MENTORED QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Release Date:  April 13, 1999 (superceded by PA-02-127)

PA NUMBER:  PA-99-087

P.T.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Application Receipt Dates:  June 1, October 1, and February 1

PURPOSE

Research at the borders of disciplines and from fresh perspectives often
produces surprising and exciting results.  Increasingly, teams of scientists
from diverse disciplines converge on a common research questions.  Individuals
who can independently bridge different disciplines, as well as those who are
able to function as leading members of multi-disciplinary research teams are
playing ever more valuable roles at the forefront of biomedicine.  The purpose
of the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award (K25) is to
engender and foster such activities by supporting the career development of
investigators with quantitative scientific and engineering backgrounds outside
of biology or medicine who have made a commitment to focus their research
endeavors on behavioral and biomedical research (basic or clinical).  This
mechanism is aimed at research-oriented scientists with experience at the
level of junior faculty (e.g., early to mid-levels of assistant professor or
research assistant professor ranks).  This award provides support for a period
of supervised study and research for professionals with such backgrounds who
have the potential to integrate their  expertise with biomedicine and develop
into productive investigators.

Examples of quantitative scientific and technical backgrounds outside of
biology or medicine considered appropriate for this award include, but are not
limited to:  mathematics, statistics, computer science, informatics, physics,
chemistry, and engineering.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000

The Public Health Service is committed to achieving the health promotion and
disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national
activity for setting priority areas.  This PA, Mentored Quantitative Research
Career Development Award, is related to the priority area of human resource
development.  Potential candidates may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000"
(Full Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-
00473-1) from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202/512-1800) or electronically
(http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/pubs/hp2000).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must have demonstrated research interests with an advanced degree
in a quantitative area of science or engineering: M.S.E.E., Ph.D., D.Sc., etc. 
They must identify a mentor with extensive behavioral or biomedical research
experience. Candidates must be willing to spend at least 75 percent of full-
time professional effort conducting research career development and basic or
clinical research.  Applications may be submitted on behalf of candidates, by
domestic organizations, public or private, such as research foundations,
research institutions, commercial entities, medical, dental, or nursing
schools, Federal National Laboratories (except for laboratories of the
National Institutes of Health), or other institutions of higher education. 
Minorities, women and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 
At time of award, candidates must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the
United States, or have been lawfully admitted to the United States for
permanent residence (i.e., in possession of a currently valid Alien
Registration Receipt Card I-551, or other legal verification of such status). 
Noncitizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying possessions of the
United States (i.e., American Samoa and Swains Island).  Individuals on
temporary or student visas are not eligible.

Former principal investigators on NIH research project (R01), program project
(P01), center grants, FIRST Awards (R29), SBIR/STTR awards, sub-projects of
program project (P01) or center grants, K01, K08 or K23 awards, or the
equivalent are not eligible. Former principal investigators of an NIH Small
Grant (R03) or Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) remain eligible. A
candidate for the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award may
not concurrently apply for any other PHS award that duplicates the provisions
of this award nor have another application pending award. Mentored
Quantitative Research Career Development Award recipients are strongly
encouraged to apply for independent research grant support, either Federal or
private, during the latter period of this K25 award.  However, since the K25
is a full professional effort award, time conducting additional research
directly related to this award is subsumed under the salary support already
provided by this award.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

Awards in response to this program announcement will use the K25 mechanism. 
Planning, direction, and, execution of the program will be the responsibility
of the candidate and her/his mentor on behalf of the applicant institution.
The project period may be for up to five years with a minimum of three years.
Awards are not renewable.  K25 application instructions include "JUST IN TIME"
streamlining efforts that postpone the collection of certain information until
shortly before the time of award.

AWARDS AVAILABLE

The actual number of awards to be made by each Institute will vary yearly and
will depend upon the number and quality of applications submitted and funds
available.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is especially interested in increasing
the number of scientists trained to conduct high-quality research that
combines and cuts across different scientific, technical and biomedical areas. 
Accordingly, this award forms an important part of the NIH initiative to
attract talented individuals with highly-developed quantitative skills to the
challenges of biomedical research.  The Mentored Quantitative Research Career
Development Award is intended to increase the availability of high-quality,
multi-disciplinary, didactic training so that candidates interested in cross-
disciplinary research will be well grounded in biomedical and behavioral
research.  At the completion of the award, candidates should have both the
knowledge and the skills necessary to compete for independent research support
from NIH, or to participate as leading members of multi-disciplinary research
teams.  This initiative is consistent with the recommendations of the
Bioengineering Education and Training Panel which was convened as part of the
1998 Bioengineering Consortium (BECON) Symposium (the symposium report is
available at http://www.becon.nih.gov/becon.htm).

