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Administrative Supplements to Study Biocomplexity
Participating Institute: National Institute of General Medical Sciences
This announcement contains the following information:
Purpose of this Announcement
Through the use of administrative supplements to grants funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), this initiative aims to foster the establishment of novel collaborations between NIGMS grantees and established experts from mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science and other quantitative disciplines. The combination of disciplines must result in new approaches for the NIGMS grant and fresh opportunities for the collaborator. This revision of the notice posted in May 2002 expands the eligibility criteria for collaborators. Under certain circumstances experts who are already established in biomedical research may now qualify as collaborators.
Scientific Goals and Background
This is one of a series of NIGMS initiatives in quantitative approaches to the study of complex biological systems, a research area that NIGMS has designated as having high program priority.
The scientific goals of this initiative are to draw on (a) the language and tools of mathematics to encourage development of new approaches for understanding and describing biological processes at the systems level, and (b) the physical and computational sciences to develop functional metrics that can quantitate complex cellular and physiological behaviors.
Biomedical research is focusing increasingly on understanding biological function at higher orders of complexity. Through a limited number of grants and supplements, NIGMS already supports theoretical and quantitative approaches to gene expression, signal transduction, pattern formation in embryogenesis, assembly and dynamics of macromolecular assemblies, cell division, metabolism, tissue- and organ-level homeostatic mechanisms, complex genetic traits, cell motility and mechanics, pharmacogenetics, and systemic host responses to trauma, burn, or other injury. There is a clear need for more research in these and related areas, but NIGMS-supported investigators often lack the necessary expertise (or established collaborations) in mathematics and physical and information sciences. In addition, those experts in fields distant from the biomedical sciences may be unaware of these opportunities or lack the resources to become involved. NIGMS has a strong interest in attracting such experts into biomedical research, and will provide funds for the needed resources and personnel.
In some fields currently supported by NIGMS, such as population biology, bioinformatics, biophysics, biophysical chemistry, drug design, and structural biology, theoretical and quantitative approaches are well established. Investigators in these fields who already are funded by NIGMS often have strong mathematical and computational expertise. Hence principal investigators (PIs) of grants in these areas are not eligible for these supplements. NIGMS will consider applications only in research areas where quantitative approaches are either rare or just becoming accepted. For the purpose of bringing a mathematical or computational scientist into an area of research that already has an established tradition of quantitative approaches, other funding mechanisms may be more appropriate; see http://www.bisti.nih.gov/Support.html
The objectives are to (1) recruit into basic biological research established experts in the physical and computational sciences who have not had significant prior involvement in biomedical research and (2) support the entry of established experts in quantitative biomedical research into new areas of biology that are distinctly different from their current and prior research.
To these ends, NIGMS will provide administrative supplements to existing NIGMS grants (up to a maximum of $75,000 direct costs per year, exclusive of Facilities and Administrative costs that must be charged as direct costs because of subcontractual arrangements) to support cross-disciplinary collaborations between NIGMS PIs and established investigators with theoretical and quantitative credentials. As explained in the previous section, the parent NIGMS grant and the research topic must be in an area in which quantitative approaches are not well-established.
Collaborations supported by these supplements should enhance the outcomes of the original project and encourage the development of new conceptual directions for the parent project. It is expected that these enhancements will be included in subsequent competing applications, either for the renewal of the grant or for a new application on a related project. Applications that involve collaborators who are new to biological research are especially encouraged.
Awards under this initiative will be made through an administrative supplement on an expedited 3-month schedule. Applications will be reviewed internally by NIGMS staff.
Awards will be made through administrative supplements to R01, S06, R37, P01, and P50 research grants, with review by NIGMS staff. The time from receipt to notification of the anticipated award will not exceed 3 months (except for applications received in the last 2 months of the fiscal year).
Salary, fringe benefits, and travel expenses may be requested for the collaborating investigator and/or other key personnel. Funds may be also requested for supplies or small items of equipment. The term of award can extend for 3 years or to the end of the funded period of the parent grant, whichever is less. A maximum of $75,000 direct costs (not including Subcontract Facilities and Administrative costs) may be requested per year.
Investigators are strongly encouraged to contact both the program director of the parent grant, and the NIGMS staff listed under INQUIRIES, to discuss the eligibility requirements and the selection criteria that will be used by staff to prioritize applications for funding. Because funds are limited, it may not be possible to support all of the applications that meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
PI. The PI must have an active NIGMS R01, S06, R37, P01, or P50 research grant. The parent grant must have at least 1 year of support remaining at the time of the supplemental award. An investigator will be allowed only one supplemental award under this program at a time.
The NIGMS parent grant should be in a research field where theoretical and quantitative approaches are not yet routine. As noted above, grants in areas where theoretical and quantitative approaches are already well established are not eligible for supplementation. These include areas such as population biology, bioinformatics, biophysics, biophysical chemistry, drug design, and structural biology.
Collaborator. The collaborator should bring a substantially new theoretical or quantitative perspective to the project; this program is not intended to develop incremental improvements. Therefore, the expertise of the PI and collaborator should not have substantive overlap. The collaborator must be professionally established in a quantitative discipline. He/she should hold the equivalent of an independent faculty appointment in academia or group leader in industry. Individuals with senior postdoctoral professional status are not eligible to apply as collaborators. Such individuals may be supported on these supplements, but only under the supervision of the PI and an eligible (professionally established) collaborator. A collaborator will be allowed to be on only one supplemental award under this program at a time.
The primary goal of this supplement initiative is recruitment of scientists with quantitative expertise to collaborate on problems of biomedical significance that will introduce conceptually new quantitative approaches into the goals of the parent grant. A request will only be considered for funding if the collaborator meets one of two criteria: that he/she has no prior experience with biological problems, or that the collaborator has experience limited to an area of biomedical research that is distinctly different from the focus of the parent grant for which the supplement is requested and the collaborator’s other research projects.
