Sheila Lukehart, PhDJanuary 6, 2011

How NIH works Types of K awards Writing your application Required components of K applications Tips for getting good reviews

R-series Research Grants Individual Training Awards◦ K-series◦ F-series

Institutional Training Awards◦ T series (e.g. T32)◦ KL2

R-series Research Grants Individual Training Awards◦ K-series K08, K23, K01,K99/R00,K22,

K02, K24◦ F-series

Institutional Training Awards◦ T series◦ KL2

Center for Scientific Review

NIGMS

NIH Structure24 Institutes

NCI

NHLBI

NIAID

NIDDK

NINDS

Divisions / BranchesDAIDSDMIDDAIT

Office of Research Training

Scientific Review ProgramReview Committees--SRO

Advisory Council

DivisionsStudy Sections--SRO

Your R-series, F-series grant application

Center for Scientific Review

Your K-series grant application

Institute-based Scientific Review

Committees

InstituteAdvisory Council

$$$

Application Pathway

MedicalStudent

Independent PIM.D. Faculty

Position

T35T32or

F32R01 R37K22

FellowshipTraining

K02 K24F33R21K99/R00 K01K08

K23

Training PhaseK08- Mentored Clinical Scientist Development AwardK23- Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development AwardK99/R00- Pathway to Independence AwardK22- Research Scholar Development AwardK01- Mentored Research Scientist Development Award

Early career K08- for lab-based research project K23-for a patient-oriented research project K99/R00-transition from postdoc to faculty K22-new faculty position K01-supports research leading to independenceMid-career K02-career development, must have funding K24-to facilitate mentoring in patient-oriented research,

must have research funding

Health professional doctorate (exceptions)US citizen, permanent resident (except K99/R00)

http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htmInstitute-specific approaches to K Awards

K08- for lab-based research project 3 -5 yr award◦ 3 yrs for more senior individual (e.g. MD PhD)◦ 5 yrs for more junior individual, but must justify a 2 yr

didactic phase Salary: $75,000-$105,000/yr + Fringe Benefits Research Support:◦ $20,000-$80,000/yr◦ At least 75% effort committed to research

Health professional doctorateUS citizen, permanent resident

K23- for clinical/ patient-oriented project◦ Must directly interact with patients

3 - 5 yr award◦ 3 yrs for more senior individual (e.g. MD MPH)◦ 5 yrs for more junior individual, but must justify a 2 yr

didactic phase Salary: $75,000-$105,000/yr + Fringe Benefits Research Support: $25,000-$80,000/yr◦ At least 75% effort committed to research

Health professional doctorateUS citizen, permanent resident

‣ K22 Research Scholar Development AwardUS Citizen, Permanent ResidentMD or PhD

‣ K99/R00 NIH Pathway to Independence AwardNon-citizens eligibleMD or PhD

Participation varies by institute—check with your institute!!

Two phases1. Submit application while at postdoc

institution– Scientific merit– No institution yet

2. Assistant Professor $150K/$100K DC– Own lab – Start-up funds – Protected research time

Participation varies by institute—check with your institute

Transition award for moving from postdoc to Assistant Professor

3-5 years Has mentored phase K99 $90K/yr Independent phase R00 $249/yr TC Non-citizens eligible

Uses and rules vary by institute—check with your instituteNIAID supports very few—for non US/PR

• Specialized areas of research or purpose(e.g. epidemiology, mathematical modeling, child abuse and neglect; re-entry)

• MDs or PhDs• 3 - 5 years• Salary: $75,000-$105,000/yr + Fringe Benefits• Research Support: $25,000-$50,000/yr• >75% effort on health-related research

US citizen or permanent residentDetails vary by institute—be sure to look at the information for your own institute

For individuals from a quantitative background who want to apply their expertise to a biomedical problem

For engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science- NOT individuals who are already working in a biomedical or epidemiological area

3 - 5 years Salary: $75,000-$105,000 + Fringe Benefits Research Support: $20,000-$50,000 >75% effort on research training activities

