Weathering the Storm: How to Establish and Sustain an Independent Research

Career in an Era of Limited Funds

Lawrence J. Prograis, Jr., M.D  Senior Scientist, Special Programs and Bioethics Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseaseslprograis@niaid.nih.gov

Workshop Outline

■NIH Extramural Program: Key Players, Funding Mechanisms (Alison Augustine, NIAID)

■Overview of CSR Peer Review (Tina McIntyre, CSR

■Peer Review Details (David Winter, CSR)

■Panel Discussion (Charlie Li, NIAID)

Understanding & Navigating the NIH

NIH Extramural Program

Alison Deckhut Augustine, Ph.D.Basic Immunology Branch

Division of Allergy, Immunology and TransplantationNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH

augustine@niaid.nih.gov

NIH – 27 Institutes and Centers

Office of the Director

National Libraryof Medicine

Center for Scientific Review

FogartyInternational

Center

National Instituteof Arthritis andMusculoskeletal

and Skin Diseases

National Instituteof Diabetes andDigestive and

Kidney Diseases

National Instituteof Dental andCraniofacial

Research

National Institute onDeafness and Other

CommunicationDisorders

National EyeInstitute

National Heart,Lung, and Blood

Institute

National Instituteon Alcohol Abuseand Alcoholism

National CancerInstitute

National Instituteon Drug Abuse

National Instituteof Environmental Health Sciences

National Instituteof Mental Health

National Instituteof NeurologicalDisorders and

Stroke

National Instituteof Allergy and

Infectious Diseases

National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities

National Instituteon Aging

National Instituteof Child Health

and HumanDevelopment

National HumanGenome Research

Institute

National Instituteof General

Medical Sciences

National Instituteof Nursing Research

National Centerfor Complementary

and AlternativeMedicine

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

no fundingauthority

National Center for Advancing

Translational Sciences

Different Missions, Responsibilities and Constituencies

National Instituteon Minority Health

and HealthDisparities

NIH Extramural Staff

■Program Officer (PO)

■Scientific Review Officer (SRO)

■Grants Management Specialist (GMS)

Program Officer

A science professional, usually Ph.D. or M.D., who:

■ Provides scientific stewardship and administration of grants & contracts awarded by NIH

■ Identifies areas of scientific priority and develops funding opportunities for extramural researchers

■ Advocate for investigators: Provides guidance on NIH extramural policy/procedures, research resources, and funding opportunities to extramural investigators

Scientific Review Officer

 A science professional, usually Ph.D. or M.D., 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

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

Extramural Scientist Career Path and NIH Funding Options

Ph.D. or M.D.

FacultyPosition

AwardTypes

CareerStage

GraduateStudent

IndependentInvestigator

T32 T32 F32 K22 K99or R00K’s

Postdoctoral Fellow

F31 R01 R21 P01R03R15

Transition awards

R00 – Independent phase of K99/R00 Pathway to Independence R01 – Research Project Grant (up to 5 years of support, renewable)R03 – Small Research Grant (up to 2 years of support, non-renewable)R15 – Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) (up to 3 years, renewable)R21 – Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (up to 2 years of support, non-renewable)P01 – Program Project Grant (multi-project grant, up to 5 years of support, renewable)

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)?

When will I get my grant funded?

(well, sometimes it just feels that way…)

NIH wide R01-Equivalent grants Competing applications, awards, and success rates

2013 Application Success Rates

Grant Mechanism NIAID – New applications

NIAID – Renewal applications

R01 12.3% 29.9%

R03 20.3% N/A

R15 11.9% 62.5%

R21 16.6% N/A

P01 14.3% 42.9%

NIH Institute

2013 Success Rate – New R01

2013 Success rate – Renewal R01

NIAID 12.3% 29.9%NCI 13% 26.9%NIA 11.1% 29.1%NIAMS 14.9% 26.9%

NICHD 10.9% 20.5%NIGMS 14.8% 37%

Funding Opportunity Announcements and Concepts

Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm http://www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/ann/pages/default.aspx

■ RFA:■ Set-aside funds; One application receipt date■ Areas of scientific interest indicated, also includes areas not

supported■ Awards may have a budget cap

■ PA: 3 Types■ PA –No set-aside funds or special review. Reviewed in standing

CSR study sections(paid with IC “payline” funds)■ PAR – Special review (Special Emphasis Panel) convened, no set-

aside funds ■ PAS – Set-aside funds, may include review by a Special Emphasis

Panel

Current NIAID Concepts

Concepts = Potential Opportunities http://www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/council/concepts/pages/default.aspx

■ Molecular Mechanisms of Combination Adjuvants (RFA)

■ Program Announcement for High-Priority Immunology Grants (PA)■ Provide for growth in the field of fundamental immunology■ Emphasize the continued and long-term interest of NIAID in

fundamental immunology, a major mission of NIAID among other NIH institutes and centers

Decline in Immunology: NIH-Wide

A Little Help From Your Friends: Pre-review

■ 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 applicationhttp://www.aai.org/Education/GRIP/index.html

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