Subject: RFA AG-9l-07 2/l5/9l NIH Guide
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 91 14:27 EST

Hi Paul,
   Another one.  Please post to the listserver as:
      RFAAG-91-07.910215
                        Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
MINORITY DISSERTATION RESEARCH GRANTS IN AGING, 1991
 
RFA AVAILABLE:  AG-91-07
 
P.T. 34, FF; K.W. 0710010, 0720005
 
National Institute on Aging
 
Application Receipt Date:  April 29, 1991
 
PURPOSE
 
Small grants (R03) to support doctoral dissertation research
will be available in 1991 for underrepresented minorities.(1)
Grant support is designed to aid the research of new minority
investigators and to encourage individuals from a variety of
academic disciplines and programs to study problems in aging.
 
(1) Underrepresented minority investigators are defined as
individuals belonging to a particular ethnic or racial group
that has been determined by the grantee institution to be
underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research at that
institution.  The National Institute on Aging (NIA)
will give priority to projects from African-Americans, Native
Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders, or other ethnic or
racial group members who have been found to be underrepresented
in geriatric and gerontology research nationally.
 
Grants to support dissertation research will provide no more
than $25,000 in total direct costs.  Dissertation research
grants will be administered in accordance with the U.S. Code
Annotated, Title 42, Part B, Section 284.  Awards will depend
on the availability of funds.  NIA expects to fund up to 20
dissertation research projects in 1991.
 
ELIGIBILITY
 
The applicant investigator applying for a dissertation
research grant must be an individual from an underrepresented
minority group enrolled in an accredited doctoral degree
program in the biomedical, social, or behavioral sciences and
must have approval of the dissertation proposal by a named
committee.  The student must also be conducting or intending
to conduct dissertation research on issues related to aging.
Research topics should fit within one or more of the areas
described below for each individual program (see National
Institute on Aging Contacts below).
 
The applicant must be a registered doctoral candidate in
resident or nonresident status.  All requirements for the
doctoral degree other than the dissertation must be completed
by the time of the award.  This information must be verified
in a letter of certification from the thesis chairperson and
submitted with the grant application (see Application
Procedures).
 
The applicant institution must be domestic and will
administer the grant on behalf of the proposed investigator.
The applicant investigator for dissertation research grant
support must be a citizen of the United States or hold a
permanent resident visa.  The performance site may be
domestic or foreign.
 
SCOPE OF AWARDS
 
Applicant investigators should request support for the amount
of time necessary to complete the dissertation.  However, a
dissertation research grant usually is awarded for a period
of 12 months or less but may be awarded for up to 24 months.
Investigators who need the 24 months to complete the
research project will be required to submit a continuation
application for support beyond the first 12 months.
Continuation support may be awarded if satisfactory progress
is being made, but the total direct costs of the entire
project may not exceed $25,000.  A proposal that exceeds this
amount will be returned.
 
An applicant who receives support for dissertation research
under a grant from NIA may not at the same time receive
support under a predoctoral or fellowship grant awarded by
any other Federal agency, nor be supported under any other
research project grant.
 
ALLOWABLE COSTS
 
Expenses usually allowed under PHS research grants will be
covered by NIA dissertation research grants, but may not
exceed $25,000 for the project.  Allowable costs include the
investigator's salary (not to exceed $10,000); direct
research project expenses such as travel, data processing,
and supplies; and dissertation costs.  Any level of effort
that is less than full time must be fully justified.  No
tuition nor permanent equipment is allowed.  Small equipment
requires special justification.
 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING CONTACTS
 
Interested applicants should request the full Request for
Applications (RFA), additional guidelines for preparing the
application, and discuss the suitability of the mechanism by
letter or by telephone with the first person named below.  The
applicant will then be referred to the relevant program director,
named below, to discuss the suitability of the research topic.
 
Phyllis B. Eveleth, Ph.D.
Deputy Associate Director and Training Officer
Office of Extramural Affairs
National Institute on Aging
Building 31, Room 5C02
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-9322
 
Geriatrics Program
 
The program supports research on clinical problems that occur
predominantly among older persons or that are associated with
increased morbidity and mortality in older people.  Areas of
interest include cardiovascular-pulmonary diseases,
infectious diseases, osteoporosis, digestive diseases,
rehabilitation and physical function, and performance in older
persons.
 