Objectives and scope

The objectives of the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award
(K25) are to:

o  Encourage research-oriented quantitative scientists and engineers with
little or no experience in biology or biomedicine to develop independent
research skills and gain experience in advanced methods and experimental
approaches that will allow them to conduct basic or clinical biomedical,
behavioral or bioengineering research, or to play leading roles in multi-
disciplinary research teams

o  Increase the pool of quantitative researchers who can conduct biomedical,
behavioral, or bioengineering studies, capitalizing on the quantitative
backgrounds of the investigators to inform new directions in biomedical,
behavioral and bioengineering research

The Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award provides research
and career development opportunities for scientists and engineers with varying
levels of research experience in biomedicine or behavior, who are committed to
establishing themselves in careers as independent biomedical investigators. 
This Award will enable candidates holding degrees in quantitative sciences
(see under ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS above) to undertake three to five years of
special study and supervised research with the goal of developing into
independent investigators capable of conducting quantitative biomedical or
bioengineering research.

Because of the focus on a progression toward independence as a quantitative
biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering researcher, the prospective
candidate for the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award
should propose a period of study and career development consistent with her or
his previous research and experience. For example, a candidate with very
limited experience in a given field of biomedical research may find a phased
developmental program lasting for five years that includes a designated period
of didactic training together with a closely supervised research experience
the most efficient means of attaining independence. A candidate with more
research in biomedicine may benefit more from a program with greater emphasis
on appropriate laboratory research with lower levels of supervision and
direction.  All programs should be carefully tailored to meet the individual
needs of the candidate and must include (an) active mentor(s) who is (are)
competent and willing to provide the appropriate research guidance.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

While each application is expected to be highly customized to the needs of the
particular applicant, there are several elements which form the foundation for
this career development award.  The elements may take different forms for
different candidates, but there are common aspects that will be considered
carefully.  These are described below:

A.  Candidate:  The candidate should have demonstrated professional
accomplishments consonant with his or her career status, and should have
demonstrated experience or interest in pursuing research (including research
outside of biology, biomedicine or behavior).

B.  Mentor(s):  The recipient must receive appropriate mentoring throughout
the duration of the program.  Where feasible, women, minority individuals and
individuals with disabilities should be involved as mentors and serve as role
models.  Candidates must name a primary mentor, who together with the
applicant is responsible for planning, direction, and execution of the
program.  Candidates may also nominate additional mentors as appropriate to
the goals of the program.

C.  Program:  The award provides up to five consecutive 12-month awards. 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
consulting, teaching, or other research pursuits consonant with the objectives
of the award.

Both the didactic and the research phases of an award period must be designed
to develop the necessary knowledge and research skills in scientific areas
relevant to the career goals of the candidate.

D.  Environment:  The institution must have a well-established research and
biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering career development program, or have
demonstrable ties to such programs.  For example, if the mentor is based in
industry and the career development program requires didactic activities at a
nearby university, access to such activities must be described.  The
institution must also have individuals qualified in research to serve as
mentors.

The institution must be able to demonstrate a commitment to the development of
the  candidate as a productive, independent investigator.  The candidate,
mentor, and institution must be able to describe an in-depth, multi
disciplinary career development program that will utilize the relevant
research and educational resources (whether at the institution or at a site
with which there are demonstrable ties).

E.  Evaluation:  In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related
programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the
effectiveness of this program.  Accordingly, recipients are hereby notified
that they may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic
updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support
from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities,
and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.

ALLOWABLE COSTS

1. Salary:  The NIH will provide salary for the award recipient of up to
$75,000 per year plus commensurate fringe benefits. The total salary requested
must be based on a full-time, 12-month staff appointment. It must be
consistent both with the established salary structure at the institution and
with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own funds to other
staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the
department concerned.  If full-time, 12-month salaries are not currently paid
to comparable staff members, the salary proposed must be appropriately related
to the existing salary structure.

