Full Text ES-94-006 MINORITY SCIENTIST AWARD AT MINORITY INSTITUTIONS NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 9, March 4, 1994 RFA: ES-94-006 P.T. 34, FF Keywords: Environmental Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Application Receipt Date: May 20, 1994 PURPOSE Human health and human disease result from three interactive elements: environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, and age. The mission of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is to reduce the burden of human illness and dysfunction from environmental causes by further understanding each of these elements and how they interrelate. The NIEHS achieves its mission through a multidisciplinary biomedical research program, prevention and intervention efforts, and a communication strategy that encompasses training, education, technology transfer, and community outreach. The ultimate goal of the NIEHS activities is to define and understand the mechanism of action of environmental agents on human health and transfer this knowledge to the public benefit. The NIEHS invites minority faculty members at historically black colleges and universities and other predominantly minority colleges, universities, and health professional schools to submit applications for support of activities directed at the development of investigators at such schools in areas relevant to environmental health sciences. The intent of the award is to provide an underrepresented minority faculty member with increased access to research opportunities through collaborative arrangements with funded environmental health scientists, usually at institutions within a 100-mile radius of the applicant organization. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000 The Public Health Service (PHS) 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 Request for Applications (RFA), Minority Scientist Award at Minority Institutions, is related to the priority area of Environmental Health. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402-9325 (telephone (202) 783-3238). ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS A minority school is defined as a medical or nonmedical college, university, or equivalent school in which students of minority ethnic groups including African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Asian or Pacific Islanders comprise a significant proportion of the school enrollment and that has a commitment to the special encouragement of minority faculty, students and investigators. Candidates for this award are faculty members who (1) are members of an underrepresented minority group; (2) are citizens of the United States, noncitizen nationals or permanent residents at the time of application; (3) have an M.D., Ph.D. degree or equivalent in a biomedical or behavioral science; (4) wish to develop research capabilities in environmental health sciences research; and (5) have the background and potential to become an independent biomedical investigator. A minimum of 70 percent effort annually must be committed to the award. Applicants may not apply for, or accept, other PHS research grant support or its equivalent at the time of submission of the Minority Scientist Award at Minority Institutions, nor may they apply at the same time for any other type of academic award. However, they may apply for, and accept research grant support subsequent to award of the Minority Scientist Award at Minority Institutions. Each candidate must also identify and complete arrangements with a nearby mentor, preferably at a majority or minority institution within reasonable commuting distance, approximately 100 miles. The mentor should be recognized as an accomplished NIEHS-funded investigator, in the research area proposed, who will provide guidance for the awardee's development and research plan. NIEHS staff is willing to assist prospective applicants in identifying appropriate NIEHS grantees. If no NIEHS-supported grantee can be identified, other NIH-supported grantees may be suitable as mentors. However, the applicant should discuss this with NIEHS staff to determine if the mentor is appropriate for this program. Plans for an intensive training period should be developed with the mentor. The commitment of the mentor and his/her institution to both the summer and academic year training must be evidenced by letters of support to be included in the application. A commitment from the mentor's department head must be included in the application. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Support of this program will be through the NIEHS Minority Scientist Award at Minority Institutions (K14). Applicants will be responsible for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project. Awards will be administered under PHS grants policy as stated in the PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 90-50,000 (rev. October 1, 1990). Awards are nonrenewable and nontransferable from one awardee to another. Funding beyond the first year of the grant is contingent upon satisfactory progress during the preceding year. Future program interest in this initiative will be announced through the NIH Program Announcement mechanism. Awards must be requested for a period of five years. Allowable costs include: Salary: The salary of the candidate may be requested up to $50,000, plus fringe benefits, per annum for the time and effort committed to the activities of the award. A minimum of 70 percent effort annually must be committed to the award. Research Support: A maximum of $60,000 for year 01 and $35,000 per year in succeeding years for the categories listed below: Equipment: Specialized research equipment essential to the proposed program; in accordance with PHS policy, title to such equipment will vest with the grantee institution. Supplies: Consumable supplies essential to the proposed program. Other: Personnel, publication costs, computer costs, or other costs necessary for the research program. Travel: Domestic travel for the awardee that is essential to the proposed program. Travel expenses for up to two active researchers from outside the institution as consultants/seminar speaker(s). Tuition and Fees: If essential to the awardee's individual research development program. Indirect Costs: Will be provided for at a rate of eight percent of the total direct costs of each award, exclusive of tuition, fees, and expenditures for equipment. Categorical amounts cited above notwithstanding, the total award may not exceed $110,000 in direct costs per year ($135,000 in the first year). FUNDS AVAILABLE The estimated funds (total costs) available for the first year of support for this RFA are anticipated to be $250,000. It is expected that two to three awards will be possible. This level of support is dependent on the receipt of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES This program is designed to support environmental health sciences related research career development of minority faculty at minority institutions at the M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent level who have the interest and capabilities of doing state-of-the-art research in this area. The objective of this RFA is to develop the research skills and capacity of faculty members at minority schools, increase the pool of biomedical and behavioral investigators in environmental health sciences research, improve the research facilities at minority institutions, and have undergraduate students, most of whom will be minority individuals, become more cognizant of research opportunities in environmental health sciences. Since the objective of this program is to develop the faculty research capacity, the inclusion of undergraduate students on the project is not required. However, if appropriate, the participation of an undergraduate student is allowable. