Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA DKHD-91-13 - V20(21) 05/31/91
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 29 May 91 16:31 EST

Hi Paul,
   Please post this to the NIH Listserver as:
    RFADKHD-91-13.910531
Thanks.    Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
$$XID RFA DKHD9113 DKHD-91-13 P1O1 *************************************
 
RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS IN NUTRITION
AND OBESITY
 
RFA:  DKHD-91-13
 
P.T. 34, 44; K.W. 0710095, 0765020, 0715145, 072005
 
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
 
Application Receipt Date:  September 18, 1991
 
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(NICHD) invite applications for research training and for career
development (T32, F32, K08, K11) for physicians and basic scientists in
the areas of nutrition and obesity-related research.  The intent of this
Request for Applications (RFA) is to provide research training and
career development support to persons who have a commitment to and an
aptitude for research in nutrient metabolism, obesity, eating disorders,
and/or energy regulation, as well as maternal-fetal, infant, and
childhood nutrition.
 
The NIDDK and NICHD as part of the Public Health Service (PHS) are
committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention
objectives of "Healthy People 2000," a PHS-led national activity for
setting priority areas.  This RFA is related to the priority area of
nutrition and obesity as targeted by that document.  Potential
applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:
Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:
Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents,
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (telephone
202-783-3238).
 
BACKGROUND
 
The Nutritional Sciences Program of the Division of Digestive Diseases
and Nutrition (DDDN), NIDDK, supports research, research training, and
career development programs on nutrient metabolism, obesity, eating
disorders, and energy regulation.  NICHD supports similar activities in
the nutrition of low-birth-weight infants, nutrient metabolism as
related to growth and development, nutritional antecedents of adult
disease, and dietary therapy of inborn errors of metabolism.  Nutrition
and obesity-related research needs and opportunities in the early
decades of the next century will require an increased number of
physicians and basic scientists with nutrition sciences training that
can be related to clinical nutrition problems falling within the DDDN
and NICHD program areas.  The number of awards for training support
aimed at supplying this cohort of qualified scientists has declined over
the past decade.  In particular, the K award mechanism has been
under-utilized, and more applications from promising candidates for this
type of award are encouraged.  This RFA is directed to strengthening the
national capacity for nutrition and obesity-related research.
 
OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE
 
The objective of this solicitation is to increase the number of
physicians and basic scientists who can conduct high quality research in
the area of nutrition and obesity, compete for NIH grant support, and
provide leadership in the areas of clinical nutrition/obesity research.
Of particular importance is an increase in the number of
underrepresented minority persons who are supported on NIH
nutrition/obesity research training and career development awards.  The
award mechanisms offered to achieve this are:
 
1.  The National Research Service Award Institutional Training Grant
(T32)
 
2.  The National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral
Fellowship (F32)
 
3.  The Physician Scientist Award (K11)
 
4.  The Clinical Investigator Award (K08)
 
Potential applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines* for each
mechanism to identify the mechanism most appropriate to their needs.
 
In the case of the Institutional Training Grant, both new and competing
renewal applications are encouraged.  Further, although predoctoral
traineeships may be sought in these applications, there is a particular
need for the research training of M.D.s and Ph.D.s. Thus, postdoctoral
traineeships are encouraged on Institutional Training Grant
applications.
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Physician Research Training and Career Development:  Physicians
receiving support under any of the award mechanisms offered in this RFA
also may be enrolled in a medical or surgical subspecialty training
program that relates to the nutrition/obesity program of DDDN and NICHD.
However, a full-time commitment to research training is required:  grant
funds are for research training and career development only, and may not
be used for the support of clinical training or clinical services.  Such
clinical subspecialty activities must be supported from other funding
sources.  The following requirements apply to physician research
training and career development and are in addition to the standard
eligibility criteria* for these PHS award mechanisms and apply to these
awards under this RFA.  In addition, the following applies:
 
1.  Institutional Training Grant (T32):  The applicant organization must
be or must be associated with a major medical institution and must have
or be able to develop a potential basic science training staff who have
NIH or other competitively awarded research support.  M.D. trainees must
have completed a residency in internal medicine, surgery, or pediatrics.
Ph.D. trainees are also eligible; consultation with DDDN staff is
important to the potential applicant.
 
* General guidelines and eligibility requirements:  for the
Institutional Training Grant see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts,
Vol. 16, No. 20, June 12, 1987; for the Individual Postdoctoral
Fellowship see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 17, No. 3,
January 22, 1988, and "NIH National Research Service Awards", DRG, NIH,
November 1, 1988; for the Physician Scientist and Clinical Investigator
Awards see "The K Awards", Division of Research Grants, NIH, October 15,
1990.  If not available at your institution, all of these documents are
available from the NIH Office of Grants Inquiries, Westwood Building,
Room 449, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 (telephone
301-496-7441).
 