The institution may supplement the NIH contribution up to a level that is
consistent with the institution"s salary scale, however, supplementation may
not be from Federal funds unless specifically authorized by the Federal
program from which such funds are derived. Because the salary amount provided
by this award is based on the full-time institutional salary, no other NIH
funds may be used for salary supplementation.  Institutional supplementation
of salary must not require extra duties or responsibilities that would
interfere with the purpose of the award.

B.  Research Development Support:  The NIH will generally provide up to
$40,000 per year for the following expenses:  (a) tuition, fees, and books
related to career development, (b) research expenses, such as supplies,
equipment and technical personnel, c) travel to research meetings or training,
(d) research support services including personnel and computer time.

C.  Ancillary Personnel Support:  Salary for mentors, secretarial, and
administrative assistance etc., is not allowed.

D.  Facilities and Administrative costs:  These costs will be reimbursed at 8
percent of modified total direct costs.

E.  Other Income:  Fees resulting from professional consultation, or other
comparable activities required by the research and research-related activities
of this award may not be retained by the career award recipient. Such fees
must be assigned to the grantee institution for disposition by any of the
following methods:

The funds may be expended by the grantee institution in accordance with the
NIH policy on supplementation of career award salaries and to provide fringe
benefits in proportion to such supplementation.  Such salary supplementation
and fringe benefits payments must be within the established policies of the
grantee institution.

The funds may be used for health-related research purposes.

The funds may be paid to miscellaneous receipts of the U.S. Treasury.  Checks
should be made payable to the Department of Health and Human Services, NIH and
forwarded to the Director, Division of Financial Management, NIH, Bethesda,
Maryland 20892.  Checks must identify the relevant award account and reason
for the payment.

Awardees may retain royalties and fees for activities such as scholarly
writing, service on advisory groups, or honoraria from other institutions for
lectures or seminars, provided these activities remain incidental and provided
that the retention of such pay is consistent with the policies and practices
of the grantee institution.

Usually, funds budgeted in an NIH supported research or research training
grant for the salaries or fringe benefits of individuals, but freed as a
result of a career award, may not be rebudgeted.  The awarding component will
give consideration to approval for the use of released funds only under
unusual circumstances.  Any proposed retention of funds released as a result
of a career award must receive prior written approval of the NIH awarding
component.

F.  Special Leave:  Leave to another institution, including a foreign
laboratory, may be permitted if directly related to the purpose of the award.
Only local, institutional approval is required if such leave does not exceed 3
months.  For longer periods, prior written approval of the NIH funding
component is required.

To obtain prior approval, the award recipient must submit a letter to the NIH
describing the plan, countersigned by his or her department head and the
appropriate institutional official.  A copy of a letter or other evidence from
the institution where the leave is to be taken must be submitted to assure
that satisfactory arrangements have been made. Support from the career award
will continue during such leave.

Leave without award support may not exceed 12 months. Such leave requires the
prior written approval of the NIH funding component and will be granted only
in unusual situations.  Support from other sources is permissible during the
period of leave.  Such leave does not reduce the total number of months of
program support for which an individual is eligible.  Parental leave will be
granted consistent with the policies of the NIH and the grantee institution.

Under unusual and pressing circumstances, an awardee may submit a written
request to the awarding component, requesting a reduction in professional
effort below 75 percent.  Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case
basis during the award period.  In no case, will it be permissible to work at
a rate of less than 50 percent effort.  The nature of the circumstances
requiring reduced effort might include medical conditions, disability, or
pressing personal or family situations such as child or elder care. 
Permission to reduce the level of effort will not be approved to accommodate
other sources of funding, job opportunities, clinical practice, or clinical
training.  In each situation, the grantee institution must submit
documentation supporting the need for reduced effort along with assurance of a
continuing commitment to the scientific development of the awardee.  Further,
the  awardee must submit assurance of his or her intention to return to full-
time professional effort (at least 75 percent) as soon as possible.  During
the period of reduced effort, the salary and other costs supported by the
award will be reduced accordingly.

