NINR CAREER TRANSITION AWARD

Release Date:  December 21, 1999

RFA:  NR-00-001

National Institute of Nursing Research http://www.ninr.nih.gov

Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 15, 2000
Application Receipt Date: May 5, 2000

PURPOSE

The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) invites applications from 
recently graduated doctorally prepared nurse scientists or doctorally prepared 
nurse scientists venturing into novel areas of research for a program whose 
overall goals are to support outstanding individuals to obtain a research 
training experience at the NIH in the intramural research laboratories and to 
facilitate their successful transition to an extramural environment as 
independent researchers.  The NINR Career Transition Award will provide up to 
three years of support for postdoctoral research training in an NINR or NIH 
intramural clinical or basic laboratory followed by up to two years of support 
for an independent program of research in an extramural institution.  It is 
anticipated that recipients of the NINR Career Transition Award will continue 
their program of research with a research project grant (R01) after completion 
of the NINR Career Transition Award.

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), 
Title of RFA, is related to one or more of the priority areas.  Potential 
applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" at 
http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/pubs/hp2000.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Individuals who are nurses with a doctoral degree or its equivalent, who have 
demonstrated the potential for a highly productive research career are 
eligible to apply.  During the intramural phase of the award, the candidate is 
expected to devote 100% full-time effort on research.  During the extramural 
phase, the candidate must spend a minimum of 75 percent of full-time 
professional effort conducting research and engaging in research career 
development activities for the two years of the award.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens or noncitizen nationals, or must have been 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence and possess an Alien Registration 
Card (I-151 or I-552) or some other verification of legal admission as a 
permanent U.S. resident at the time of the award.  Non-citizen nationals, 
although not U.S. citizens, owe permanent allegiance to the U.S.  They are 
usually born in lands that are not states, but are under U.S. sovereignty, 
jurisdiction, or administration.  Individuals on temporary or student visas 
are not eligible.

To progress to the extramural support phase, the candidate must have a formal
tenure-track (or equivalent) offer from an extramural institution by the end 
of the second year of the intramural experience and will be evaluated by an 
internal NINR review board, not a traditional NIH  study section.  Because the 
purpose of this initiative is to ease the transition of newly awarded doctoral 
candidates into postdoctoral education, current principal investigators on PHS 
research grants are not eligible.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This RFA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) career transition 
(K22) award mechanism.  Responsibility for the planning, direction, and 
execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the applicant.  The 
total period of combined support is up to five years (up to three years 
intramural, up to two years extramural).  There is no grant award associated 
with the intramural phase.  Awards are not renewable.  Total cost for the 
intramural phase is based on the candidate's experience and research expenses, 
not to exceed $125,000; those for the extramural phase cannot exceed $125,000 
plus fringe benefits per year in direct costs.  The final two years of the 
scholar's research program will be supported by the extramural institution to 
which the scholar is recruited and will be funded through an extramural, non- 
competing, NINR Career Transition Award (K22) mechanism.

This RFA is one-time solicitation.  The anticipated award date is Fall 2000.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

It is anticipated that applications for the NINR Career Transition Award will 
be solicited annually through the re-issuance of this RFA.  NINR anticipates 
funding up to three awards in FY 2000 and has set-aside up to $375,000 
annually for stipend and research expenses.  The funding level will be 
dependent upon the number of meritorious applications received, funds 
available, and the particular resource needs for the proposed project.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

Intramural scientists and facilities at the NINR/NIH provide a research 
environment for the research training and career development of promising new 
scientists who will subsequently enter the extramural biomedical research 
community and have the potential to become leaders in their fields of 
investigation.  The goal of the NINR Career Transition Award program is to 
provide highly qualified developing investigators with an opportunity to 
receive intensive research training in the NINR Division of Intramural 
Research or in another NIH intramural research laboratory.  It also provides 
them with transition funding to facilitate the initiation of their program of 
research at extramural institutions.

