Funding

NIAMS Building Interdisciplinary Research Teams (BIRT) Program
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

September 30, 2008

Q: What is the BIRT award?

A: The NIAMS issues the BIRT award to promote interdisciplinary research by supplementing collaborations with high innovation and potentially high impact in the specific NIAMS mission–relevant areas solicited in the RFA. It provides one year of funding for up to $100,000 direct cost to active NIAMS grants (the parent grants) including R01, U01, U54, P01, P50, and P60, provided that the parent grant does not end earlier than January 31, 2011 and the collaboration falls into the solicited research area in the RFA.

Q: What are the scientific / research areas solicited in the current BIRT RFA?

A: The BIRT program solicits interdisciplinary research in the specific NIAMS mission–relevant areas listed below:

  • Autoimmunity — Gender and sex factors
  • Autoimmunity — Systems biology
  • Developmental biology — Systems biology
  • Regenerative Medicine — Immunology
  • Soft tissue biology — Imaging technologies
  • Tissue engineering — Developmental biology

Q: How closely should my BIRT application be relevant to the parent grant?

A: The BIRT award can be used to develop new interdisciplinary collaborations with independent investigators from other disciplines supported by the NIAMS or elsewhere, or to significantly expand the scope of their ongoing NIAMS research by adding expertise and approaches from another discipline. The expectation of the BIRT award is to generate significant advances beyond the progress expected from the individual research grant. The scope of the revision should be relevant to and beyond that of the NIAMS grant. The goals should represent a significant addition to the specific aims by leading to new directions or should add to the parent grant a new dimension or significant expertise from different disciplines.

Q: What are the page limits on the BIRT application?

A: In a BIRT application, the Research Plan is limited to 5 pages maximum.

Q: I am a PI of a subproject in a (P01, P50, P60, or U54) grant. Am I eligible to apply?

A: Yes. A BIRT application can be submitted for each active NIAMS U01, U54, P01, P50, or P60, and/or for each of their subprojects, provided that the grant meets other eligibility criteria. For example, if a P01 has 3 subprojects, any one of the subprojects and/or the P01 as a whole can apply for a BIRT award. If a BIRT collaboration is developed by a subproject PI with independent investigators of other disciplines, the application must be submitted as a multiple PI application with the parent PD/PI as the “Contact PI”, and the PI of the NIAMS P01, P50, P60, or U54 grant must write a letter of agreement stating that the revision support will be used for the newly requested collaboration.

Q: Can I send in a BIRT application to collaborate with other investigators on the parent grant?

A: No. A BIRT application cannot be requested to support on-going, formal collaborations among the proposed BIRT investigators. The collaborator from another discipline should not be listed as an investigator/consultant on the parent grant.

Q: Do I need additional preliminary data to apply?

A: No, preliminary data are not required. However, a feasible research plan with potential alternative(s) to address possible pitfalls should be provided. A BIRT application will primarily be evaluated by its significance, potential impact and innovation.

Q: I am the PI on a smaller grant such as an R03 or R21. Can I apply?

A: No. These are shorter duration awards and as such do not allow the time necessary to fully develop the type of collaboration solicited in this announcement.

Q: I currently have an NIAMS grant for which my institution is exercising a no-cost extension, which extends its ending date beyond 1/31/2011. Is the grant eligible for the BIRT?

A: No. However, it does not prevent you from working with someone else with an eligible NIAMS grant to apply for BIRT.

Q: My research does not appear to be in one of the solicited areas. Can I still qualify to apply?

A: No. When in doubt, please contact your NIAMS program director to see if it fits.

Q: What are the funded BIRT awards?

A: The funded BIRT applications are listed here.

Please send any questions, suggestions and recommendations about this FAQ to Elijah Weisberg at weisberge@mail.nih.gov.