’t wait until the last Grammar and style review – Does your institution provide it? If not pay for one. Local peer review- preferably someone unfamiliar with your area. – If they can’t understand it you are in trouble Don’t fall in love with what you wrote, be willing to accept criticism im u n e t

Pre-Contact with the NCI/NIH Pick a study section that you think is right for your grant – DO NOT GO IN BLIND – Look at what they are funding, does yours fit? – Look at the SS roster. Do you know people on it? looking for experts in your arena Not looking for friends, they will have to leave anyway. – NIH/NCI will usually honor your request Call the program officer or science officer when you have the idea – Is this the right SS for you? – Do they have suggestions?

Cover letter Suggest the center/institute Identify – Any conflicts in the study section roster – Areas of expertise needed by the reviewer for a fair review of your grant – Special situations DO NOT suggest who should review your grant