G.  Termination or Change of Institution:  When a grantee institution
plans to terminate an award, the NIH funding component must be notified in
writing at the earliest possible time so that appropriate instructions can be
given for termination. The Director of the NIH may discontinue an award upon
determination that the purpose or terms of the award are not being fulfilled.
In the event an award is terminated, the Director of the NIH shall notify the
grantee institution and career award recipient in writing of this
determination, the reasons, the effective date, and the right to appeal the
decision.

Awardees planning a change of institution must submit to the NIH funding
component, in advance of the change, a written request for transfer,
countersigned by the appropriate institutional business official, describing
the reasons for the change and including the new sponsor"s name and biosketch. 
The awardee must establish in this request that the specific aims of the
research program to be conducted at the new institution are within the scope
of the original peer reviewed research program.  Additionally, the new sponsor
must have the appropriate research expertise to supervise the program and
sufficient research support to ensure continuation of the research program to
the end of the award (initial award).  Staff within the NIH funding component
will review this request and may require a review by an initial review group
and/or the appropriate National Advisory Council or Board. Upon approval of
this request, a new career award application must be submitted by the new
institution far enough in advance of the requested effective date to permit
review.  The period of support requested in the new application must be no
more than the time remaining within the existing award period.

When a mentor at the grantee institution is to be replaced, the institution
must submit a letter from the proposed mentor documenting the need for
substitution, the new mentor"s qualifications, and the level of support for
the candidate"s career development.  Staff within the NIH funding component
will review the request.

A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are
required upon either termination of an award or relinquishment of an award in
a change of institution situation.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS

For research projects involving human subjects, it is the policy of the NIH
that women and members of minority groups and their subpopulations must be
included in all NIH supported biomedical and behavioral research projects
involving human subjects unless a clear and compelling rationale and
justification is provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the
health of the subjects or the purpose of the research.  This policy results
from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). 
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the
"NIH Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical
Research," which has been published in the Federal Register of March 28,1994
(FR 59 14508-14513), and in the NIH GUIDE FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS of March
18, 1994, Vol. 23, No 11. It is also available electronically at 
http://www.nih.gov/grants/guide/1994/94.03.18/

Investigators may obtain copies from these sources or from the program staff
or contact person listed below.  Program staff may also provide additional
relevant information concerning the policy.

INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS

It is the policy of NIH that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21)
must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported by
NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them. This
policy applies to all applications submitted in response to this Program
Announcement.

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the
"NIH POLICY AND GUIDELINES ON THE INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN
RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS" that was published in the NIH GUIDE FOR
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS, March 6, 1998 and is available at the following URL
address: http://www.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the staff person in
the relevant institute or center listed under INQUIRIES.  Such contact should
occur early in the planning phase of application preparation.  Contacting a
staff person will help ensure that applications are responsive to the goals
and policies of the individual institute or center.

Applicants who will be using a General Clinical Research Center(GCRC) are
requested to include a letter of agreement from either the GCRC program
director or the principal investigator with the application.

Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev.
4/98, use the instructions in Section IV as appropriate) and will be accepted
on or before the receipt dates indicated in the application kit.  Forms are
available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and from the
Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes
of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, Phone
(301) 710-0267, FAX: (301) 480-0525, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.  Forms are
also available on the NIH Website at
http://www.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html

To identify the application as a response to this program announcement, check
"YES" on item 2 of page 1 of the application and enter "PA-99-087 MENTORED
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD."

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application with Checklist, and
five signed photocopies, in one package to:

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 - MSC 7710
BETHESDA, MD  20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD  20817-7710 (for express/courier service)

The application must contain the following:

Candidate

o  A description of the candidate"s commitment to a career in quantitative
biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering research

o  Evidence of the candidate"s interest in conducting research

o  Evidence of the candidate"s potential to develop into an independent
investigator

o  A description of immediate and long-term career objectives, explaining how
the award will contribute to their attainment

o  A commitment of at least 75 percent effort to this research program

o  Three sealed letters of recommendation addressing the candidate"s potential
for a research career in quantitative biomedicine or bioengineering. The
mentor"s statement (see below) should not be included as one of the letters of
recommendation, although the mentor(s) may submit a separate letter(s) of
recommendation.

