Full Text HL-95-015

NHLBI MENTORED RESEARCH SCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR MINORITY
FACULTY

NIH GUIDE, Volume 24, Number 2, June 16, 1995

RFA:  HL-95-015

P.T. 34, FF

Keywords: 
  Blood Diseases 
  Cardiovascular Diseases 
  Pulmonary Diseases 


National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Application Receipt Date:  August 23, 1995

PURPOSE

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) invites grant
applications for the Mentored Research Scientist Development Award
for Minority Faculty Program.  The purpose of the award is to
encourage the enhancement of research skills in the areas of interest
to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute by minority faculty
members at domestic institutions and to increase the number of
minority individuals involved in research endeavors.

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 RFA,
NHLBI Mentored Research Scientist Development Award for Minority
Faculty, is related to the priority areas of heart disease and
stroke, maternal and infant health, environmental health, and
educational and community-based programs.  Potential applicants 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)
through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applications may be submitted by domestic, for-profit and non-profit
organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges,
hospitals, and units of state and local government.  Racial/ethnic
minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are
encouraged to apply as principal investigators.  Individuals applying
for this program must have been awarded a doctoral degree (Ph.D.,
M.D., D.V.M., D.O. degree or its equivalent), have a faculty
appointment at an accredited college or university at the time of
award, and be members of an underrepresented minority group.  For the
purpose of this program, underrepresented minority faculty members
are defined as individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial
group that has been determined to be underrepresented in biomedical
or behavioral research.  In making grant awards under this program,
the NHLBI will give priority to projects involving Black, Hispanic,
Native American, Pacific Islander, and/or other ethnic or racial
group members who have been found to be underrepresented in
biomedical or behavioral research nationally.

Candidates must be nominated by an institution on the basis of
qualifications, interests, accomplishments, motivation, and potential
for performing quality research.  The candidate's academic
background, previous experience, and career goals should determine
both the necessary length and the kind of research development
program that is appropriate.  Each candidate must identify a
sponsor(s) who is an accomplished investigator in the research area
proposed and has experience in developing independent investigators.
The sponsor is not required to be affiliated with the applicant
institution.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Mentored
Research Scientist Development Award grant (K01). Responsibility for
the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed career
development program will be solely that of the applicant.  The
awardee may receive salary support up to a maximum of $50,000 plus
fringe benefits per year for the five year period.  All funds must be
used to support the awardee.  A minimum of 75 percent effort must be
devoted to the research program.  In addition to the salary request
for the candidate, support for up to five percent of the sponsor's
salary may be requested.  Up to $30,000 per year will be provided for
research support.  Substitution of another sponsor and/or a change of
institution may be permitted with the prior approval of the NHLBI.

The total project period for an application submitted in response to
this RFA may not exceed five years.  Funding beyond the first year of
the grant is contingent upon satisfactory progress during the
preceding year and the availability of funds.  Indirect costs will be
awarded based on eight percent of total direct costs exclusive of
equipment and tuition and fees.  The anticipated award date is May 1,
1995.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

The estimated funds (total costs) available for the first year of
support for this program are expected to be $1 million in fiscal year
1996.  The actual amount may vary, depending on the response to the
RFA and availability of funds, but the number of new awards is
anticipated to be 10 awards.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

Many studies have emphasized the need for minority individuals to
participate in modern research activities to develop their
investigative talents.  Whereas approximately 12 percent of the U.S.
population is Black, less than 0.25 percent of individuals holding a
Ph.D. degree in biomedical science are Black.  There are existing
programs at the NIH that are designed to answer this need.  These
include the Minority Biomedical Research Support Program, the
Minority Access to Research Careers Program, and the Research
Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities Program.  Even though
these programs appear successful in meeting their specific objectives
and career development goals, minority students and faculty need
additional opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral
research skills and become productive investigators.

One method of addressing this problem is by attracting minority
students to research opportunities and by providing them with
research training to develop their research capabilities in
cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic disease areas.  In
addition, by increasing the research capabilities of minority faculty
members and faculty members at minority institutions, these
individuals may serve as role models for minority undergraduate and
graduate students, and stimulate these students to become more
cognizant of research opportunities in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and
hematologic disease areas.

Other

The present RFA is designed to offer career development opportunities
for minority faculty members to encourage their participation in
cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic research.  The Mentored
Research Scientist Development Award for Minority Faculty is intended
to:

o  Encourage research-oriented minority faculty to develop
independent research skills and gain experience in advanced methods
and experimental approaches in the basic and applied sciences
relevant to heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases and
transfusion medicine.

o  Increase the pool of highly trained minority investigators who can
use advanced technologies to address the major problems in heart,
blood vessel, lung, blood diseases, and transfusion medicine.

