How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant? How do I choose which grants to apply fo

1. FELLOWSHIPS & RESEARCH AWARDS orSHOW ME THE MONEY!! Residents Research Report 12/10/04 Thomas Michel, M.D., Ph.D. How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant?How do I choose which grants to apply for?Will I be successful?How do I make the transition to independence?

2. How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant? How do I choose which grants to apply for? Will I be successful? How do I make the transition to independence?

3. Guidelines to contemplate as you identify your project and mentor: Decide the fundamental question- do I want a career in basic discovery? clinical research? in patient care? in public policy? What is it that you want to keep you awake at night? Resolve any ambiguity that exists in your own mind, and approach your project with enthusiasm, humor and joy. Get the most rigorous training you can stand, whether in clinical or basic research methods. Stay focused on your research project; research training is not the time for lots of clinical effort. Spend the time needed to get results and publish papers.

4. Identifying a research topic and mentor The topic comes first- what do you want to discover? what facts have you learned that you wish you’d discovered yourself? what do you wish to contribute to advance biomedical knowledge and human health? The mentor comes next- read papers from the lab/research group- do you get excited?? big research group vs. small group senior vs. junior investigator history of lab/program trainees- are they productive and successful? lab culture- talk to current and recent trainees- are they happy and engaged in their work? is the mentor respected by the Department/Division chief?

5. FIVE INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS IN RESEARCH ASK IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. DON’T JUST THINK ABOUT IT, DO IT! BE LIEVE IN YOUR HYPOTHESES- CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK. DON’T BE AFRAID OF NEW APPROACHES. HAVE FUN!!

6. How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant? How do I choose which grants to apply for? Will I be successful? How do I make the transition to independence?

7. Why get a fellowship grant? Writing a fellowship grant provides an opportunity for you to focus your specific research plans in consultation with your mentor. This results in greater insight and greater productivity. Having your own support permits greater flexibility in designing your training and transition years. Whether your interest is in clinical or basic investigation, skills in obtaining financial support are fundamental to being successful in any career involving biomedical research. You will instantly become a greater asset to your mentor, division chief and department chairperson. This is good. This is the currency of academic advancement.

8. How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant? How do I choose which grants to apply for? Will I be successful? How do I make the transition to independence?

13. THE K08 AWARD • The purpose of the Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08) is to support the development of outstanding clinician research scientists…provides specialized study for individuals with a health professional doctoral degree committed to a career in laboratory or field-based research. • The K08 supports (@$75,000/year) a 3-5 year period of supervised research experience that may integrate didactic studies with laboratory or clinically-based research… at least 75 percent of the recipient's full-time professional effort must be devoted to the goals of this award. The remainder may be devoted to clinical, teaching, or other research pursuits…

16. MENTORED PATIENT-ORIENTED RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD (K23) The purpose of the Mentored Patient-oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is to support the career development of investigators who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on patient-oriented research. This mechanism provides support (@$75,000/year) for 3-5 years of supervised study and research for clinically trained professionals who have the potential to develop into productive, clinical investigators focusing on patient-oriented research. Clinically trained professionals or individuals with a clinical degree who are interested in further career development in biomedical research that is not patient-oriented, should refer to the Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development (K08) Award.

17. The K23, continued For the purposes of this award, patient-oriented research is defined as research conducted with human subjects for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects. The NIH is interested in increasing the number of clinicians trained to conduct high-quality, patient-oriented clinical research…this award forms an important part of the NIH initiative to attract talented individuals to clinical research. The K23 provides multidisciplinary didactic training, and the opportunity to obtain both the knowledge and the research skills necessary to compete for independent support in patient-oriented research.

20. A closer look at the AHA National Center’s Research Awards • Fellow-to-Faculty Transition Award- for advanced fellows who will have completed clinical training by time of award activation; supports a mentored research experience, then transition to independence • Scientist Development Grant- for junior faculty Established Investigator- for “Established Investigators” • Grant-in Aid- awarded to established as well as newly-independent investigators • Overhead for these grants is fixed at 10%, in contrast to the ~65% indirect costs from the NIH. • The payline for these awards used to be quite good, but has declined with the recent recession. These awards now can be harder to get than NIH support.

