Guidelines for Applicants
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) announces the expansion of the Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (MRSDA) program supported by the Institute through the establishment of the NICHD MRSDA (K01) in Population Research. Support for the MRSDA (K01) currently is provided through the NICHD National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research in the area of rehabilitation research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not96-301.html) and the NICHD Center for Research for Mothers and Children in the area of child abuse and neglect (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not99-117.html).
The NICHD MRSDA program is being expanded to include the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch (DBSB), Center for Population Research. The mission of the DBSB is to provide a better understanding of populations-- how populations change in size, composition, and distribution; the complex social, economic and cultural factors that cause populations to change; and the consequences of population change for health and well-being at the individual and societal levels. The DBSB will utilize the K01 to support career development for junior-level researchers in the area of population research. The DBSB population research program focuses mainly on fertility, reproductive health, family and household structures, health, mortality and morbidity, migration, immigration, population and the environment, and population distribution and characteristics.
These guidelines for the NICHD K01 in Population Research must be used in conjunction with the general description of the NIH MRSDA issued in PA 00-019, available on the Internet at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-00-019.html.
OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives of the NICHD K01 in Population Research are:
To expand the range and depth of technical and scientific inquiry skills of junior doctoral-level candidates in population research that will allow them to pursue independent research careers and to conduct scientifically sophisticated studies in the field of population research;
To develop the grant application writing knowledge and skills of junior doctoral-level candidates in population research to allow them to effectively compete for funding to support future research projects;
To provide a mentored research experience in population research for junior doctoral-level candidates who conduct research in other disciplines (e.g., anthropology, geography, biological sciences, etc.) in order to enhance their scientific careers and encourage the application of novel or highly promising interdisciplinary approaches to the field of population research; and
To provide a mentored research experience in other disciplines for junior doctoral-level candidates who conduct studies in population research in order to enhance their scientific careers and encourage the application of novel or highly promising interdisciplinary approaches to the field of population research.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Please consult the NIH MRSDA Program Announcement (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-00-019.html) for a complete description of eligibility requirements for this award. Candidates for the NICHD K01 in Population Research must have a research or a health-professional doctorate or its equivalent, must be committed to developing careers as independent investigators in population research, and must have demonstrated the capacity or potential for highly productive independent research. Candidates may undertake three to five years of advanced study and supervised research with the goal of developing into independent investigators. The candidate must have a full-time appointment at the applicant institution and be willing to spend a minimum of 75 percent of full-time professional effort conducting research and research career development during the entire award period. Candidates may have been supported by a research career award in the past, but may not have been Principal Investigators on other types of PHS research grants, with the exception of small grants. Candidates who are, or have been, Principal Investigators on R03s are eligible to apply. Current Principal Investigators on other PHS research grants or career development awards are not eligible Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Each candidate must identify a mentor with extensive experience in population research. A secondary mentor may also be proposed for guidance in a special area of expertise, but the primary mentor must continue to be involved throughout the award period. Under unusual circumstances, a candidate may select a primary mentor who is not affiliated with the applicant institution. In these circumstances, a secondary mentor must be named from the applicant institution and both mentors must be involved throughout the award period. Candidates choosing mentors outside of the applicant institution should explain their choice in detail, including the unique benefits to be gained by such a mentorship. Applicants and mentors in this situation should also provide a plan for maintaining an effective mentoring relationship at a distance. Candidates may choose to propose both a basic research mentor and a clinical research mentor, if appropriate.
An advisory committee composed of the mentor(s) and one to three other senior faculty members should be identified. Additional committee members can be affiliated with other academic or research institutions. This committee should consult at least annually with the candidate to review the career development plan and research project, to evaluate his or her progress, and to provide guidance for future scientific career development.
PROVISIONS OF THE AWARD
Allowable costs for NICHD K01 awards:
Salary - Individual compensation is based on the institution's salary scale for individuals at an equivalent experience level. Funding from this award for salary may be provided up to a maximum of $75,000 per year plus commensurate fringe benefits for a full-time employee with at least 75 percent effort devoted to the research and development program. NIH policy permits supplementation of salary from non-Federal sources.
Research and Development Support - A maximum of $25,000 per year may be requested for research costs such as technical personnel, telecommunications, supplies, small items of equipment, candidate travel, publication costs, and tuition for necessary courses.
Facilities and Administrative costs will be paid at eight percent for all career development awards.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The application procedures outlined in the NIH MRSDA Program Announcement (PA-00-019) should be followed.
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application should be sent to:
L. R. Stanford, Ph.D.
Division of Scientific Review
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 5E01, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service)
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
Applications for the NICHD K01 in Population Research will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate scientific review group convened by NICHD, in accordance with the NIH MRSDA review criteria and the review criteria stated below. Following the initial review, applications will undergo a second level review by the National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council.
Review Criteria
In addition to the standard NIH K01 review criteria, applications will be evaluated for:
The likelihood that the proposed career development plans will enable the candidate to pursue an independent scientific career in population research (for those candidates already in population research);
The likelihood that the proposed career development plans will enable a candidate to successfully combine population research with other disciplines to enhance an interdisciplinary career (for those applicants in fields outside of population research and for population researchers seeking mentorships in other disciplines); and
The appropriateness of the advisory committee to meet the research career development needs of the candidate's program.
INQUIRIES
Written, telephone, and electronic inquiries are encouraged. The opportunity to clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:
Lynne M. Casper, Ph.D.
Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Blvd., Room 8B07, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Telephone: (301) 496-1174
Fax: (301) 496-0962
E-mail: casperl@mail.nih.gov
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal and administrative issues to:
Mary Ellen Colvin
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Blvd., Room 8A17K, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Phone: (301) 496-1304
Fax: (301) 402-0915
Email: mc113b@nih.gov