Details vary by institute—be sure to look at the information for your own institute

MedicalStudent

Independent PIM.D. Faculty

Position

T35T32or

F32R01 R37K22

FellowshipTraining

K02 K24F33R21K99/R00 K01K08

K23

Independent PIR21- Exploratory/Developmental Research GrantR01- Research grantK02- Independent Scientist AwardK24- Mid-Career Investigator in Patient-Oriented ResearchF33- Sr. Postdoctoral Fellowship (NRSA)R37- Merit award

• For senior Asst. Prof./early Assoc Prof• Must have independent grant support (R01)

• Protected time for focused research• 3-5 years• Salary support $75,000-$100,000/yr + Fringe Benefits

• Research support $15,000-$50,000• PhD or MD

US citizen or permanent residentUses and rules vary by institute—check with your institute

• Mid-career health professional• Protected time to devote to patient-oriented research and to mentor others in patient-oriented research

• 3-5 years (renewable)• Salary: 25-50% at institutional rate + fringe

• Research Development Support: $50,000

US citizen or permanent residentClinical doctorate only

Uses and rules vary by institute—check with your institute

K Kiosk for information

http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm

NIAID

NIH Structure—K Awards24 Institutes

NCI

NHLBI

NIGMS

NIDDK

NINDS

Divisions / BranchesProgram Officers Your Contact

• Before writing a research application• After the research or training

application has been reviewed

Scientific Review ProgramReview Committees—SRO

K Awards

Office of Research Training Your Contact• Before writing a training

application

Institute Advisory Council

Your Contact• Before the review

•Go to K Kiosk and click on the desired award

PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

READ THIS CAREFULLY!!

•Deadlines•Page limits•Links to forms•Required sections•Review criteria•Animal, humansubjects info

Click on contact link

‣ Read the instructions!⁻ Program Announcement⁻ SF424 Instructionshttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htmNote Section 7: Specific instructions for K applications

‣ Be aware of new page limits‣ Look at tutorials online‣ Read a successful application

‣ Start planning and writing very early (3-4 months before due date)

‣ Talk with the administrator who will assist with application

‣ Have your mentor and others read the full application early (4 weeks before due date)

‣ Don’t underestimate the time that it will take to do the “business” pieces of the application

‣ Be aware of OSP’s new timeline:‣ Final business 9 work days before due date‣ Final science 5 work days before due date‣ Absolute drop-dead deadline for “ready to

submit” is 3 business days before due date

‣Candidate Information⁻Background⁻Career Goals and Objectives⁻Career Development/ Training Activities

‣Research Plan⁻Background and Significance⁻Preliminary Results⁻Research Design & Methods

* Training in Responsible Conduct of Research??

‣ Use formal language—no slang or jargon‣ Use correct grammar, punctuation‣ No typos!‣ Leave white space on the pages-not solid

text

‣ Candidate Information and Career Development Plan⁻ Candidate’s Background⁻ Career Goals and Objectives⁻ Career Development/Training Activities⁻ Training in the Responsible Conduct of

Research*‣ Let the reviewers get to know you

* Included in page limits?

•Quality of a candidate's academic and clinical record•Potential to develop as an independent

investigator•Commitment to a research career

• Appropriateness of the content, the phasing, and the proposed duration of the career development plan for achieving scientific independence

• Consistency of the career development plan with the candidate’s previous training and career goals

• Likelihood that the plan will contribute substantially to the achievement of scientific independence

• Quality of the proposed training in the responsible conduct of research

‣ Specific Aims‣ Research Plan⁻ Background and Significance⁻ Preliminary studies (identify your work!)⁻ Research Design and Methods

• Scientific/technical merit of research question, design, and methodology

• Relevance of proposed research to the candidate’s career objectives

• Appropriateness of the research plan to stage of research development and as a vehicle for developing research skills described in the career development plan