22. How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant? How do I choose which grants to apply for? Will I be successful? How do I make the transition to independence?

23. OF COURSE!!! But……..

24. You need a hypothesis. You should have a plausible explanation for why testing this hypothesis is interesting and/or important. You should provide preliminary data (your own or your mentor’s) that document the feasibility of your planned experimental approach, and Your experimental approach must follow logically from all of the above. Your training and research environment needs to be suitable for the planned studies.

25. Components of the typical application Specific aims- a brief description of the topic you will study and the specific hypotheses to be tested. Background and significance- providing the rationale behind choosing the topics you will investigate. Preliminary data- findings that support the feasibility of the planned studies. Experimental approach- a series of experiments logically connected to the exploration of the hypotheses proposed in the Specific Aims.

26. Criteria (NIH) by which the application is judged: Significance of the research problem, broadly defined. Experimental approach- novel but feasible, rigorous, logical, and likely to yield results. Innovation (but feasibility!). Investigator (and mentor, for training grants). Research environment and/or training plan. Award-specific criteria, outlined by granting agency.

27. Number of NIH K AwardsFiscal Years 1994 - 2001

28. Number of Dollars ($M) to K AwardsFiscal Years 1994 - 2001

29. Success Rates for Selected K ActivitiesFiscal Years 1990 - 2001

30. How do I identify a research topic and mentor? Why get a fellowship grant? How do I choose which grants to apply for? Will I be successful? How do I make the transition to independence?

31. TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE Sustain a thematic focus in your work. Identify an area of your distinctive interest and expertise to move forward on your own. Identify a mentor(s) outside of your own lab or project. Maintain contact with key faculty here and elsewhere. Explore all your options with an open mind, but stay focused on studying what you know and love best. Get funded. Stay funded. Let’s look at a case study….

32. Life and Times of Thomas Michel 1955-1972: Beaverton, Oregon 1973-1977: Harvard College 1977-1984: Duke M.D., Ph.D. 1984-1987: BWH Medicine Hemi-doc 1987-1989: BWH cardiology fellow 1988-1990: BWH/HMS research fellow 1989-present: BWH/HMS faculty 1998-present: WRVA Chief of Cardiology 2002-: Inaugural speaker, BWH RRR

33. TM Funding history:1988-1993: AHA CSA (G protein signaling)1989-1992:AHA GIA (nitric oxide synthase)1990: Milton Fund, HMS (NOS cloning)1991: FIRST Award, NIH (eNOS)1993-1998: HF SCOR (NOS in heart)1996: FIRST renewed as RO-11994-1999: AHA EI (eNOS)1996-2001: Wellcome Scholar Award (NOS)1999-2002: Another RO-1(CV signaling)2001-2006: NOS RO-1 renewal funded2002-2006: CV signal RO-1 renewal funded2005-2010: Program Project Grant funded

34. Key Mentors:Bob Lefkowitz, DukeTom Smith, Chief, BWH CardiologyEva J. Neer, BWH cardiologyKey colleagues/bosses:Peter Libby, Victor Dzau, Pat O’Gara, Brian Hoffman

35. Vascular regulation by endothelial nitric oxide production eNOS activators blood platelets ? NO + L-Citrulline CaM endothelial cells L-Arg vascular smooth muscle cells cGMP

37. SUGGESTED READING Medawar, P. Advice to a Young Scientist. (1979) Sacks, Oliver. Uncle Tungsten. (2001) Harris, Barbara. At the Bench. (2000) Ramon y Cajal, S. Advice for a Young Investigator. (1897) Michel, T. How to Succeed in Biomedical Research without Really Trying (in preparation).

38. KEY WEB SITES FOR MORE INFO NIH training grants for MD-scientists: http://grants1.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm • HMS Sponsored Programs Administration • http://www.hms.harvard.edu/spa/funding/fundmain.htm • HMS “Red Book” (Faculty Fellowships • http://www.hms.harvard.edu/fa/fellowship2002 • BWH Research Administration • http://www.rics.bwh.harvard.edu/links.html • For copy of these slides, see mentoring.bwh.harvard.edu/presentations/ Show_me_the_money.ppt, or e-mail tmichel@research.bwh.harvard.edu or call 2-7376.