1. NIAID Workshop on Grantsmanship, Funding, and Peer Review

2. NIH Structure and Grantsmanship
Alison Deckhut Augustine, Ph.D.
Basic Immunology Branch
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

3. Presentation Outline NIH Structure and Grantsmanship (Alison)
Funding Opportunities (Lawrence Prograis, MD)
Grant Application Process/Peer Review (B. Duane Price, PhD)

4. NIH – 27 Institutes and Centers
Office of the Director
National Library
of Medicine
Center for
Information
Technology
Scientific Review
Fogarty
International
Center
National Institute
of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases
of Diabetes and
Digestive and
Kidney Diseases
of Dental and
Craniofacial
Research
National Institute on
Deafness and Other
Communication
Disorders
National Eye
Institute
National Heart,
Lung, and Blood
on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism
National Cancer
on Drug Abuse
of Environmental
Health Sciences
of Mental Health
of Neurological
Disorders and
Stroke
of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases
National Center on
Minority Health and
Health Disparities
on Aging
of Child Health
and Human
Development
National Human
Genome Research
of General
Medical Sciences
of Nursing Research
National Center
for Complementary
and Alternative
Medicine
for Research
Resources
Clinical Center
National Institute of
Biomedical Imaging
and Bioengineering
no funding
authority
Component of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
27 Institutes and Centers and the Office of the Director (Francis Collins M.D., Ph.D.)
over 18,000 Employees
Headquartered in Bethesda, MD.
Off-campus sites in Rockville and Bethesda, MD; North Carolina; Michigan; Montana; and Arizona
National Institute
on Minority Health
and Health
Disparities
Different Missions, Responsibilities and Constituencies

5. A Typical NIH Institute/Center
Office of the IC
Director
Board of
Scientific
Counselors
National
Advisory
Council
Extramural
Intramural
Biomedical Research Grants
Biomedical Research Contracts
Basic & Clinical Research
Clinical Trials

6. Understanding/Navigating the NIH
NIH Extramural
Programs

7. NIH Extramural Staff Program Officer (PO)
Scientific Review Officer (SRO)
Grants Management Specialist (GMS)

8. Program Officer A science professional, usually Ph.D./M.D. level, who:
Serves as an advocate for investigators
Provides scientific stewardship and administration of grants & contracts awarded by NIH
Identifies areas of scientific priority and develops funding opportunities for extramural researchers
Provides guidance on NIH extramural policy/procedures, research resources, and funding opportunities to extramural investigators

9. Scientific Review Officer
A science professional, usually M.D. or Ph.D. level, who:
Is based at an NIH Institute or Center (IC), or at the Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
Manages Study Sections and review panels for grants and contracts
Selects review panel members
Assigns reviewers to applications
Compiles application summary statements

10. Grants Management Specialist
Business/finance professional who:
Negotiates and awards all grants
Provides fiscal administration of grants
Is the government official on fiscal and policy issues and approvals

11. Types of NIH Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs)
FOA: Call for applications in a particular research area of interest to one or multiple NIH Institutes.
Contracts
RFP
BAA
Grants
Request for Application (RFA)
Program Announcement (PA)

12. Types of NIH Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs)
Request for Application (RFA)
One application receipt date
Set-aside funds
Areas of scientific interest indicated, also includes areas not supported by the RFA
Awards may have a budget cap
Programmatic, Review, and Grants Management contacts

13. Types of NIH Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs)
Program Announcement (PA) – 3 types
PA – general type. No set-aside funds or special review. Reviewed in standing study sections, paid with IC “payline” funds
PAR – Special review (Special Emphasis Panel) convened, no set-aside funds (paid with IC “payline” funds)
PAS – Set-aside funds, may include review by a Special Emphasis Panel

14. When will I get my grant funded?
(well, sometimes it just feels that way…)

15. Grant Writing 101: The Big Three
Can your research move your field forward?
Is the field important – will progress make a difference in human health?
Can you and your team conduct the work (expertise, resources)?