• Adequacy of the plan’s attention to animal and human subjects

‣ Statements of Support (6 pages total)⁻ Mentors, Co-mentors, Consultants, Contributors

‣ Mentor’s statement should include⁻ Evidence of training history⁻ Evidence of active productive research⁻ Details about mentoring relationship—frequency of

meetings⁻ Topic areas in which mentoring will occur

‣ Co-Mentors’ statements should be specific about the expertise that they bring to the mentoring team

• Appropriateness of mentor’s research qualifications in the area of this application

• Quality and extent of mentor’s proposed role in providing guidance and advice to the candidate

• Previous experience in fostering the development of independent researchers

• History of research productivity• Adequacy of support for the proposed research

project

‣ Environment & Institutional Commitment to the Candidate⁻ Description of Institutional Environment (1 page)⁻ Institutional Commitment to Candidate’s

Research Career Development (1 page)

• Adequacy of research facilities and training opportunities

• Quality and relevance of the environment for scientific and professional development of the candidate

• Applicant institution’s commitment to the scientific development of the candidate and assurances that the institution intends the candidate to be an integral part of its research program

• Applicant institution’s commitment to the appropriate balance of research and clinical responsibilities, including the level of 75% effort proposed by the candidate

‣ Budget for the Entire Period of Support‣ Letters of Reference⁻ 3-5 letters from well-established

scientists familiar with the candidate⁻ May not be directly involved with the

application

•Overall Impact•Candidate•Career Development Plan•Research Plan•Mentor(s), Consultants, Collaborators•Environment & Institutional Commitment

•Protection for Human Subjects•Inclusion of Women, Minorities &

Children•Vertebrate Animals•Biohazards•Resubmission applications

* These criteria DO affect the score

• Training in Responsible Conduct of Research

• Select Agents• Resource Sharing Plan• Budget and Period of Support

•Most applications are reviewed by 3 reviewers—written reviews•Scored review criteria receive individual

scores by the 3 reviewers•All committee members score for Overall

Impact•Overall impact is not an average of the

individual scores•Mean Overall Impact score determines

likelihood of funding (10-90)

•Whole integers from 1 (best) through 9 (worst)Impact Impact/Priority

Score Descriptor Additional Guidance on Strengths/Weaknesses

Strengths/Weaknesses

High

1 Exceptional Exceptionally strong with essentially no weaknesses

2 Outstanding Extremely strong with negligible weaknesses

3 Excellent Very strong with only some minor weaknesses

Moderate

4 Very Good Strong but with numerous minor weaknesses

5 Good Strong but with at least one moderate weakness

6 Satisfactory Some strengths but also some moderate weaknesses

Low

7 Fair Some strengths but with at least one major weakness

8 Marginal A few strengths and a few major weaknesses

9 Poor Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses

Minor: An easily addressable weakness that does not substantially lessen the impact of the projectModerate: A weakness that lessens the impact of the projectMajor: A weakness that severely limits the impact of the project

Non-numeric score options: NR = Not Recommended for Further ConsiderationDF = Deferred, AB – Abstention, CF = Conflict, NP = Not Present, ND = Not Discussed

•All applications will receive written reviews from the assigned reviewers•Some applications will not be discussed

at the review meeting—”Streamlined”⁻ Usually in bottom 1/3 of applications

seen at that review

Success Rates for K Awards

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

20

40

60

80

K08K23

Succ

ess

rate

Success Rates for Other Early K Awards

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

20

40

60

80

K01K22K99

Succ

ess

rate

Success Rates for Mid-Career K Awards

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

20

40

60

80K02K24

Succ

ess

rate

•Priority score will be posted on NIHCommons within a few days of the review meeting•Paylines are posted by Institutes•Reviewers’ comments will appear 2-4 weeks

later•Final funding decisions are made by

Institute’s Council

•Read the comments carefully and put them away•Read the comments again 3 days later•Don’t get discouraged•Discuss options with your mentor•Revision-one revised application can be

submitted•Listen to what the reviewers said!!!