Full Text HL-95-016

NHLBI MINORITY INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM

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

RFA:  HL-95-016

P.T. 44, FF

Keywords: 
  Biomedical Research Training 
  Blood Diseases 
  Cardiovascular Diseases 
  Pulmonary Diseases 
  Sleep Disorders 


National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Application Receipt Date:  August 23, 1995

PURPOSE

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) invites
applications for the Minority Institutional Research Training
program.  The Minority Institutional Research Training Program is
designed to offer research training grant awards in cardiovascular,
pulmonary, and hematologic* research, including sleep disorders, to
minority schools and institutions to enable qualified graduate
students, health professional students, and postdoctoral students to
participate in research programs.  It is expected to attract students
in their developmental stages, increase their awareness of these
diseases, and to acquaint them with career opportunities in research.
The purpose of this program is to encourage the enhancement of
research skills by individuals at minority educational institutions
and to increase the number of minority individuals involved in
research endeavors in the areas of interest to the NHLBI.

* 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.

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), NHLBI Minority Institutional Research
Training Program, is related to the priority areas of heart disease
and stroke, educational and community-based programs, maternal and
infant health, and environmental health.  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,
medical schools, and units of state and local government.
Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with
disabilities are encouraged to apply as program directors.
Applications will not be accepted from foreign institutions, with the
exception of institutions located in United States possessions, such
as Puerto Rico.  A minority school is defined as a domestic medical
or non-medical college, university or equivalent school in which
students of minority ethnic groups, including Blacks, Hispanics,
American Indians, Asians, or Pacific Islanders, comprise a majority
of the school's enrollment.  The program director at the minority
school will be responsible for the selection and appointment of
trainees and the overall direction of the training program.

The minority institution is expected to collaborate with a research
center that has well-established cardiovascular, pulmonary, or
hematologic research and research training programs in order to
provide training in the program.  The collaborating research center
should be a university, medical school, or comparable institution
that has strong, well-established research and research training
programs in areas relevant to heart, lung, and blood diseases,
including areas related to sleep disorders.  Cooperation between
institutions is needed to provide each trainee with a mentor at a
research intensive institution who is recognized as an accomplished
investigator in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research
and who will assist the advisor at the minority institution in the
trainee's development and research plan.

Trainees must be training at (1) the post-baccalaureate level (i.e.,
predoctoral level) in a relevant biomedical or behavioral science and
have made a strong commitment to completing a doctoral degree, (2) be
enrolled in a minority health professional school, or (3) have a
doctoral degree or equivalent in a biomedical or behavioral science
(i.e. postdoctoral level).

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Institutional National Research Service Award (NRSA) grant (T32).
Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the
proposed training program will be solely that of the applicant.  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,
tuition, and fees.  The anticipated award date is May 1, 1996.

The Minority Institutional Research Training program may support
predoctoral students, postdoctoral trainees, and short-term trainees
in health professional schools.  Stipend levels for predoctoral and
short-term trainees are $10,008 per year and stipend levels for
postdoctoral trainees range from $19,608 to $32,300 per year.
Stipends may be supplemented from non-Federal sources.  Training
related expenses ($1,500 annually for predoctoral trainees and $2,500
annually for postdoctoral trainees), tuition and fees, and travel
expenses ($800 per trip) may also be requested for trainees, although
the levels may vary depending on the type of training to be
supported.

The trainees may be appointed to the training program for 9-12 months
periods (for short-term trainees, the period of appointment may be of
two to three months duration) at any time during the course of the
year after acceptance as a full-time student.  A strong interest in a
cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic research career must be
evident.  Trainees are encouraged to be appointed to the training for
at least two years, in order to obtain adequate training.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

The estimated funds (total costs) available for the first year of
support for the entire program is expected to be $300,000 in fiscal
year 1996.  Two new awards for the Minority Institutional Research
Training Program are anticipated.  The actual amounts to be awarded
may vary, depending on the response to the RFA and availability of
funds.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

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 National Institutes of Health that are designed to
answer this need.  These include the Minority Biomedical Research
Support Program, the Minority Access to Research Careers Program, and
Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities.  Even though
these programs appear successful in meeting their specific objectives
and career development goals, minority graduate students, health
professional students, and postdoctoral students in minority schools
need additional opportunities to develop biomedical and behavioral
research skills and become productive investigators.

The present RFA is designed to offer research training opportunities
for individuals at minority institutions and encourage their
participation in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic research,
including research into sleep disorders.  The Minority Institutional
Research Training program is intended to:

o  Train graduate students, health professional students, and
postdoctoral students at minority schools that have the potential to
develop a meritorious program in cardiovascular, pulmonary, or
hematologic research for research careers in areas relevant to these
diseases.

o  Stimulate cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases,
hematologic resources and sleep disorders research, prevention,
control, and education by offering minority school graduate students,
health professional students, and postdoctoral students the
opportunity to enhance their research capabilities in these areas.

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 and may be obtained from
the Office of Grants Information, Division of Research Grants,
National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3032, MSC
7762, Bethesda, MD 20892-7762, telephone 301/710-0267.  Guidelines
and supplemental instructions for the Minority Institutional Research
Training program 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 and number must be typed on
line 2a of the face page of the application form and the YES box must
be marked.

The completed original application and four legible copies, must be
delivered 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)

In addition one copy of the application must also be sent to:

Research Training Review Committee
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
Email:  kathryn_ballard@nih.gov

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

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established Public
Health Service referral guidelines.  All applications will be
reviewed for scientific and technical merit by the Research Training
Review Committee of the Division of Extramural Affairs, NHLBI, in
accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures.  Following
scientific-technical review, applications will receive a second level
review by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council.

The following criteria will be considered when assessing the merit of
a Minority Institutional Research Training program application.

o  Adequacy of faculty, facilities, and resources for the proposed
research training, both at the minority institution and the
established research center, including the expertise of preceptors as
researchers who have successfully competed for research support;

o  Commitment of the relevant faculty and the two institutions to the
goals of the training program;

o  Adequacy of the cooperative arrangements between the minority
institution and the established research program;

o  Past research training record for the program director and
designated preceptors in terms of the success of trainees pursuing
research activities and procedures for evaluation of the impact of
the program on the trainees involved;

o  Objectives, design, and direction of the research training
program.

o  Acceptability of plan to provide instruction on the responsible
conduct of research.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for funds with all other approved
applications assigned to the NHLBI.  The following will be considered
in making funding decisions:

o  Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review

o  Availability of funds

o  Program balance among the research areas of the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute.

INQUIRIES

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:

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) 435-0530
FAX:  (301) 480-1454
Email:  michael_commarato@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.

.

Return to RFAs Index

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.