*  Within NHLBI, the term "hematologic" covers research on thrombosis
and hemostasis, immunohematology, blood cell disorders,
hematopoiesis, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, transfusion
medicine, blood resources including blood component and derivative
therapy, blood substitutes and blood resource management, aspects of
AIDS-products in AIDS prevention and treatment, and AIDS-related bone
marrow and hematologic disorders.  Other Institutes of the NIH are
responsible for research on disorders of white cells, including the
leukemias and other blood malignancies, and basic immunology related
to the lymphoid system.  Therefore, NHLBI cannot provide support for
such studies.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS

It is the policy of 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 new policy results from the NIH
Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law 103-43) and
supersedes and strengthens the previous policies (Concerning the
Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and Concerning the Inclusion
of Minorities in Study Populations) which have been in effect since
1990. The new policy contains some new provisions that are
substantially different from the 1990 policies.  All investigators
proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH
Guidelines For Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in
Clinical Research", which have been published in the Federal Register
of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513), and reprinted in the NIH GUIDE
FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS of March 18, 1994, Volume 23, Number 11.

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.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS
398 (rev. 9/91).  Application kits are available at most
institutional offices of sponsored research; from the Office of
Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes
of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC 7762, Bethesda, MD 20892-7762,
telephone 301-710-0267; and from the program administrator listed
under INQUIRIES.

Guidelines and supplemental instructions for the Mentored Research
Scientist Development Award for Minority Faculty may be obtained from
NHLBI staff listed under INQUIRIES.

The RFA label available 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 (NHLBI Research Development
Award for Minority Faculty) and number (HL-95-015) 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, in one package to:

DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE  ROOM 1040 MSC 7710
BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for courier service)

Two additional copies of the application must also be sent to:

Scientific Review Administrator
Division of Extramural Affairs
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive MSC 7924
Bethesda, MD  20892-7924
Telephone:  (301) 435-0288
FAX:  (301) 480-3541

Applications must be received by August 23, 1995.  If an application
is received after that date, it will be returned to the applicant
without review.  The Division of Research Grants (DRG) will not
accept any application to this RFA that is essentially the same as
one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws
the pending application.  The DRG will not accept any application
that is essentially the same as one already reviewed.  This does not
preclude the submission of substantial revisions of applications
already reviewed, but such applications must include an introduction
addressing the previous critique.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by DRG
and responsiveness by NHLBI.  Incomplete and/or non-responsive
applications will be returned to the applicant without further
consideration.  Applications that are complete and responsive to the
RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by the
Research Training Review Committee of the Division of Extramural
Affairs, NHLBI, in accordance with the review criteria stated below.

As part of the initial merit review, a process (triage) may be used
by the initial review group in which applications will be determined
to be competitive or non-competitive based on their scientific merit
relative to other applications received in response to the RFA.
Applications judged to be competitive will be discussed and assigned
a priority score.  Application determined to be non-competitive will
be withdrawn from further consideration and the applicant and the
official signing for the applicant organization will be notified.

Review Criteria

The following criteria will be considered when assessing the merit of
career development applications, including the Mentored Research
Scientist Development Award for Minority Faculty.

o  Candidate -- The candidate's overall competence as demonstrated by
academic record and performance, potential for a career in
independent research, and commitment or interest in pursuing an
academic research career.

o  Sponsor(s) -- The sponsor's accomplishments in the scientific
research area(s) proposed, experience and track record in training
investigators, and commitment for the duration of a candidate's
research development.

o  Environment -- The applicant institution's ability to provide
adequate facilities, resources, and opportunities necessary for the
candidate's training, and the institutional commitment to the
candidate.  If different from the applicant institution, the quality
and extent of interaction of the faculty in the basic and clinical
sciences, and the quality of the research and research training
programs at the sponsor's institution.

o  Career Development Plan -- The adequacy of the research career
development plan, based on the candidate's past research experience,
training, and career goals.

o  Research Project -- Scientific merit of the proposed research
project and its appropriateness as a vehicle for developing the
candidate's research skills.

o  adequacy of plans to include both genders and minorities and their
subgroups as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research.
Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be
evaluated.

AWARD CRITERIA

The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

o  Technical merit of the application as determined by peer review

o Availability of funds

o Program balance among the research areas of the announcement

INQUIRIES

Written and telephone inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.
The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential
applicants is welcome.

Direct inquiries regarding program guidelines, supplemental
instructions, or programmatic issues to:

Joyce Hunter, Ph.D.
Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive MSC 7956
Bethesda, MD  20892-7956
Telephone:  (301) 435-0535
FAX:  (301) 480-1454
Email:  joyce_hunter@nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Jane Davis
Division of Extramural Affairs
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive MSC 7926
Bethesda, MD  20892-7926
Telephone:  (301) 435-0166
FAX:  (301) 480-3310
Email:  jane_davis@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATION

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance numbers 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839.  Awards are made under
the authority of the Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A
(Public Law 78-410, as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and
285) and administered under PHS grant policies and Federal
Regulations at 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.

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 routing 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.

.

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