Career Development Plan

o  A description of the career development plan, incorporating consideration
of the candidate"s goals and prior experience.  It must describe a systematic
plan to obtain the necessary theoretical and conceptual background, in
addition to the research experience, necessary to launch an independent
research career in quantitative biomedicine or bioengineering.

o  Candidates must describe the availability of courses important to their
career development plan at their institution and the manner of integration of
these studies into their career development plan.

o  The career development plan must be tailored to the needs of the individual
candidate and the ultimate goal of achieving independence as a researcher in
quantitative biomedicine or bioengineering.  Less experienced candidates may
require a phased developmental period in which the first one to two year(s) of
the award are largely of a didactic nature followed by a period of intense,
supervised research. Candidates with more experience at the time of
application may need a shorter developmental period and may already have an
adequate theoretical background.

o  Candidates must describe plans to receive instruction in the responsible
conduct of research. These plans must detail the proposed subject matter,
format, frequency, and duration of instruction.  No award will be made if an
application lacks this component.

Research Plan

o  A description of the quantitative biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering
research plan. The research plan must be described as outlined in form PHS
398, including sections on the Specific Aims, Background and Significance,
Progress Report/Preliminary Studies, Research Design and Methods.  The
candidate should consult with the mentor regarding the development of this
section.

Mentor"s Statement

o  The application must include information on the mentor(s), including
information on basic or clinical biomedical research qualifications in the
research area proposed by the candidate and previous experience as a research
supervisor.  The application must also include information to describe the
nature and extent of supervision that will occur during the proposed award
period.  Mentors may be employed in any sector of the biomedical research
community (e.g., academia, industry, non-profit research institutions).

Environment and Institutional Commitment

o  The sponsoring institution must document a strong, well-established
research and training program related to the candidate"s area of interest,
including a high-quality research environment with staff capable of productive
collaboration with the candidate. The sponsoring institution also must provide
a statement of commitment to the candidate"s development into a productive,
independent investigator.

Budget Instructions

Follow the Instructions in the Career Award Section of PHS Form 398 (rev.
4/98).  The total direct costs requested must be consistent with this K25
program announcement and the award limits of the NIH funding component. 
Applicants seeking information on award limits should contact the likely
funding component listed in the INQUIRIES section at the end of this
announcement.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Center for Scientific
Review and for responsiveness to this program announcement by the appropriate
Institute or Center staff.  Incomplete or non-responsive applications will be
returned to the applicant without further consideration.  Applications that
are complete and responsive to the program announcement will be evaluated for
scientific and technical merit by a peer review group convened by the
appropriate Institute in accordance with the standard NIH peer review
procedures.  As part of the initial merit review, all applications will
receive a written critique.  Applications may undergo a streamlined review in
which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit,
generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed,
assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the
appropriate national advisory council or board.

The following review criteria will be applied:

Candidate

o  Quality of the candidate"s academic and research record,

o  Potential to develop as an independent quantitative biomedical or
bioengineering researcher or to play significant role in multi-disciplinary
research teams, and

o  Commitment to a career in quantitative biomedical or bioengineering
research.

Career Development Plan

o  Likelihood that the career development plan will contribute substantially
to the scientific development of the candidate,

o  Appropriateness of the content and duration of the proposed didactic and
research phases of the award,

o  Consistency of the career development plan with the candidate"s career
goals and prior research experience, and

o  Quality of the proposed training in responsible conduct of research.

Research Plan

Reviewers recognize that an individual with limited research experience is
less likely to be able to prepare a research plan with the breadth and depth
of that submitted by a more experienced investigator.  Although it is
understood that K25 applications do not require the level of detail necessary
in regular research grant applications, a fundamentally sound research plan
must be provided. In general, less detail is expected with regard to research
planned for the later years of the award, but the application should outline
the general goals for these years.

o  Appropriateness of the research plan to the stage of research development
and as a vehicle for developing the research skills as described in the career
development plan,

o  Scientific and technical merit of the research question, design and
methodology,

o  Relevance of the proposed research to the candidate"s career objectives,

o  Adequacy of the plan"s attention to gender and minority issues associated
with projects involving human subjects, and

o  Adequacy of plans for including children as appropriate for the scientific
goals of the research, or justification for exclusion.