16. Grant Writing 101 Read FOA instructions thoroughly
Never assume the reviewers will “know what you mean”
Refer to literature thoroughly
State rationale of proposed studies
Include well-designed tables and figures
Present an organized, clear story

17. Common Grant Writing Mistakes
Lack of new or original ideas; incremental advances
Absence of a solid scientific rationale
Insufficient knowledge of relevant published work
Diffuse, superficial or unfocused research plan or
experimental approach
Proposed studies are too broad or too narrow
Limited/no experience in essential techniques, no collaborators with required expertise
Lack of discussion of possible pitfalls and alternative approaches
Uncertainty concerning future directions

18. A Little Help From Your Friends
NIH extramural staff:
SRO – advice about appropriate study sections; submission requirements
PO - advice about research focus (before review), appropriate study sections, discussion of review results and applicant responses
Colleagues: read your application, well in advance of the application due date
GRIP: Grant Review for Immunologists Program
Matches new PIs with established PIs in same area
Obtain expert advice on grant application

19. Mechanisms (Funding Opportunities)
Lawrence Prograis, M.D.
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation

20. PhD Career Track and NIAID Funding Mechanisms
T32 - Institutional training grant (NRSA)-has pre- & postdoc slots
F31 - Individual (diversity) predoc fellowship (NRSA)
F31 – Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (NRSA) [FY2015 available]
F32 - Individual postdoc fellowship (NRSA)
K01- Mentored Research Scientist Award
K22 - Research Scholar Development Award
K99/R00 - Pathway to Independence Award
Ph.D.
Faculty
Position
Award
Types
Career
Stage
High
School
Student
Graduate
Independent
Investigator
T32
Diversity Supplements
F32
K22
K99 or
R00
K01
Postdoc Phase
F31

21. MD Career Track and NIAID Funding Mechanisms
T35 - NRSA Short Term Institutional Research Training Grant
F30 - Individual predoctoral MD/PhD and Other Dual Doctoral Degree Fellows (NRSA)
T32 - Institutional training grant (NRSA)-has pre-& postdoc slots
F32 - Individual postdoc fellowship (NRSA)
K01 - Mentored Research Scientist Award
K08 - Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award
K23 - Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
K24 - Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research
K22- Research Scholar Development Award
M.D.
Faculty
Position
Award
Types
Medical
Student
Clinical
Training
Phase
Research
Independent
Investigator
T35
T32
Diversity Supplements
F32
K24
K01
K08
K23
F30

22. NIAID Fellowship Awards (Fs)
F30: started FY14
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD and Other Dual Doctoral Degree Fellows (Parent F30)
F31 (Div):
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31 - Diversity)
F32:
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (Parent F32)
FY15: Sign on to F31:
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows

23. Individual Fellowship Awards (Fs)
Individual awards
Cannot change the scope, move fellowship, or change mentor without prior NIH approval
NIH determines stipend levels and limited tuition reimbursement, training related expenses; F&As 8%
Review at CSR (currently 24 SS)
ault.aspx
Success rate < 20%

24. NIAID Career Development Awards (Ks)
Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08) 
K23:
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23)
K24:
Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24)
K22 (PAR):
NIAID Career Transition Award (K22)
K99/R00:
NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00)
NIAID supports only 1 year of a mentored phase (K99) and 2 years of the independent (R00) phase. This is a deviation from the support from all the other ICs.
K01:
Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01)
NIAID Career Development (K01) Awards in Epidemiology, Modeling, and Outcomes Research
K25:
Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25)

25. Career Development Awards (Ks)
Individual awards
MDs (K08 and K23) to support development to become independent investigators
K24 (associate professor)**supports mentoring of young clinical investigators
Salary for K08/23 awards: $90K/$50K research support; F&A 8%
Most are mentored, others are not
PhDs (MDs): Mostly K22 and K99/R00: transition awards; also K01 and K25
Review at NIAID SRP by 4 chartered committees (AIDS, AITC, MID and MID-B)
Candidate, Career Dev. Plan, Research Plan, Mentor(s), Env./Inst. Com.
Success rates about 30+%

