New Investigators CommitteeUpdate

Story Landis, Ph.D., Director, NINDSNorka Ruiz Bravo, Ph.D., Deputy Director, OER

December 1, 2005

First Major Independent Research First Major Independent Research Support Occurs at an Ever-Later Age Support Occurs at an Ever-Later Age

For more information, see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/20040712_New_Investigator_Talk.ppt

Average Age of Initial Type 1 R01/R23/R29 Award for Different Degrees Held

44

38

42

37

40

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Fiscal Year

Ave

rag

e a

geM.D.-Ph.D.

M.D.

Ph.D.

R2

= 0.71

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003

Established InvestigatorEstablished Investigator

New InvestigatorNew Investigator

Percentage of New Investigators in Competing Percentage of New Investigators in Competing R01 Awards Continues to DecreaseR01 Awards Continues to Decrease

FY 1962 - FY 2003

NIH New Investigators CommitteeNIH New Investigators Committee

Committee Charge

Develop a list of action items that have the potential to:

Increase and maintain a healthy cohort of new and talented, NIH-supported, independent investigators.

Facilitate an investigator’s ability to receive their first R01 award earlier in their research career.

NIH New Investigators CommitteeNIH New Investigators CommitteeResources for discussion items:

NIH Postdoctoral Meeting Summary and Recommendations (2003)National Postdoctoral Association White Paper (2003)

NRC Report, Bridges to Independence: Fostering the Independence of New Investigators in Biomedical Research (2005)

NRC Report, Advancing the Nation’s Health Needs: NIH Research Training Programs (2005)

The National Academies Guide, Enhancing the Postdoctoral Experience for Scientists and Engineers (2000)

Value of and need for: Consistent NIH definitions for “predocs,” “postdocs,” and

“new or first-time investigator” Processes and systems to identify, enumerate, and track

predocs and postdocs NIH-recommended “best practices” for predoc and postdoc

research training Encouraging research institutions to offer postdoctoral

scientists training in laboratory and project management, grant writing, and mentoring

NIH New Investigators Committee NIH New Investigators Committee Discussion TopicsDiscussion Topics

NIH New Investigators Committee NIH New Investigators Committee Discussion TopicsDiscussion Topics

Value of and need for: Additional formalized training opportunities for non-U.S.

citizens Standardized career transition award program Consistent and expanded use of IC-specific funding

strategies

New Career Transition Program New Career Transition Program The Committee recommends that NIH develop and implement a standardized career transition award program to promote the initiation of an independent research career.

Career Transition Program: Five years of support Phase I provides 1-2 years of mentored support for

advanced fellows Phase II provides 3 years of independent research

support contingent upon securing an independent research position and administrative review

Examples of Current IC Practices to Examples of Current IC Practices to Foster New Investigator IndependenceFoster New Investigator Independence

New Investigators receive special attention at Council as high program priority or equivalent.

Increased payline for scored R01 applications from New Investigators.

No imposed reductions in duration and amount of awards (beyond the recommendations of the initial review group) for New Investigators.

Fund applications to achieve a designated success rate rather than setting a specific payline for New Investigators applying for R01s.

R01 New Investigators whose applications score below the payline can submit 5-page letters responding to critiques in the summary statement for Advisory Council review. If these letters respond satisfactorily to the concerns raised by the study sections, the Council can decide to fund these applications, avoiding the need for resubmission.

http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/index.htm

Where Are We Now?Where Are We Now?

Dr. Zerhouni and IC Directors have agreed that supporting New Investigators is a top priority

New Investigators Committee presented:

Preliminary recommendations to the IC Directors at the Budget Retreat in May

Final recommendations to the Steering Committee in November

Steering Committee is currently considering these recommendations

NIH New Investigators NIH New Investigators

Pilot programs in place Compressing review cycles for new investigators New independent investigator R01 program

Summary of NIEHS ONES program R01 program intended for first-time R01 applicants. Individuals with faculty appointments which are tenure track or equivalent and who

have fewer than eight years of postdoctoral experience are eligible to apply. Applicants are expected to devote at least 50% time and effort to the award. Award can be up to 5 years and up to $400,000 in direct costs in the first and

second years and up to $275,000 in years 3-5. The Principal Investigator is strongly encouraged to name an external advisory

committee. Only one application per school or college within a university will be accepted. The review will stress the feasibility of the techniques and experimental design if

there are limited preliminary results. NIEHS intends to commit $3.6 million in total costs in FY2006 to fund ~ 6 awards.

Committee Enthusiastically Endorses the Committee Enthusiastically Endorses the NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award (ONES) R01 Pilot ProgramScientist Award (ONES) R01 Pilot Program

Research IndependenceResearch Independence

NIH Is Committed to Providing a Bridge to Research Independence for New Investigators

Career Career Transition Transition AwardsAwards

R01R01

Mentored Career Mentored Career Development Development

Awards Awards

TrainingTrainingAwardsAwards

IndividualIndividualandand

InstitutionalInstitutional

NRSA New