Evan Hadley, M.D., Associate Director
Geriatrics Program
Building 31, Room 5C27
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-6761
 
Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging
 
The program supports research on the structure and function
of the aging nervous system and the behavioral manifestations
of the aging brain.  Areas of special interest include age-
related changes in the nervous system, especially as these
affect sensory processes, learning, cognition, memory, and
sleep.  The study of Alzheimer's disease and other disorders
associated with the aging nervous system, including the
causes, diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment, and management of
such disorders are of special interest.
 
Zaven Katchaturian, Ph.D., Associate Director
Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program
Building 31, Room 5C35
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-9350
 
Behavioral and Social Research
 
The program supports research on social and psychological
aging processes and the place of older people in society and
its social institutions.  The emphasis is on promoting
health, effective functioning, productivity, and independence
throughout the middle and later years.  Areas of special
interest include health and behavior; cognitive functioning;
long-term care; work, retirement and productivity; family and
intergenerational relationships; aging demographics; and
minorities, women, oldest old rural and retarded older adults.
 
Matilda Riley, Ph.D., Associate Director
Behavioral and Social Research Program
Building 31, Room 5C32
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-3136
 
Biology of Aging
 
The program supports studies that focus on diseases associated
with increasing age and the basic mechanisms involved in aging
processes.  The overall objectives of the program are related to
understanding normal functions and alterations in them that can
be induced by interaction with the environment and disease
processes as aging proceeds.  The program interests are in
molecular and cellular biology, genetics, immunology, basic
nutrition, and endocrinology.
 
Richard Sprott, Ph.D., Associate Director
Biology of Aging Program
Building 31, Room 5C15
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-4996
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
Application form.  The full RFA and special guidelines for
dissertation grant applications are available from the Office of
Extramural Affairs (see address above).  The application must be
submitted on form PHS 398 (revised 10/88, reprinted 9/89)
available from most university research offices and the Division
of Research Grants, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Westwood Building, Room
449, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, telephone (301) 496-7441.  The
special instructions described here and in the application kit
must be followed.  Write "Minority Dissertation in Aging" under
Item 2 of the face page.  The mailing label in the application
kit must be glued to the envelope and the RFA label stapled to
the face page of the original application or processing and
review of the application may be delayed.  Applications will be
assigned to the NIA for review and possible funding.
 
Closing date.  Applications must be received by April 29, 1991.
Application materials must be sent directly to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
Copies required.  The applicant must submit the original and
four copies of the completed application, which includes a
detailed narrative project description (not to exceed 10 pages)
and letters.  An additional two copies should be sent to:
 
Grants and Contracts Management Office
National Institute on Aging
Building 31, Room 5C07
Bethesda, MD  20892
Attn:  Minority Dissertation
 
Additional Material.  A letter from the faculty committee or
university official directly responsible for supervising the
development and progress of the dissertation research must be
submitted with the application.  The letter must (1) fully
identify the members of the committee and certify their
approval of the dissertation proposal; (2) certify that all
requirements for the doctoral degree, except the dissertation,
are completed (or will be completed by the time of the grant
award); and (3) note that the university official or faculty
committee expects the doctoral candidate to proceed with the
approved project proposal with or without NIA support.  In
addition, the application should include a statement of the
applicant's career goals to be placed under "Background".
Although not required, identification of the applicant's
minority group would be helpful so effectiveness of the program
can be evaluated.
 
Conformity.  A proposal that does not conform to the
instructions, including additional guidelines, will be
returned.  The information in the required narrative project
description must be presented in a form suitable for detailed
scientific and technical review.
 
Resubmission.  Resubmissions will not be considered.
 
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF
NIH POLICIES CONCERNING INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN
CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY POPULATIONS
 
NIH and ADAMHA policy is that applicants for NIH/ADAMHA clinical
research grants and cooperative agreements will be required to
include minorities and women in study populations so that
research findings can be of benefit to all persons at risk of the
disease, disorder or condition under study; special emphasis
should be placed on the need for inclusion of minorities and
women in studies of diseases, disorders and conditions which
disproportionately affect them.  This policy is intended to apply
to males and females of all ages.  If women or minorities are
excluded or inadequately represented in clinical research,
particularly in proposed population-based studies, a clear
compelling rationale should be provided.
 