The NINR Career Transition Award will consist of two phases: an intramural 
phase and an extramural phase.  The total period of combined intramural and
extramural support will be up to five years.  Initially, up to three years of 
the research training program will be provided in the Intramural Support Phase 
in which the salary of the scholar will be commensurate with his/her level of 
experience.  The final two years of the program, the Extramural Support Phase, 
will provide salary and funds for supplies, equipment and technical support 
thorough the NIH Career Transition Award.  Transition from the intramural 
phase of support to the extramural phase will be based upon the success of the 
scholar's postdoctoral  research program as determined by a formal internal 
NINR scientific progress review.  This review will take place no later than 
the end of the second year of the Intramural Support Phase, and will include 
the evaluation of a research plan to be carried out at the extramural 
institution.  Scholars approved to proceed with the extramural phase of 
support will receive notification of approval in writing from the NINR.  

By the end of the scholar's second year of the Intramural Support Phase, the 
Dean of the extramural institution must provide a letter of support to 
demonstrate a commitment to the candidate by providing protected research 
time, infrastructure, and space needed to perform the proposed research.  This 
letter must be submitted by the end of the scholar's second year.  Matching 
funds from the institution for equipment and supplies (and if necessary, 
salary) are encouraged. 

Other 

Intramural Research at the NIH

The NINR intramural research program currently consists of two laboratories, a 
Wound Healing Laboratory and a Health Promotion Laboratory both located on the 
Bethesda campus.  The focus of the Wound Healing Laboratory at NINR is to 
discover the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying delayed wound healing in 
chronic wounds such as leg ulcers and pressure sores.  The focus of the Health 
Promotion Laboratory is to discover factors that promote health and delay the 
onset of disease.  In addition, NIH intramural research opportunities are 
available with other NIH institutes, such as the National Institute on Aging, 
the National Cancer Institute, and the National Human Genome Research 
Institute.  For example, at the National Institute of Aging, research 
opportunities are possible in conjunction with the Baltimore Longitudinal 
Study of Aging or with other on-going studies.  At the National Cancer 
Institute opportunities are available with the Division of Cancer Epidemiology 
and Genetics.  At the National Human Genome Research Institute there are both 
laboratory and clinical opportunities. 

The candidate should describe how the intramural experience will enhance 
his/her research career and identify specific research training objectives. 
This includes how the intramural research experience will assist the scholar 
in developing a unique program of research at the extramural institution. It 
is necessary for the candidate to identify a mentor in a NIH intramural 
laboratory and provide a letter of support from the mentor stating his/her 
willingness to accept the candidate for a postdoctoral training opportunity, 
characteristics of the laboratory's infrastructure including space for the 
scholar, computer accessibility, seminar attendance, and if needed,
academic course work and/or clinical rounds. 

It is strongly recommended that potential candidates receive guidance 
regarding research and mentoring opportunities with NINR and with other NIH 
institute intramural research programs by contacting Dr. Annette Wysocki, 
Scientific Director, NINR, prior to mentor selection.

A more complete description of the NINR Intramural Research Program may be 
obtained from: http://www.ninr.nih.gov/woundlab.htm or by contacting:

Annette B. Wysocki, PhD, RNC
Scientific Director
National Institute of Nursing Research
Building 9, Room 1W125, MSC 0967
Bethesda, MD 20892-0967
TELEPHONE: (301) 402-3583
FAX: (301) 435-3435
Email:  annette_wysocki@nih.gov

ALLOWABLE COSTS

Intramural Support Phase:

The budget for the Intramural Support Phase includes the scholar's salary and 
research expenses determined by the Scientific Director.  The salary must be 
commensurate with the level of training and experience specified in the
Federal pay schedule and will be negotiated with NINR at the time of an award.