The PI and the collaborator may be at the same or different institutions. Collaborators may be at domestic or foreign, for-profit or non-profit, public or private organizations, such as universities, colleges, research institutes, companies, hospitals, laboratories, units of state and local governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government. Principal investigators are encouraged to consider collaborators who are racial/ethnic minority individuals, women, and persons with disabilities.
Investigators are strongly encouraged to discuss eligibility requirements with NIGMS staff before preparing applications. We welcome the opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants.
Please direct inquiries to both the program director listed on your award statement, and to:
Dr. James Anderson Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology National Institute of General Medical Sciences 45 Center Drive MSC 6200 Bethesda, MD 20892-6200 Telephone: (301) 594-0943 Fax: (301) 480-2228 E-mail: andersoj@nigms.nih.gov
Submitting an Application
In making requests, the grantee institution, on behalf of the principal investigator of the parent grant, must submit the request for supplemental funds directly to NIGMS (see below). The request is NOT to be submitted to the NIH Center for Scientific Review. The countersigned application must as a PDF attachment, to Kevin Lauderdale at lauderdK@nigms.nih.gov. Note that all components of the request, including reprints, letters, and appendix materials, must be submitted electronically in PDF format.
Application Receipt Dates
A request for a supplement may be made at any time of the year. However, applications received in the months of August and September will not be awarded until the next fiscal year.
Include the following items in the application:
- Completed PHS 398 Face Page, Abstract Page, and Budget Page. Write the number of the parent grant on the top of the page. The principal investigator must be the same as the parent grant. The name of this announcement "ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE STUDY OF COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS" should be entered on line 2.
- Budget Justification Page(s), Form page 4 (up to $75,000 direct costs per year may be requested) and page 5. The term of support may extend to end of the funded project period or 3 years, whichever is less. In addition to personnel, funds may be requested for supplies and equipment.
- Other Support Information on separate pages. Other support information is an important part of the review and award process and must be included in the application. Provide information for both the PI and the collaborator, describing current research support for all significant projects and those completed within the previous 3 years. Also include pending research support for both the PI and collaborator. This includes for each source of support:
- the agency (or other source of support),
- grant number and project title,
- start and end dates of the total term of support,
- yearly direct and total costs,
- the percent effort of the PI or collaborator,
- specific aims or equivalently informative project description.
- The collaborating investigator's curriculum vitae, including professional appointments and a representative list of publications. The CV should convey concisely and clearly the collaborator's professional status and scientific qualifications and accomplishments.
- Representative reprints of the collaborator's work in his/her own field, as well as those publications that are most relevant to the supplemental research.
- A research plan not exceeding eight (8) pages, but including:
- How the Specific Aims of the parent project will be enhanced by the supplement.
- Background and significance, including a description of the specific scientific benefits for the parent project expected from the supplemental research.
- Any preliminary results, if available, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed modeling effort.
- Experimental design and methods of the new research described in the supplement.
- Description of the role of the PI's group in the supplemental activities.
- Description of the scientific aspects requiring coordination between the PI's and collaborator's groups.
- Plans for distributing software and data developed with support from this initiative.
The Research Plan should make a strong scientific case that the proposed supplemental research will make a substantial contribution to the understanding of the system under study in the parent grant. Although preliminary data are not required, the conceptual framework and the experimental design and methods should be sufficiently well developed in the research plan to assure a reasonable probability of achieving the Specific Aims of the supplemental research. The research plan should show evidence that the PI understands the basic quantitative issues, that the collaborator understands the basic biological issues, and that effective communication and coordination are already established.
- Letter of commitment from the collaborator. This letter should be countersigned by the collaborator's institutional official if he/she is at an institution different from the one submitting the parent grant application.
- Resources and Environment page for the collaborator.
- Pertinent letters of commitment from consultants or other collaborators, if any.
Supplements will be reviewed for scientific merit and prioritized for funding by NIGMS staff, in consultation with external scientific consultants as necessary. The applications will be judged on the following criteria:
Eligibility and Qualifications
- Are the PI and collaborator eligible? Are the parent grant and the proposed work in eligible research areas?
- Are the collaborator and key personnel well qualified for their roles in the project?
Role of Investigators
- Is there evidence in the research plan that the PI is fully involved and engaged, understands the basic quantitative issues, and will be able to provide effective guidance and feedback to the collaborator as the work proceeds?
- Does the applicant make clear the unique scientific opportunities afforded by the collaborating investigator's expertise?
- Is there evidence in the research plan that the collaborator is fully involved and engaged, and understands the basic biological issues?
Scientific Merit
- Does the application include specific research activities that promise a substantial contribution to the understanding of the system under study in the parent grant?
- Does the plan incorporate conceptually new quantitative approaches (e.g., novel ideas or methods)?
- Although preliminary data are not required, are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses well enough developed to assure a reasonable probability of achieving the Specific Aims of the supplemental research?
- Is there evidence in the research plan that the PI and collaborator are already communicating effectively on key scientific issues and are likely to coordinate and interact successfully?
- Are the plans for software and data distribution adequate?
Environment
- How strong is the scientific environment?
The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
- The quality of the proposed collaboration as determined by NIGMS review.
- The availability of other funding to support the proposed collaboration.
- The extent to which the proposed collaborative project will recruit investigators of appropriate expertise, who might otherwise not have the opportunity, to contribute to the quantitative study of complex biomedical problems.
- The novelty of the proposed work relative to the applicants' current and prior experience and the rest of the NIGMS research portfolio.
- The availability of NIGMS funds.
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