SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES Release Date: August 27, 2001 RFA: RFA-GM-02-002 National Institute of General Medical Sciences Letter of Intent Receipt Date: January 15, 2002 Application Receipt Date: February 15, 2002 PURPOSE The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) recognizes the increasing trend toward the use of interdisciplinary approaches to advance the nation's research endeavor and thus the need to encourage cross-disciplinary training for the next generation of researchers. Therefore, this RFA seeks to encourage cross-training of undergraduate students by providing opportunities for those in the quantitative and physical sciences to take part in mentored biomedical research experiences with NIH-supported investigators. Such programs should provide innovative, mentored, realistic summer laboratory research experiences for an appropriately targeted (as defined by the applicant) group of undergraduate students in biomedical research projects at the institution. The application should include strong faculty involvement, interactive group activities, presentations, and seminars. Applications are sought for programs that recruit students from the quantitative and physical disciplines such as, but not limited to, engineering, mathematics, computer science, and physics, to participate in biomedical and/or translational research. HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010 The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This Request for Applications (RFA), Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates, is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Applications may be submitted by domestic, non-profit organizations, public and private that have a cohort of mentors with NIH support. Since this is an institutional program, the Program Director should be an individual with the ability and authority to run an institutional, cross-departmental program. Students should be placed in the laboratory of an investigator (participating mentor) who has an NIH-supported research grant and who can provide sufficient mentoring for an undergraduate summer research experience. In addition, the institution must be prepared to provide enrichment activities to enhance and support the laboratory experience. Participating mentors are expected to be Principal Investigators (PIs) on any of the following types of grants: R15, R55, R21, R01, P01, P50, R37, U01, and S06. Foreign institutions are not eligible for Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates grants. Racial/ethnic minority individuals, women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply as Program Directors or participating mentors. Applications should describe an eight- to ten-week summer research program, targeting a pool of no less than five and no more than ten undergraduate students with quantitative backgrounds to work with NIH extramurally funded PIs. The students selected to participate in the summer research program may be part of a larger institutional program. Participating mentors should have an active NIH research grant and be able to provide sufficient mentoring and a realistic research experience. MECHANISM OF SUPPORT Awards under this RFA will use the National Institutes of Health Education Research Project (R25) award mechanism. The Education Research Project provides support to develop and/or implement a program as it relates to a category in one or more of the areas of education, information, training, technical assistance, coordination, or evaluation. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed program will be solely that of the applicant. The total project period for the application submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed four years. Facilities and Administration costs will be paid at 8% of the direct costs, minus appropriate exclusions. Awards will be administered according to the NIH Grants Policy Statement This RFA is a one-time solicitation. Future unsolicited competing applications will not be accepted. The anticipated award date will be February 1, 2003. Allowable Costs: If appropriate, the budget may include: o Salary and Wages: (1) Student remuneration through salary, wages and fringe benefits for participation in summer research experiences. In order to provide student salary support, (a) students must perform actual and meaningful research work; (b) an employer-employee relationship must exist between the student and the institution; (c) total compensation must be reasonable for the research work performed; and (d) it must be the institution's practice to provide compensation for all students in similar circumstances. Caution should be used not to permit students to receive duplicate federal support (excluding Pell Grants and VA Benefits). (2) Staff salaries and wages should be limited to partial remuneration for the Program Director (no more than 10% effort) and an administrative assistant (no more than 25% effort). A strong justification of their role in the project should be provided. o Supplies and Other Expenses: The budget may include funds for research supplies up to $500.00 per student. Unallowable Costs o Include, but are not limited to: stipends, equipment, housing, food, incentives, travel costs (e.g. to meetings or training sites), textbooks, tuition, and entertainment costs. Consortium agreements are unallowable also. FUNDS AVAILABLE An estimated total of $1.5 million will be available for the awards made in response to this RFA, if NIGMS receives sufficient numbers of highly meritorious applications. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Background This program seeks to promote the initiation and development of unique, innovative summer research experiences for a cohort of no less than five and no more than ten undergraduate students who would not normally be involved in the biomedical research endeavor. Programs that recruit students from disciplines not traditionally involved in biomedical research such as, but not limited to, engineering, mathematics, computer science, physics, and pharmacy, to participate in interdisciplinary biomedical and/or translational research are especially encouraged. Specific Objectives The proposed summer program is expected to be specifically designed for the undergraduate students from non-biological backgrounds and should allow for the development/expansion of their knowledge and research skills of biomedically related sciences during the summer months. The Program Director should be an individual with the ability and authority to run an institutional, cross- departmental program. Participating mentors should have active, NIH extramurally funded research and preferably should have a demonstrated record of student training. This web site may be used as a resource for additional information on NIGMS programs: http://www.nih.gov/nigms/. In addition, participating mentors must be able to provide sufficient mentoring for a summer research experience. It is an expectation of NIGMS that students who enter Summer Research Experiences Program will receive support from the institution (grantee), i.e., access to equipment, instruction on safely using laboratory reagents and equipment, and library resources. Applicants should describe the type(s) of institutional commitment that would be available for this program as well as a plan for monitoring student activities to ensure that the program goals are being met. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Applicants should fully describe the Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and explain how its design will meet the goals of this initiative and the needs of the targeted student group. Applicants should describe the criteria to be used in the selection and laboratory placement of the student participants. They will need also to show evidence of a unique summer program, with a commitment to training the targeted pool, including a description of potential laboratory experiences as well as other enrichment activities planned for the students. Applicants should provide evidence of previous experience in working with the targeted population. The first week of the summer experience should include training procedures for laboratory safety, instruction in scientific ethics, and information on career options. Applicants with existing summer research experiences for undergraduates should describe the existing programs and explain how they do not duplicate the goals of the new program designed under this initiative. An applicant should describe the current methods and facilities available for tracking student participants and must provide details of the methodology to be used to assess whether the program is meeting the program's objectives. Evaluation Requirements An important aspect of each application is the inclusion