Extramural Support Phase:

1.  Salary:  The NIH will provide up to $50,000 in salary plus fringe benefits 
to the NINR Career Transition Award recipient.  The total salary requested 
must be based on a full-time, 12-month faculty or staff appointment.  It must 
be consistent with the established salary structure at the institution and 
with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own funds to other 
faculty or staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and 
responsibilities in the department concerned.  There should be no less than 75 
percent effort devoted by the scholar specifically to the proposed program of 
research.  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.  In no case may PHS 
funds be used for salary supplementation.  Institutional supplementation of 
salary must not require extra duties or responsibilities that would interfere 
with the purpose of the Career Transition Award.  Under expanded authorities, 
institutions may rebudget funds within the total costs awarded, but may not 
rebudget funds involving the salary component of the budget.

2.  Research Support: The NINR will provide up to $75,000 per year for (a) 
research expenses, such as supplies, equipment, consultants, patient care 
costs, and technical personnel; (b) travel to research meetings or training; 
and (c) statistical service, including personnel and computer time.

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

4.  Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs: F&A costs will be reimbursed at 
eight percent of modified total direct costs.

SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS

Acceptance into the NINR Career Transition Award program does not convey any 
commitment or intent of the NINR to consider the scholar for a tenure track 
position within the NINR.  The NINR Career Transition Award is specifically 
intended to give a postdoctoral experience to scholars who will pursue their 
career in the extramural scientific research community.  However, the NINR 
Career Transition Award scholars are not explicitly precluded from applying 
for available tenure track positions at the NIH.  If a scholar obtains a NIH 
position, the NINR Career Transition Award will be terminated.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH 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 was published in the Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 
59 14508-14513) and in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 
11, March 18, 1994, available on the web at: 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not94-100.html. 

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 the 
NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.  
This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for receipt 
dates after October 1, 1998.

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: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html

Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies from the program staff 
listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide additional relevant 
information concerning the policy.

LETTER OF INTENT

Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes a 
descriptive title of the proposed research, the name, address, and telephone 
and fax numbers of the Principal Investigator, the identities of other key 
personnel and participating institutions, and the number and title of the RFA 
in response to which the application may be submitted.  Although a letter of 
intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of 
a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NINR staff 
to estimate the potential review workload and avoid conflict of interest in 
the review.

An e-mail or FAX letter of intent is acceptable.

The letter of intent is to be sent by March 15 to:

Dr. Mary Stephens-Frazier
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Nursing Research
45 Center Drive, Room 3AN12 - MSC 6300
Bethesda, MD  20892-6300
TELEPHONE:  (301) 594-6906
FAX:  (301) 480-8260
Email:  ms471e@nih.gov

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Annette Wysocki, at the 
address listed under INQUIRIES, prior to application submission.  Applications 
are to be submitted using form PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) and will be accepted on or 
before the receipt deadline of May 5, 2000.  These forms are available at most 
institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Division of 
Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910,
Bethesda, MD 20892 (telephone: 301/710-0267; E-mail: GrantsInfo@nih.gov).

The application must address the following issues:

Candidate

o  Establish the candidate's commitment to a career in biomedical or 
behavioral research.
o  Establish the candidate's potential to develop and pursue a successful 
program of research as an independent investigator.
o  Establish the candidate's ability to work with other scientists in an 
interactive research environment.
o  Summarize the candidate's immediate and long-term career objectives, 
explaining how the award will contribute to their attainment.
o  Letters of recommendation.  Three sealed letters of recommendation 
addressing the candidate's potential for a research career must be included as 
part of the application.  One should be from a thesis advisor or mentor, if 
the candidate is in a doctoral or postdoctoral research setting.  These 
letters should address the candidate qualifications as already outlined.

Research Plan

o  Describe the research plan, including the scientific objectives and 
specific aims, and the use of a basic or clinical approach to a scientific 
research problem sufficient to justify two years of support in the extramural 
phase, i.e., what are the research goals and potential avenues of research 
that will be undertaken based upon the intramural research training?  The 
candidate must describe the research plan as outlined in form PHS 398 (rev. 
4/98) including sections on the Specific Aims, Background and Significance, 
Progress Report/Preliminary Studies, Research Design and Methods.

