NIH Grant Sections

1. NIH Grant Sections Alan L. Goldin, M.D./Ph.D. Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

2. Cover Letter • Application title • Funding Opportunity (PA or RFA) • Request assignment to a particular awarding component(s) or Scientific Review Group (SRG) • List of individuals (e.g., competitors) who should not review your application and why • For late applications include specifics about the timing and nature of the cause of the delay

3. Cover Letter Example • Please assign this application to the following: • Institutes/Centers • National Cancer Institute - NCI • Scientific Review Groups • Molecular Oncogenesis Study Section – MONC • Please do not assign this application to the following: • Scientific Review Groups • Cancer Genetics Study Section – CG • Narrative reason for the request(s)

4. Research Plan • Introduction (if a resubmission) • Specific Aims • Research Strategy • Inclusion Enrollment Report • Progress Report Publication List

5. Research Strategy • Significance • Innovation • Approach • Significance, Innovation and Approach can be addressed individually for each specific aim • Preliminary Data or Progress should be included within the approach

6. Human Subjects • Protection of Human Subjects • Inclusion of Women and Minorities • Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table • Inclusion of Children

7. Other Research Plan Sections • Vertebrate Animals • Select Agent Research • Multiple PD/Pi Leadership Plan • Consortium/Contractual Arrangements • Letters of Support • Resource Sharing Plan

8. Vertebrate Animals • Detailed description of the proposed use, including species, strains, ages, sex and number • Justify the use of animals, species, and especially the number (power analysis) • Information on veterinary care • Procedures to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury • Method of euthanasia

9. Select Agents • Hazardous biological agents and toxins that have been identified by DHHS and USDA • CDC maintains a list of these agents • http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/docs/salist.pdf • If none will be used, indicate not applicable

10. Multiple PD/Pi Leadership • Only for applications with multiple PIs • Identify administrative, technical and scientific responsibilities • Include communication plans • Procedures for making decisions and resolving conflicts

11. Consortium/Contractual Arrangements • Programmatic, fiscal and administrative arrangements between the application and consortium

12. Letters of Support • Letters demonstrate support of collaborators or consortium • Include only significant contributors

13. Resource Sharing Plan • Data Sharing Plan is required if requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs • Sharing Model Organisms is required if any will be developed • Genome Wide Association Studies should include information about submission to data repositories

14. Fellowship Components • Specific Aims (1 page) • Research Strategy (6 pages) • Significance • Innovation • Approach • Preliminary studies are not required, but should be included in the approach

15. Additional Sections • Respective Contributions - 1 page • Selection of Sponsor & Institution - 1 page • Responsible Conduct of Research - 1 page • Goals for Fellowship & Training Career – 1 page • Activities Planned Under the Award – 1 page • Doctoral Dissertation/Research Experience – 2 pages

16. Respective Contributions • Describe the collaborative process between you and your sponsor • Discuss the relative contributions of each • Sponsor may provide the idea • You write the initial draft • Sponsor reviews and makes suggestions

17. Selection of Sponsor • Explain why you selected the Sponsor, Co-Sponsor and Institution • If any of the research will be at another institution, explain why

18. Responsible Conduct • Format – Lectures and discussions • Subject Matter – Required Topics • Faculty Participation – Your sponsor should be involved (lab meetings, etc.) • Duration of Instruction – 10-15 hours • Frequency of Instruction – RCR instruction is required every 3 years

19. Goals for Training • Career goals • How the proposed research training will enable those goals • Focus on research (not clinical) goals

20. Activities Planned • Research, coursework, clinical activities • Total of 100% each year • Usually the majority (90%) is research • During the MS3 and MS4 years, include some component of research • Explain activities other than research and how they related to your training goals

21. Research Experience • Summarize previous research experience • Advanced graduate students should also include a narrative of their dissertation research thus far

22. Sponsor and Co-Sponsor • Maximum of 6 pages • Research Support Available • Previous Fellows/Trainees • Training Plan, Environment, Research Facilities • Number of Trainees to be Supervised • Applicant’s Qualifications and Potential for a Research Career

23. Letters of Reference • Minimum of 3 and Maximum of 5 • Each letter is a maximum of 2 pages • Select referees who have direct knowledge of your research experience • They should address your potential to become a productive, independent investigator

24. Letters of Reference • Letters of Reference are due by the application deadline • Provide referees with: • Commons User ID • Your Last Name (as it appears in Commons) • Funding Opportunity Announcement Number