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS The applicant should request funds for one trip annually to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for a grantee meeting. The applicant must include plans for a seminar program for undergraduate students. Each year the applicant should include his/her own research and two active researchers from outside the institution as seminar speakers. Although the specific features of the seminar program are the responsibility of the applicant, it is expected that this would be a regularly occurring seminar program and provide undergraduate students an opportunity to learn about and explore environmental health sciences issues and opportunities. The NIEHS expects that this award will result in the submission of manuscripts for publication and presentations of the research at national forums by the awardee. In addition, the applicant must include a plan for the submission of a grant application to a program not targeted to minority institutions. Since the objective of this award is the development of the research capacity, funding for the fourth and fifth year of the award will be contingent upon the submission of a NIH grant application. Although the specific research to be proposed in such a grant application will be uncertain at the time of this application, the applicant should be planning to obtain future research support via traditional research grants. STUDY POPULATIONS SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NIH POLICIES CONCERNING INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY POPULATIONS NIH policy is that applicants for NIH clinical research grants and cooperative agreements will be required to include minorities and women in study populations so that research findings can be of benefit to all persons at risk of the disease, disorder or condition under study; special emphasis should be placed on the need for inclusion of minorities and women in studies of diseases, disorders and conditions which disproportionately affect them. This policy is intended to apply to males and females of all ages. If women or minorities are excluded or inadequately represented in clinical research, particularly in proposed population-based studies, a clear, compelling rationale should be provided. The composition of the proposed study populations must be described in terms of gender and racial/ethnic group. In addition, gender and racial/ethnic issues should be addressed in developing a research design and sample size appropriate for the scientific objectives of the study. This information should be included in the form PHS 398 in Sections 1-4 of the Research Plan AND summarized in Section 5, Human Subjects. Applicants are urged to assess carefully the feasibility of including the broadest possible representation of minority groups. However, NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or appropriate in all research projects to include representation of the full array of United States racial/ethnic minority populations (i.e., native Americans (including American Indians or Alaskan Natives), Asian/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics). The rationale for studies on single minority population groups should be provided. For the purpose of this policy, clinical research includes human biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology, prevention (and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions, including but not limited to clinical trials. The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also apply. Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues cannot be identified or linked to individuals are excluded. However, every effort should be made to include human tissues from women and racial/ethnic minorities when it is important to apply the results of the study broadly, and this should be addressed by applicants. For foreign awards, the policy on inclusion of women applies fully; since the definition of minority differs in other countries, the applicant must discuss the relevance of research involving foreign population groups to the United States' populations, including minorities. If the required information is not contained within the application, the review will be deferred until the information is provided. Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in the application conforms to these policies. If the representation of women or minorities in a study design is inadequate to answer the scientific question(s) addressed AND the justification for the selected study population is inadequate, it will considered a scientific weakness or deficiency in the study design and will be reflected in assigning the priority score to the application. All applications for clinical research submitted to NIH are required to address these policies. NIH funding components will not award grants or cooperative agreements that do not comply with these policies. APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) is to be used in applying for these grants. These forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 594-7378 (for multiple copies) (301) 496-7248 (for one copy). Applications must be received by May 20, 1994. If an application is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant. The RFA label provided in the PHS 398 (rev 9/91) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Failure to use this label could result in delayed processing of the application such that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2a of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the checklist, and three signed photocopies, to: Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health Westwood Building, Room 240 Bethesda, MD 20892** To expedite review, two copies must also be sent to: Ethel Jackson, D.D.S. Division of Extramural Research and Training National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences P.O. Box 12233 104 Alexander Drive, Building 17, North Campus Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by NIH staff for completeness and responsiveness. Incomplete and non-responsive applications will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applications may be triaged on the basis of relative competitiveness. Those applications judged to be competitive will undergo further merit review by an appropriate review group convened by the Scientific Review Branch, NIEHS. The second level review by the National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council considers the special needs of the NIEHS and the priorities of the NIEHS Program. The factors that will be used by the review group in the evaluation of applications for this RFA are listed below. o The overall merit of the candidate's plan for research and the development of research skills. o The background and potential of the proposed candidate for development into an independent biomedical investigator. o The candidate's commitment to a research career. o The ability of both the minority institution and the training center to provide facilities, resources, and opportunities necessary for the candidate's research development. o The commitment of the home institution to the faculty candidate's research and development must clearly be presented in the application, including statements from the sponsor and the department chairman. o The qualifications, ability, and plans of the mentor who will provide the candidate with the guidance necessary for career development in research. Recognition of the mentor as reflected by receipt of support from national peer reviewed funding sources. o The seminar plan. AWARD CRITERIA The anticipated date of award is September 30, 1994. INQUIRIES The NIEHS welcomes the opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants. Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. Direct inquiries concerning the RFA to: Michael J. Galvin, Jr., Ph.D. Division of Extramural Research and Training National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences P.O. Box 12233, MD 3-02 (North Campus) Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Telephone: (919) 541-7825 Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Ms. Carolyn Winters Division of Extramural Research and Training National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences P.O. Box 12233, MD 2-01 (North Campus) Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Telephone: (919) 541-7823 AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.113 and 93.115. Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 43 USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Part 74. This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review. .
Return to NIH Guide Main Index
Office of Extramural Research (OER) |
National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892 |
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) |
||||||||
Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files. |