Budget 

o  Do NOT provide any dollar figures in the application.  The final budget 
will be negotiated when a selected applicant accepts a position and will be 
within the allowable costs specified above.
o  For candidates who receive approval for transition to extramural support, a 
budget will be submitted as part of the form PHS 2590 noncompeting application 
as discussed below in Extramural Support Phase.

Career Development Plan

o  Applicant should describe the research training and career development 
plan, incorporating consideration of the candidate's goals and prior 
experience.  It should describe a systematic plan to obtain the necessary 
scientific background and research experience to launch an independent 
research career (including the need for any courses, research techniques or 
methods, etc.).

The initial application for the NINR Career Transition Award program will NOT 
be processed through your current institution; therefore, follow the 
supplemental guidelines below for the face page:

The applicant must provide her/his signature in item 15; signature is not 
required for item 16.

Leave items 9-14 and 16 on the face page blank.

Enter in item 6 (Dates of Proposed Period of Support) the combined 4 to 5 
years of support needed to complete the intramural and the extramural support 
phases of the NINR Career Transition Award Program.

Utilize the "Research Career Award" Table of Contents page, but re-label the 
page, "Career Transition Award."  This page is included in the Form 398 packet 
and will facilitate organizing the research and career development components 
of the application.  Add a "Career Development Plan" under "Section II: 
Specialized Information."

The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 4/98) 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 (NINR Career Transition Award (K22)) and number (NR-00-001) must be 
typed on line 2 of the face page of the application for and the YES box must 
be marked.  The RFA number must be typed on the label as well.  The sample RFA 
label available at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf 
has been modified to allow for this change.  Please note this is in pdf 
format.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the
Checklist, and three 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 (for express/courier service)

At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application must be 
sent to:

Dr. Mary Stephens-Frazier
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Nursing Research
Building 45, Room 3AN-12
Bethesda, MD  20892-6300

Applications must be received by May 5, 2000.  If an application is received 
after that date, it will be returned to the applicant without review. 

The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any application in 
response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently pending 
initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application.  The 
CSR 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 the CSR and 
responsiveness to the RFA by NINR staff.  Applications that are complete and 
responsive to the RFA will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by 
an appropriate initial peer review group, convened by the NINR Division of
Extramural Activities.  As part of the initial merit review, all applications 
will receive a written critique and may undergo a process in which only those 
applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit will be discussed and 
assigned a priority score.  All applications will receive a second level of 
review by the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR).

Review Criteria

The peer review criteria for applications submitted in response to this RFA
are:

Candidate

o  Capacity and commitment to pursue an independent research career;
o  Potential to develop into an outstanding scientist who will make 
significant contributions to the field;
o  Quality and breadth of prior scientific training and experience including, 
where appropriate, the record of previous research support and publications;
o  Ability to plan, develop, and organize a program of research that will make 
full use of the support offered under this award.

Research Plan

o  All candidates for this award will have had previous research experience. A 
sound research plan that is consistent with the candidate's level of research 
development must be provided;
o  Usefulness of the intramural research plan as a vehicle for enhancing or 
expanding existing research skills as described in the career development 
plan;
o  Scientific and technical merit of the research question, design and 
methodology, judged in the context of the candidate's previous training and 
experience;
o  Adequacy of plans to include both genders, children, 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, 
where appropriate.

Career Development Plan

o  Appropriateness of the career development plan, considering the candidate's 
goals and prior experience;
o  The consistency of the career development plan with the candidate's 
research plan and potential for contributing to the scientific literature.

Intramural Training Plan

o  Appropriateness of the intramural training plan, considering the 
candidate's goals and prior experience;
o  The logical sequence and scientific rigor of the intramural training plan 
with the candidates research plan;
o  Potential of the scholar to contribute to the scientific literature.

