What you need to know about the NIH application process

What you need to know about the NIH application process Trish Lowney | Office of Research plowney@syr.edu x2882

NIH applications are submitted thru Grants.gov Already done by OSP Source: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/index.htm

About NIH Largest sponsor of research intended to benefit the public’s health (~$30B) Comprises 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, generally on particular diseases or body systems. Popular at SU Funders: AG NIA Nat’l Inst on Aging DC NIDCD National Inston Deafness and Other Communication DisordersGMNIGMS Nat’l Inst of General Medical Sciences (basic research arm) HD NICHDEunice Kennedy ShriverNat’l Inst of Child Health and Human Development MH NIMH Nat’l Inst of Mental Health NS NINDS Nat’l Instof Neurological Disorders and Stroke Review Process CSR Center for Scientific Review

How is NIH different than other agencies 1. Merit review process Independently managed by Center for Scientific Review, usually http://public.csr.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx 2. Centers / Institutes pay for meritorious research There’s a firewall between merit review and funding

Review / award process (in brief) • Study Section – panel review (first level review) • Review criteria specified in FOA (and other considerations) • Impact score and percentile Info to Program Officer in Ctr/Ins (sometimes more than one gives $$) • Generally fund in rank order (there are of course, exceptions… see each FOA) • Create list of potential awards 2. Center / Institute Advisory Council /Board review (second level review) • make decisions based scientific merit as well as the relevance of the proposed study to a Ctr/Inst’smission, programs and priorities Awards are made by Grants Officers / not program officers. SU accepts the terms of award when we spend money.

You Do have some control over the review process Absolutely critical to get as fair a review as possible! BUT you have to do your homework. • Watch CSR’s videos and podcasts http://public.csr.nih.gov/ApplicantResources/Pages/default.aspx • Check out what study section reviewed proposals “similar” to yours http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm

Mining RePORTER for awards http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm Enter key words or phrases here:

Mining RePORTER for awards http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm Look up folks or institutions:

Mining RePORTER for awards Select one or more Ctrs/Inst (and other PHS agencies)

Mining RePORTER for awards Enter specific mechanism

Mining RePORTER for awards Or enter FOA…

Panning for gold Search: R01 + NIDCD 14 = years award active

Panning for gold Search: R01 + NIDCD A1 = resubmitted app

Panning for gold Search: R01 + NIDCD Export records of interest

Selecting the nuggets Application Types 1 = new 2 = renewal (competing cont) 3 = supplement 5 = non-competing cont. 7 = change in institution

Selecting the nuggets

Confirming if a Study Section is right for you.. http://public.csr.nih.gov/STUDYSECTIONS/Pages/default.aspx AUD

Auditory System Study Section [AUD] If you don’t know anyone on the roster – you may have thewrong one Contact the Scientific Review Officer to Discuss fit. (Seemeeting roster for name) http://public.csr.nih.gov/StudySections/IntegratedReviewGroups/IFCNIRG/AUD/Pages/default.aspx

So, now what… You’ve identified • The Ctr/Inst(program officer, PO) • The funding mechanism (FOA), i.e., parent solicitation (R01, R03, R21), or a specific program announcement, request for applications, and • the likely Study Section (scientific review officer, SRO) You want to ENGAGE the good folks at NIH, well in advance of deadlines. • Send the PO a summary of your project (idea/focus, approaches, outcomes, so what, expertise). Good fit? Ask to arrange a call. • Similar process for SRO (emphasis on methods / perspective).

First things first - General Tips (Re)read • The current program announcement (FOA) • Relevant sections of the current SF424 (R&R) Application Guide

First things first - General Tips Get organized • Print out and use the NIH Checklist (Form C) http://osp.syr.edu/forms%20and%20pages/Forms/NIH%20-%20proposal%20checklist.docx • Adapt the NIH Checklist or make your own task list with deadlines for each application section OSP service guidelines: final complete application = 3 business days before deadline; NIH review period – 48 hrs BEFORE deadline.

First things first - General Tips Notify OSP, dept support staff, and chair /dean-designee of your plans and deadlines Discuss and obtain approvals from Chair / Dean for course relief, tuition support, space, etc. Approvals are documented on the Internal Routing and Review Form

First things first - General Tips Document Management • Create a shared site in Drop Box or Google Drive • Create folders corresponding to each section of the application (from OSP Checklist) • NOTE: you may need IT support to do this… • Folders: Application envelope; Spc Aims; Research Plan; Human / Animals; Biosketches…. (Confirm: convention for when doc =“Final”) 3. Grant your OSP RA and others full access to shared site

Find and initiate your application Download the current G.gov application from PA, RFA to shared site: • Parent Ver C R01, R21, and R03 with static SU info completed: • http://osp.syr.edu/forms%20and%20pages/forms.html

What’s the Form C application look like? Parent R01- Form C http://osp.syr.edu/forms%20and%20pages/Forms/NIH%20-%20R01%20Parent%20Forms-C%20Application.pdf Check it out

What’s new that might help you? • Expanded features at My NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

NCBI: National Center for Biotechnology Information http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ Much more than “biotech” info…

Medline, PubMed, PubMed Central http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ And with myNCBI • Publication updates / alerts… • My Bibliography >>>Key for RPPR • SciENCV

What you need to know about the NIH application process