NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grants (R15) SOT 2010 Mike Humble, PhD

1. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences The National Institutes of Health NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grants (R15) SOT 2010 Mike Humble, PhD Program Administrator Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT) National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) National Institutes of Health (NIH) Dept of Health & Human Services (DHHS)

2. Overview • NIH and NIEHS • NIH R15 AREA Grants • NIH Review Process

3. NIH consists of 27 Institutes and Centers NHLBI NINR OD NCCAM NIEHS NCI NIAMS CIT NIDA NEI NIMH CC NIDDK NLM NINDS NHGRI NIDCR NCMHD NIBIB NIA NIDCD NIAAA NICHD NIAID CSR NCRR NIGMS FIC = Extramural only

4. NIEHS -- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences • Human health and human disease result from three interactive elements: • environmental factors • individual susceptibility • age • The mission of the NIEHS is to reduce the burden of human illness and dysfunction from environmental causes by understanding each of these elements and how they interrelate.

5. Grant Mechanisms Although there are many mechanisms, not all mechanisms are available at all Institutes under all circumstances.

6. NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award Grants “AREA” Grants (R15)

7. NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grants (R15) Since Fiscal Year 1985, Congressional appropriations for the NIH have included funds for AREA program. It was realized that a significant number of the Nation’s research scientists earn their baccalaureate and/or advanced degrees at educational intuitions that have not been major recipients of NIH support. The AREA grant program creates an opportunity for scientists and institutions otherwise unlikely to participate extensively in NIH programs, to contribute to the Nation's overall biomedical and behavioral research effort. AREA grants support small-scale health-related research projects proposed by faculty members of eligible, domestic institutions.

8. NIH AREA Grants (R15) The three goals of the AREA program are: • to support meritorious research • to strengthen the research environment of the educational institution • to expose students to research. • Students will benefit from participating on research projects and will be encouraged to continue studies in the biomedical sciences. The AREA grant is a research award and not a training award. • The focus of the proposal/project should be on hands-on meritorious research, and not on course work, training plans, or training objectives.

9. NIH AREA Grants (R15) • AREA grants support small-scale, new or renewal, projects in biomedical and behavioral research, including: • pilot research projects and feasibility studies • development, testing, and refinement of research techniques • secondary analysis of available data sets • similar discrete research projects that demonstrate research capability • Applicants may submit more than one application, provided they are scientifically distinct • applicant may have only one AREA grant at a time.

10. NIH AREA Grants (R15) – New Page Limits • Introduction to Application(Resubmission or Revisions only) • Specific Aims: 1 page • Research Strategy:should not exceed 12 pages • Background • Significance • Innovation • Approach • Preliminary studies for new applications • Progress report for renewal/revision applications • Includes tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts.

11. NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details Budget: up to $300,000 direct costs plus applicable Facilities & Administrative (F&A) /indirect costs Project Period: The total project period may be up to three (3) years.

12. NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details Eligible Institutions: Must offer baccalaureate or advanced degrees in the sciences related to biomedical and behavioral sciences AREA grants are meant for educational institutions that have not been major recipients of NIH support Limits: NIH funding totaling less than $6 million per year (in both direct and F&A/indirect costs) in each of 4 or more of the last 7 years.

13. NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details • Eligible Individuals • Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. • May not be the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) of any active NIH research grant at the time of award of an AREA grant (although he or she may be one of the project personnel for an active NIH grant held by another PD/PI). • May not be awarded more than one AREA grant at a time (although he or she may hold successive new or competing renewal AREA grants). • May not submit an application to NIH for another research grant for essentially the same project proposed in a pending AREA application.

14. New Investigator vs Early Stage Investigator New Investigator: has not yet been awarded a substantial, competing NIH research grant. Early Stage Investigator (ESI): a New Investigator who has completed his or her terminal research degree or medical residency—whichever date is later—within the past 10 years and has not yet been awarded a substantial, competing NIH research. 14

15. NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details Receipt dates All R15 – new, renewal, resubmission, revision February 25 June 25 October 25

16. NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Website http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm

17. NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Contacts

19. Enhanced Review Criteria for FY2010

20. 9-point Scoring Descriptions Weaknesses

21. NIH AREA Grants (R15) Current AREA Grants Announcement: PA-10-070: Academic Research Enhancement Award (Parent R15) http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-070.html

22. Contact Information Mike Humble, PhDhumble@niehs.nih.gov