1. Seeking NIH Funding Research Training & Career Development
ASHA Convention
Thursday November 20, 2014
Orlando, Florida

2. Financial Disclosure Salary as a federal employee (NIH/NIDCD)
Lana Shekim, Ph.D.
Director, Voice and Speech Program

3. Outline Introduction Starting out: Individual research fellowships
Transitioning to an independent investigator: Junior mentored K awards; K99/R00; R03
Useful websites

4. NIH: National Institutes of Health
Seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.
NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs),each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems.

5. Mission of NIDCD
The mission of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is to conduct and support basic and clinical research and research training in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language.

6. Shared interests with other US agencies & other NIH ICs
Voice, Speech & Language (VSL) normal processes (NICHD)
Bilingualism/multilingualism/literacy (NICHD)
Rehabilitation (NCMRR/NICHD)
Swallowing & Dysphagia (NCMRR, NCI, NIA, NINDS, NIDDK, NINR, NHLBI, NIDCR)
Cancer-related (NCI)
Neurologic (NINDS)
Age-related (NIA)
Cranio-facial Anomalies (NIDCR)

7. NIDCD Scientific Programs
Match NIH mission i.e. Discovery for Health
Follow NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) Referral Guidelines
NIDCD Portfolio Balance

8. Preliminary Key Points
The institution where the research is conducted is the applicant/grantee and NOT the investigator
Domestic (US) institution vs foreign institution
Additional NIH review criterion
Eligibility for research training and career development is restricted to US nationals and permanent residents (Green card holders except for the NIH K99/R00)
Parent funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) vs solicited FOAs (RFA, PAR, PAS)

9. NIDCD Research Training and Career Development Awards
Why does the NIDCD support training?
What type of training does NIDCD support?
What are the mechanisms of support?
Am I eligible for support?
How do I apply?
Whom do I contact about these funding opportunities?

10. Why does NIDCD support research training?
Because you’re the FUTURE!

11. Types of Research Training and Career Development Awards
Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSAs)
Individual Fellowships (F30, F31, F32)
Institutional Training Grants (T32, T35)
Career Development (K-) Awards
Mentored Junior Clinician Investigator Awards (K08, K23)
Early-Stage Career Transition Awards (K99/R00)
Junior Mid-Career Junior Mentored Scientist Research Development Award (K01, K25)

12. Individual Fellowships (NRSAs)
Individual applies directly to NIH
NIDCD Scientific Review Branch (SRB) oversees review of application
Funding decisions made (based on reviewers’ critiques, priority scores and availability of funds)
NIDCD Grants Management Branch (GMB) issues the award

13. Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSAs)
Requires Fulltime 40 hour/week commitment
Must be US citizen, non US national (US territories) or permanent resident
Provides: stipend, partial tuition, health insurances, institutional allowance
Limitations on number of years of total NRSA support (includes F and T awards)

14. Types of NRSA Individual Fellowships
F-30 integrated dual degree training, (e.g. MD/Ph.D.; AuD/Ph.D.)
F-31, Pre-doctoral training
F-32, Post- doctoral training

15. F30 Up to 6 years of support for students in an integrated program
Supports both research & clinical training
Check current FOA for support levels (stipend, institutional allowance, tuition)

16. F31- Pre-doctoral Fellowship
Supports 2-3 years for dissertation stage doctoral students
Submit when achieving candidacy or within 3 months of candidacy
May receive up to 5 years of aggregate NRSA support
Check current FOA for support levels (stipend, institutional allowance, tuition)

17. Diversity F31
Provides up to 5 years of support to pursue a research doctorate
Can support early stage (course work) as well as dissertation level research
May receive up to 5 years of aggregate NRSA support
Check current FOA for support levels (stipend, institutional allowance, tuition)

18. F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship
Provides up to 3 years of research training support in their mentor’s lab
May receive up to 3 years of aggregate NRSA support
Check current FOA for support levels (stipend and institutional allowance)

19. Things to consider before applying
Are you eligible?
Have you passed your qualifying exam (F31)?
Can apply but award is pending passing the qualifying exam.
How many years can you ask for? (Ask questions about your current/past funding sources)
Is your topic within the NIDCD mission area?
Do you have the most recent application form and instructions?

20. Things to consider when preparing your application
YOU (previous record: grades, experiences, awards)?
Your Mentor/Sponsor: Funded, Training History, Co-sponsor.
Your Training Environment/Training Plan: Is it appropriate for your specific needs?
Your Research Proposal: well conceived, clearly written, preliminary data, innovation, overambitious, extension of mentor’s parent grant?

21. Must DOs Read ALL the FOA
Contact the NIDCD Research Training and Career Development Officer
Start early

22. Transitioning to an Independent Investigator

23. Selected NIDCD Career Development Awards
Mentored Junior Clinician Investigator Awards (K08, K23)
Early-Stage Career Transition Awards (K99/R00)
Junior Mid-Career Junior Mentored Scientist Research Development Award (K01, K25)
All NIH K awards require US citizenship, non citizen national status or permanent residency except the K99/R00

24. Mentored Clinician Investigator
Foster research career of junior clinically trained academic faculty
with substantive prior research experience & demonstrable accomplishments
seeking to integrate both clinical practice and research in their careers
provides salary and research support for protected time(>75%)
Success Rate ~ 21 %

25. Mentored Clinician Investigator
K08: Career Development in basic research
K23: Patient oriented research (POR)
POR: Research conducted with human subjects or on materials of human origin in which the investigator or colleague interacts with human subjects

26. Mentored Research Scientist K01
Retooling and transition of junior and mid career scientists and clinicians into:
Translational research
Clinical research
Provides salary and research support for protected time (>75%) for 3-5 years of mentored experiences leading to independence

27. Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (K25)
Retooling and transitioning of quantitative scientists (physicists, engineers, etc) with little or no background in health-related research into the NIDCD mission
Provides salary and research support for protected time (>75%) for 3-5 years of mentored experiences leading to independence

28. Pathway to Independence Award
Mentored postdoctoral phase (K99) and independent investigator phase (R00) for up to 5 years of support
For experienced postdocs with up to 5 years of post experience
US citizens and non citizens are eligible to apply
K99 phase (1-2 years)/R00 phase (2-3 years)
Transition to the R00 phase is contingent on securing an extramural tenure track faculty position (or equivalent) and NIH administrative review

29. NIDCD Small Grant (R03)
Applicant must be within 7 years of their terminal degree
NIDCD program (R03 PAR) differs from the trans-NIH R03 PA
Review managed by NIDCD SRB
Up to $100,000 per year for 3 years

30. Before submitting to NIH
Get to know the NIH websites
Subscribe to the NIH Guide
Register in NIH Commons
Contact the relevant PO
Research training officer
Scientific program officer

31. Useful websites NIDCD: www.nidcd.nih.gov NIH OER: www.grants.nih.gov
NIH Guide Listserv:
NIH CSR:

32. Foreign applicants
Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in US or augment existing US resources.