Mentor

o  History of research productivity and support in the area of basic or
clinical biomedical research,

o  Appropriateness of mentor"s research qualifications in the area of this
application,

o  Quality and extent of mentor"s proposed role in providing guidance and
advice to the candidate, and

o  Previous experience in fostering the development of researchers.

Environment and Institutional Commitment

o  Applicant institution"s commitment to the scientific development of the
candidate and assurances that the institution intends the candidate to be an
integral part of its research program,

o  Adequacy of research facilities and the availability of appropriate
educational opportunities (including access to such facilities or
opportunities in other institutions),

o  Quality and relevance of the environment for scientific and professional
development of the candidate, and

o  Applicant institution"s commitment to an appropriate balance of research
and other responsibilities.

Budget

o  Justification of the requested budget in relation to career development
goals and research aims.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will be assigned to an Institute based on referral guidelines. 
The Institute will notify the applicant of the Advisory Board or Council"s
action shortly after its meeting.  Funding decisions will be made based on the
recommendations of the initial review group and Advisory Council/Board, the
need for research personnel in specific program areas, and the availability of
funds.  The NIH policy on submission of revised (amended) applications limits
the number of such amended applications to two.

INQUIRIES

Written and telephone inquiries concerning this program announcement are
strongly encouraged especially during the planning phase of the application.
Below is a listing of each Institute"s program contact.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Michael Commarato, Ph.D.
Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7940
Bethesda, MD  20892-7940
Telephone: (301) 435-0535
FAX: (301) 480-1454
Email: mc63a@nih.gov

Bettie Graham, Ph.D.
National Human Genome Research Institute
Building 38A, Room 613
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-7531
FAX: (301) 480-2770
Email: bg30t@nih.gov

Robin Barr, Ph.D.
Office of Extramural Affairs
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building, Room 2C218
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Telephone: (301) 496-9322
FAX:(301) 402-2945
Email: rb42h@nih.gov

Michael J. Eckardt, Ph.D.
Office of Scientific Affairs
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Willco Building, Room 409
6000 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD  20892-7003
Telephone:  (301) 443-6107
FAX:  (301) 443-6077
Email: me25t@nih.gov

Milton J. Hernandez, Ph.D.
Office of Special Populations and Research Training
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Solar Building, Room 4B04
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-3775
FAX: (301) 496-8729
Email: mh35c@nih.gov

Richard W. Lymn, Ph.D.
Extramural Programs
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
45 Center Drive, Room 5AS-49E, MSC 6500
Bethesda, MD 20892-6500
Telephone:  301-594-5128
FAX:  301-480-4543
Email:  r128b@nih.gov

Yvonne Maddox, Ph.D.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Building 31, Room 2A03
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-1848
FAX: (301) 402-1104
Email: ym16x@nih.gov

Daniel A. Sklare, Ph.D.
Division of Human Communication
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 400-C - MSC 7180
Bethesda, MD  20892-7180
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service)
Telephone:  (301) 496-1804
FAX:  (301) 402-6251
Email:  daniel_sklare@nih.gov

Norman Braveman, Ph.D.
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Natcher Building, Room 4AN-24B
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD  20892-6402
Telephone:  (301) 594-8318
FAX:  (301) 480-8318
Email: bravemann@de45.nidr.nih.gov

Paul Coates, Ph.D.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Natcher Building, Room 5AN32C
45 Center Drive, MSC 6600
Bethesda, MD 20892-6600
Telephone: (301) 594-8805
FAX: (301) 480-3768
Email: coatesp@extra.niddk.nih.gov

Andrea Baruchin, Ph.D.
Office of Science Policy and Communication
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Parklawn Building, Room 10A 55
Rockville, MD  20857
Telephone:  (301) 443-6071
FAX:  (301) 443-6277
Email:  abaruchi@ngmsmtp.nida.nih.gov

Carol Shreffler, Ph.D.
Training and Career Development Programs
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
P.O. Box 12233, EC-23
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709
Telephone:  (919) 541-1445
FAX:  (919) 541-2503
Email: Shreffl1@niehs.nih.gov