The composition of the proposed study population must be
described in terms of gender and racial/ethnic group.  In
addition, gender and racial/ethnic issues should be addressed in
developing a research design and sample size appropriate for the
scientific objectives of the study.  This information should be
included in the form PHS 398 in Section 2, A-D of the Research
Plan AND summarized in Section 2, E, Human Subjects.
Applicants/offerors are urged to assess carefully the feasibility
of including the broadest possible representation of minority
groups.  However, NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or
appropriate in all research projects to include representation of
the full array of United States racial/ethnic minority
populations (i.e., Native Americans (including American Indians
or Alaskan Natives), Asian/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics).
 
The rationale for studies on single minority population groups
should be provided.
 
For the purpose of this policy, clinical research includes human
biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology,
prevention (and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment
of diseases, disorders or conditions, including but not limited to
clinical trials.
 
The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also
apply.  Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues
cannot be identified or linked to individuals are excluded.
However, every effort should be made to include human tissues
from women and racial/ethnic minorities when it is important to
apply the results of the study broadly, and this should be
addressed by applicants.
 
For foreign awards, the policy on inclusion of women applies
fully; since the definition of minority differs in other
countries, the applicant must discuss the relevance of research
involving foreign population groups to the United States'
populations, including minorities.
 
If the required information is not contained within the
application, the application will be returned.
 
Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research
plan in the application conforms to these policies.  If the
representation of women or minorities in a study design is
inadequate to answer the scientific question(s) addressed AND the
justification for the selected study population is inadequate, it
will be considered a scientific weakness or deficiency in the
study design and will be reflected in assigning the priority
score to the application.
 
All applications for clinical research submitted to NIH are
required to address these policies.  NIH funding components will
not award grants or cooperative agreements that do not comply
with these policies.
 
REVIEW PROCESS
 
Dissertation research grants are competitive.  A mail review will
be conducted by NIA.  Applications may first receive a preliminary
review by a subcommittee to establish those applications deemed
to be competitive.  Reviewers will be selected on the basis of
their accomplishments and knowledge in aging research and their
experience in research career development.  All elements of the
application will be considered in the review process.  Emphasis
will be given to the scientific merit, feasibility,
relevance of the project to aging research, and to the
qualifications of the candidate.   Review results and funding
decisions will be announced within 5 months after the submission
date.  Review criteria, funding decisions, and continuation of
support are described below.
 
Review Criteria
 
Review criteria include significance of problem, relationship
of proposed research to NIA mission, research design, research
methods, personal qualifications of the candidate, supervision
of the candidate, institutional facilities and
support structure, and budgetary appropriateness.
 
Funding Decisions
 
Reviewers will recommend that an application be approved,
disapproved, or approved for funding with specific
modifications.  Final funding decisions are based on the
recommendations of the reviewers, the relevance of the project
to NIA priorities, and the availability of funds.
 
Continuation of Support
 
Grantees who have been funded for 12 months of a project
requiring 24 months or more must submit a continuation
application with a progress report 10 months after the study
begins.  Decisions concerning support beyond 12 months are
based on the availability of funds and on evidence of
acceptable progress.
 
Grant Conditions
 
The following conditions apply to dissertation grants:
 
o  Work on the funded project must be initiated within 3
months after the date of the award.
 
o  An awardee may be invited to participate in a meeting or
presentation of other NIA dissertation awardees.
 
o  A Principal Investigator who discontinues or suspends a
project during the grant period must inform the NIA Grants and
Contracts Management Office immediately in writing.  NIA
may suspend or terminate the grant as requested by the
Principal Investigator or on its own initiative.
 
o  The dissertation constitutes the final report of the
grant.  Two copies of the dissertation must be submitted.
The dissertation must be officially accepted by the
faculty committee or university official responsible for
the candidate's dissertation and must be signed by the
responsible officials.
 
o  The requirements of Executive Order 12372,
"Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs," are not
applicable to NIA research grant programs.