of an evaluation plan that clearly states measurable objectives, outcomes and steps to assess effectiveness. Ideas on approaching evaluations of this type of program may be found on http://www.the-aps.org/education/promote/promote.html. This site is a project of the American Physiological Society that has received support from NIGMS. Although it is targeted to the evaluation of programs to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in biomedical science, the material on this site may also be used as a resource for developing evaluation plans for Summer Undergraduate Research Programs. At each noncompetitive renewal, the Principal Investigator will evaluate the impact of the Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates on the institution. Reporting Requirements The Application for Continuation of a Grant (PHS 2590, rev. 5/01, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm) or equivalent documentation must be submitted to, and be approved by, NIH to noncompetitively fund each additional budget period within a previously approved project period. The PHS 2590 (SNAP) application should include in the progress report a list of students supported, description of the enrichment activities provided, and a list of the mentors participating in the summer research experience. The annual progress report must include also information on the number of students that participated and how the proposed program objectives were fulfilled (Reference: NIH Grants Policy Statement, NIH Publication No. 99-8, October 1998.) 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 sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification are provided indicating 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 UPDATED "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on August 2, 2000 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-048.html); a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm: The revisions relate to NIH defined Phase III clinical trials and require: a) all applications or proposals and/or protocols to provide a description of plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b) all investigators to report accrual, and to conduct and report analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences. 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: http://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. URLS IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations. Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, internet addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary to the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the Internet sites. Reviewers are cautioned that their anonymity may be compromised when they directly access to an Internet site. REQUIRED EDUCATION ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECT PARTICIPANTS NIH policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH proposals for research involving human subjects. This policy announcement is found in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts Announcement dated June 5, 2000, at the following website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html. PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide public access to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided guidance at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm Applicants may wish to place data collected under this RFA (PA) in a public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under this award. LETTER OF INTENT Prospective applicants are requested to submit, by January 15, 2002, a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed summer program, the name, address and phone number of the Program Director, 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, it is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information it contains allows NIGMS staff to estimate the potential review workload and to plan the review. Mail of fax the letter of intent to: Dr. Hinda Zlotnik Program Director National Institutes of General Medical Sciences Building 45, Room 2As.37K, MSC 6200 Bethesda, MD 20851 FAX: (301) 480-2753 APPLICATION PROCEDURES The research grant application form PHS 398 (revised 5/01) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html is to be used in applying for these grants. These forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research; from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC7910, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7910, telephone (301) 435-0714; email: Grantsinfo@nih.gov. The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page of the application. Type the RFA number on the label. 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 2 of the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. The RFA label is also available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf. Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the Checklist, and three photocopies of the signed application in one package to: CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, SUITE 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: Chief, Office of Scientific Review National Institute of General Medical Sciences Building 45, Room 1AS.13, MSC 6200 Bethesda, MD 20892-6200 Applications must be received by the application receipt date listed in the heading of this RFA. 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 by NIGMS. 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 an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIGMS in accordance with the review criteria stated below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of the applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the NIGMS National Advisory Council. Review Criteria This RFA seeks to encourage cross training of undergraduates by providing opportunities for those in the quantitative and physical sciences to take part in mentored biomedical research experiences with NIH-supported or other extramurally supported investigators. Thus, the following criteria will be used in the evaluation of the each application: (1) Uniqueness, reasonableness and merit of the proposed summer program activities for the targeted student population. (2) Rationale for the selection procedures of the targeted student population and evidence of an adequate student pool. (3) Quality and experience of the research faculty as investigators and mentors, including evidence of adequate NIH-funded support. (4) Budget and cost-effectiveness of the project including appropriateness to the scope of the program and benefit to the students. (5) Evidence of institutional commitment; adequacy and availability of research resources and the research environment. (6) Merit of the measurable objectives and the plan for the evaluation of the impact of the program. In addition to the above criteria, in accordance with NIH policy, all applications will also be reviewed with respect to the following: o The reasonableness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to the proposed project. o The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals, or the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project proposed in the application. Schedule: Letter of Intent Receipt Date: January 15, 2002 Application Receipt Date: February 15, 2002 Peer Review: June 2002 Advisory Council: September/October 2002 Earliest Anticipated Award Date: February 1, 2003 AWARD CRITERIA The Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates will be awarded on a competitive basis. The criteria for funding decisions on individual research applications will be based on: o the proposed project's scientific merit. o its relevance to the NIGMS mission and the intent of this RFA. o availability of funds. o geographical distribution of awardee institutions. INQUIRIES Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome. Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Hinda Zlotnik, Ph.D. Program Director Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates National Institute of General Medical Sciences Building 45, Room 2AS.37K, MSC 6200 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200 Telephone: (301) 594-2651 Fax: (301) 480-2554 Email: hindaz@nigms.nih.gov Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to: Antoinette Holland Grants Management Officer National Institute of General Medical Sciences Building 45, Room 2An.50B, MSC 6200 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200 Telephone: (301) 594-5243 FAX: (301) 480-2554 Email: hollanda@nigms.nih.gov AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.821, 93.859, and 93.862. Awards are made under authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) 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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