Sue Shafer, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Natcher Building, Room 2AN.32C
45 Center Drive, MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Telephone: (301) 594-4499
FAX: (301) 480-1852
Email: ss78v@nih.gov

Walter Goldschmidts, Ph.D.
Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
National Institute of Mental Health, NIH
6001 Executive Blvd. Room 7200
Mail Stop Code 9645
Rockville,  MD 20852
Telephone: (301) 443-3563
Fax: (301) 443-1731
Email:  wg8u@nih.gov

William J Heetderks, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
7550 Wisconsin Avenue, Room 802
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1447
FAX:  (301) 480-1080
Email: heetderb@nswide.ninds.nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal issues to:

Marie Willett
Grants Operation Branch
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7926
Bethesda, MD. 20892-7926
Telephone: (301) 435-0144
FAX: (301) 480-3310
Email: WillettM@nih.gov

Jean Cahill
National Human Genome Research Institute
Building 38A, Room 613
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 402-0733
FAX: (301) 402-1951
Email: jc166o@nih.gov

Joseph Ellis
Grants and Contracts Management Office
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building, Room 2N212
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Telephone:  (301) 496-1472
FAX:  (301) 402-3672
Email: je14j@nih.gov

Linda Hilley
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Willco Building, Room 504
6000 Executive Blvd.
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: (301) 443-4704
FAX: (301) 443-3891
E-mail:  lh67b@nih.gov

Barbara Huffman
Office of Special Populations and Research Training, DEA
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Solar Building, Room 3C25
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 496-3821
FAX: (301) 402-0369
Email: bh23q@nih.gov

Sally A. Nichols
Grants Management Office
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
45 Center Drive, Room 5AS-49F, MSC 6500
Bethesda, MD 20892-6500
Telephone:  301-594-3535
FAX:  301-480-5450
Email:  NicholsS@ep.niams.nih.gov

Diane Watson
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Blvd., Room 8A01A
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 435-6975
FAX: (301) 402-0915
Email: watsond@mail.nih.gov

Sharon Hunt
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Executive Plaza South
6120 Executive Boulevard, Room 400-B - MSC 7180
Bethesda, MD  20892-7180
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service)
Telephone:  (301) 402-0909
FAX:  (301) 402-1758
Email:  sh79f@nih.gov

Martin Rubinstein
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Natcher Building, Room 4AN-44A
45 Center Drive, MSC 6402
Bethesda, MD 20892-6402
Telephone: (301) 594-4800
FAX: (301) 480-8301
Email: mr49c@nih.gov

Nancy Dixon
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Natcher Building, Room 6AN44C
45 Center Drive MSC 6600
Bethesda, MD 20892-6600
Telephone: (301) 594-8854
FAX: (301) 480-3504
Email:  dixonn@extra.niddk.nih.gov

Gary Fleming
Grants Management Office
National Institute on Drug Abuse
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 3131, MSC 9541
Bethesda, MD 20892-9541
Telephone: (301) 443-6710
FAX: (301) 594-6847
Email: gf6s@nih.gov

Jackie Russell
Grants Management Branch  EC-22
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
P. O. Box 12233
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709
Telephone:  (919) 541-0751
FAX:  (919)  541-2860
Email:  Russell@niehs.nih.gov

Michael Martin
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Natcher Building,  Room 2An.32k
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 594-3910
FAX: (301) 480-1852
Email: MartinM@nigms.nih.gov

Diana S. Trunnell
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6115 MSC 9605
Bethesda, MD 20892-9605
Telephone:  (301) 443-2805
FAX: (301) 443-6885
Email:  Diana Trunnell@nih.gov

Dawn Richardson
Grants Management Bureau
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Blvd, Room 3270
Bethesda, MD 20892-9537
Telephone: (301) 496-7484
FAX: (301) 402-0219
Email: da8h@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Nos.
93. 855 and 93.856.  Awards are made under the authority of title III, Section
301 of the PHS Act as amended.  The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42 Part
52 and Title 45 Part 74, are applicable to this program.  This program is not
subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372
to Health Systems Agency review.

The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a
smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products.  In
addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking
in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which
regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early
childhood development services are provided to children.  This is consistent
with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of
the American people.

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
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