26. Postdoc (PhD/MD) – Should I apply for a K22 or a K99/R00?
NIAID Research Scholar Development Award (K22)
Transition award (postdoc-to-assistant professor)
NIAID’s Pathway to Independence
Award (K99/R00)
2 year award
Transition award (postdoc-to asst. professor)
No mentored phase. Fundable score, s/he has one year to find a position as assistant professor
3 year award (other ICs 5yrs)
1 yr mentored phase ($90K/yr)
Phase 2:
Awardee becomes assistant professor (internal approval similar to K22 phase 2)
Assistant Professor position
Own lab space
Significant start-up funds
2 yr independent R00 phase ($249K/yr TC)
Little teaching/ no administrative responsibilities
$150K (Year 1) + $100K (Year 2)
No US citizenship required
Success rate: >25%
Success rate: ca. 7-18%

27. NIAID Transition Awards (K22 or K99/R00)
Postdoc with less than 4 years of
postdoc experience
Assistant Professor
+/- 1 year
Secures a faculty
Position
&
Submits the K22 phase II
or R00 application
Submits a K22 or
K99 application
and receives a
fundable score
NIAID makes the award to the new
institution/candidate.

28. Success Rates for NIAID Training and Career Grants, FY2012
Grant Type
Applications
Awards
Success Rate
F32 Awards
240 47
19.6%
K08 38 15
39.5%
K22 51
29.4%
K23 32 17
50.1%
K99 33 6
18.2%
T Awards 72 23
31.9%

29. NIAID Training Pay linesFY
Overall Impact Score
F31
F32
K (not K99)
T32
2013 30 25 26 14
2012 24 22 16
2011 31
2010 28

30. Loan Repayment programs (LRP)
NIH wants to encourage outstanding health professionals to pursue careers in biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research. If you commit at least two years to conducting qualified research funded by a domestic nonprofit organization or U.S. federal, state, or local government entity, NIH may repay up to $35,000 of your qualified student loan debt per year. Loan repayment benefits are in addition to the institutional salary you receive for your research.
Clinical Research
Pediatric Research
Health Disparities Research
Contraception and Infertility Research
Clinical Research LRP for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
General LRP site:
A recorded overview webinar from the LRP Office:

31. NIH WEBSITES Training at NIH NIH Research Training Opportunities
NIH Research Training Opportunities
NIH Guidelines and Forms
NIAID Advice on Training
How to Write a Grant

32. Non-NIH Research Funding Websites
Fogarty International Center:
National Science Foundation (NSF):
FastLane:
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)

33. Research Support Funding Websites
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation:
The Wellcome Trust:
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria:
amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research:
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative:
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation:
Centers for Research Libraries (includes dissertations):

34. Private Funding Sources: (National and International)
A short list of NIAID's List of Foundations and Other Funding sources at:

35. NIH Peer Review B. Duane Price, PhD Senior Scientific Review Officer Immunology Review Branch, Division of Extramural Activities, NIAID

36. Application Processing*
CSR assigns applications to study section (review) & NIH Institute (funding)
Researcher writes and
Institution submits application to NIH
Summary Statement and Priority Score transmitted to applicant (Commons) and NIH extramural staff
Study section composed of reviewers – review/discuss applications
3- 4 reviewers assigned to read and write critiques for each application

37. Mock Peer Review
Sample R01 Applications and Summary Statements
NIH Grant Review Process YouTube Videos

38. NIH Scoring Range

39. Understanding the Summary Statement
Impact/Priority Score: 1-9 scale
Percentile: Approximate percentage of applications receiving an impact/priority score from the study section during one year (3 review cycles), NOT all types of grants receive a percentile
Resume: Official summary of review meeting discussion, for scored applications only
Critiques: Reviewers written comments

40. What to Do After Review Talk to your NIH Program Officer
Attends the Study Section (most cases)
Provide insights to discussion (unofficial) and possible funding options
Read the Summary Statement
Official document providing scientific merit score and summarizing reviewers comments
First paragraph (Resume) is the official summary of the meeting discussion
Strategize Next Steps
Talk to your NIH program officer again,
after both of you have read the summary statement
Discuss with colleagues, mentors