SELECTION PROCEDURES

Following peer review, the written evaluations and priority score assigned to 
the application by the initial review group will be sent to the candidate.

Intramural Support Phase

The applications will be considered by a NINR Selection Committee consisting 
of senior scientists from the NINR Intramural Program and selected senior 
intramural and extramural scientists with specific content expertise.

Based on priority score ranking and programmatic needs, this committee will 
identify the pool of outstanding candidates to be invited for an interview. 
Following interviews, a ranking and matching process considering both the 
candidates and the sponsoring intramural laboratories/branches will be used to 
determine the most meritorious candidates.

Extramural Support Phase

The NINR will conduct a formal scientific progress review no later than the 
end of the second year of the Intramural Support Phase to determine whether or 
not the scholar will be recommended for the extramural phase of support.  At 
the same time, the scholar will prepare a revised research plan for the 
extramural phase of the award and submit the name of the institution offering 
the extramural faculty position.  This review will be conducted by an NINR 
Progress Review Committee composed of members of the NINR Selection Committee, 
and other intramural and extramural scientists as appropriate.  The results of 
the review will constitute a final evaluation of the intramural phase and be 
presented in writing to the scholar.  Approval will result in eligibility for 
the extramural phase of funding of the Career Transition Award, and up to a 
third additional year of intramural support to facilitate the transition to an 
extramural laboratory.

Schedule

Letter of Intent Receipt Date: March 15, 2000
Application Receipt Date: May 5, 2000
Peer Review Date: June 22-23, 2000
Council Review: September 2000
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: Fall 2000

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available positions/funds with all other scored 
applications submitted in response to this RFA.  The following will be 
considered in making award decision: qualifications and potential of the 
applicant and quality of the proposed research project as determined by peer 
review; mentor/scholar match, availability of intramural NIH resources; 
programmatic priorities; and availability of funds. Program recommendations 
will be forwarded to the NACNR as informational items.

Evaluation of Scientific Progress

Intramural Support Phase

Each scholar's research progress will be evaluated on an annual basis as with 
all other intramural scientific research programs.  For this purpose, the 
scholar will prepare an annual progress report which will be evaluated by the 
corresponding laboratory/branch chief and the NINR Scientific Director.  
Additionally, the NINR will conduct a formal scientific progress review no 
later than the end of the second year (See section on Selection Process, 
Extramural Support Phase).

Extramural Support Phase

The scholar will be required to submit a form PHS 2590 non-competing 
continuation application for the final year of extramural support.  The 
application should provide a description of the research and career progress 
of the awardee, including: 1) publications in press or submitted; 2) current 
investigator-initiated research grant support, and 3) all applications 
submitted for investigators-initiated research grant support.  After the 
completion of this award, periodic updates on various aspects of 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 may be solicited from the scholar. 

INQUIRIES

Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any 
issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.

Address questions for the intramural scientific support phase to:

Annette Wysocki, PhD, RNC
Scientific Director
National Institute of Nursing Research
Building 9, Room 1W125, MSC 0967
Bethesda, MD  20892-0967
TELEPHONE:  (301) 402-3583
FAX: (301) 435-3435
Email: annette_wysocki@nih.gov

Address questions for the extramural scientific support phase to:

Hilary D. Sigmon PhD, RN
Program Director
National Institute of Nursing Research
Building 45, Room 3AN12 - MSC 6300
Bethesda, MD  20892-6300
TELEPHONE:  (301) 594-5970
FAX:  (301) 480-8260
Email: hilary_sigmon@nih.gov

Address fiscal questions to:

Mr. Jeff Carow
Grants Management Officer
National Institute of Nursing Research
Building 45, Room 3AN12 - MSC 6300
Bethesda, MD  20892-6300
TELEPHONE:  (301) 594-6869
FAX:  (301) 480-8260
Email: jeff_carow@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 
93.361.  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, 42 USC 
241 and 285) and administered under NIH grants policies and Federal 
Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.  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 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.


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