1. An Insider’s Look at a Study Section Meeting: Perspectives from CSR Monica Basco, Ph.D. Scientific Review Officer Coordinator, Early Career Reviewer Program

2. Receives all NIH applications Refers them to NIH Institutes/Centers and to scientific review groups Reviews for scientific merit about 70% of all NIH applications The Center for Scientific Review The Gateway for NIH Grant Applications

3. CSR Mission To see that NIH grant applications receive fair, independent, expert, and timely reviews – free from inappropriate influences – so NIH can fund the most promising research.

4. CSR Peer Review – Fiscal Year 2013 84,000 applications received 17,000 reviewers 236 Scientific Review Officers 1,500 review meetings

5. NIH Peer Review System for Grant Applications First Level of Review Scientific Review Group (Study Section) Second Level of Review NIH Institute/Center Council Second Level of Review NIH Institute/Center Council

6. Your Scientific Review Officer Takes Charge Your SRO is a doctoral-level scientist with expertise relevant to your field who manages the overall peer review of your application.

7. Your SRO Assigns at Least Three Reviewers to Your Application

8. Peer Review in CSR Each CSR standing study section has 12-25 regular members who are from the scientific community. Temporary members are recruited as needed. About 60-100 applications are normally reviewed at each study section meeting.

9. Reviewers typically discuss the top half of the applications The panel will discuss any application a reviewer wants to discuss Discussions Focus on the Best Applications

10. What Reviewers Look for in Applications Impact Exciting ideas Clarity Realistic aims and timelines -- Don’t be overly ambitious Brevity with things that everybody knows Noted limitations of the study A clean, well-written application

11. Review Criteria Overall Impact –Assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved Core Review Criteria –Significance –Investigator(s) –Innovation –Approach –Environment Review criteria each scored from 1-9

12. 9-Point Scoring Scale ImpactScoreDescriptor High Impact 1Exceptional 2Outstanding 3Excellent Medium Impact 4Very Good 5Good 6Satisfactory Low Impact 7Fair 8Marginal 9Poor

13. After Your Review Your SRO Prepares summary statements Provides information to NIH Institutes and Centers

14. Jumpstart Your Career Join the CSR Early Career Reviewer Program

15. Goals Train and educate qualified scientists to become critical, competent and fair reviewers Provide peer review experience to help improve applicant competitiveness Enrich the existing pool of NIH reviewers Progress to Date 2,928 ECRs accepted into the program (76% Acceptance) 1,024 ECRs have served on at least one study section 376 have served on two study sections Study sections from all CSR Divisions have included ECRs

16. How to Apply Qualifications: Faculty appointment or equivalent Active independent program of research 2 or more senior authored research publications in peer reviewed journals in the past 2 years Has not previously served on a CSR Study Section Rules and Information: ECRs can serve twice, no more than once/year Review 2-4 applications Application Instructions: www.csr.nih.gov/ECR www.csr.nih.gov/ECR Eligible reviewers included in ECR database SROs select ECRs from database with expertise that matches applications under review