2.  Physician Scientist Award (K11) and Clinical Investigator Award
(K08):  The applicant must have completed, by the time an award would be
activated, a residency in internal medicine, surgery, or pediatrics.
 
3.  Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32):  The applicant must have
received the Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree prior to the beginning
date of the appointment.
 
DURATION OF SUPPORT AND BUDGET
 
1.  The National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Training
Grant is a five-year renewable award providing trainee stipends, tuition
and fees (including medical insurance), travel allowances, and $2,500
per year per trainee for institutional costs.  Trainees can be appointed
for up to three years, with waivers of this restriction considered for
persons needing four or five years of research training.
 
2.  The NRSA Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship permits initial requests
for up to three years of support, with waivers of this limit possible
for persons who find that a total of four or five years of research
training support is needed.  The award provides a stipend plus an
institutional allowance of up to $3,000.
 
3.  The Physician Scientist Award and the Clinical Investigator Award
each provides five years of research career development support.  These
awards provide salary support of up to $50,000 per year, fringe benefit
costs, and allowances specific to each of the two award mechanisms.
 
TERMS OF THE AWARDS AND AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
 
Physician trainees supported by the Institutional Training Grant are
expected to pursue a minimum of three continuous years of research
training, at least one of which is supported on the Institutional
Training Grant.  The grantee institution must have a commitment to each
trainee for the support necessary to complete research training if
resources other than the Institutional Training Grant are to be used.
Preferably, physician trainees will be engaged in a Ph.D. or equivalent
program.
 
Basic scientist postdoctoral trainees are expected to complete at least
one year of research training supported by the Institutional Training
Grant.
 
Under this RFA, depending on the availability of funds and the receipt
of meritorious applications:
 
1) the NIDDK plans to award at least:  one Institutional Training Grant
(the actual number depending upon the pool of competing renewal
applications), two Physician Scientist and/or Clinical Investigator
Awards, and four Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards;
 
2) the NICHD plans to award at least two Physician Scientist and/or
Clinical Investigator Awards.
 
The earliest possible award date is January 1, 1992 for the Individual
Postdoctoral Fellowship applications and April 1, 1992 for the
Institututional Training Grant, Physician Scientist Award, and Clinical
Investigator Award applications.
 
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.
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
 
Use the Public Health Service Grant/Award application kits (PHS 398,
rev. 10/88 for Institutional Training Grant, Physician Scientist Award,
and Clinical Investigator Award applications.  Use the PHS Individual
National Research Service Award application kit PHS 416-1, rev.  7/88,
for the Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship).  Write "NIDDK-NICHD
Nutrition RFA DKHD-91-13" on line 2 of the PHS 398 form, and on line 3
of the PHS 416-1 form.  One copy of the RFA label available in the PHS
398 application kit must be stapled to bottom of the face page of the
original application.  Failure to use these identifying labels could
result in delayed processing of your application such that it may not
reach the review committee in time for review.
 
Applicants for the Institutional Training Grant should follow special
guidelines, "NIDDK Suggestions to National Research Service Award
Institutional Training Grant Applicants," available from the Research
Training and Career Development Program, DDDN, NIDDK, see below.
 
The original and six copies (if using the PHS 398) or two copies (if
using the PHS 416-1) must be submitted to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
REVIEW PROCEDURES
 
Upon receipt, applications will be examined by the NIH Division of
Research Grants for completeness.  Incomplete applications will be
returned to the applicant without further consideration.  Evaluation for
responsiveness to the program requirements and criteria stated in the
RFA will be performed by NIDDK and NICHD staff.  Applications that are
judged nonresponsive will be returned to the applicant without further
review.  Such applications may be submitted as investigator-initiated
applications at the next appropriate receipt date.
 
Initial review for scientific and technical merit is conducted by a
group of predominantly non-Federal scientists convened by the NIDDK.  A
second level review is conducted by the National Advisory Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases Council or the National Advisory Child
Health and Human Development Council, or, in the case of the Individual
Postdoctoral Fellowship, by an NIDDK inhouse committee.
 
TIMETABLE
 
Application receipt date:                September 18, 1991
Initial review date:                     January 1992
Advisory Council review date:            May 1992
Anticipated award date:                  July 1, 1992
                                         (F32s: May 1, 1992)
 
INQUIRIES
 
For further information please contact:
 
Judith M. Podskalny, Ph.D.
Director, Research Training and Career Development Program
Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Westwood Building, Room 3A15
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7455
 
or
 
Ephraim Y. Levin, M.D.
Medical Officer
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Executive Plaza North, Room 637
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-5593
 
For information on fiscal matters and payback requirements contact:
 
Mrs. Nancy Dixon
Supervising Grants Management Specialist
DDN/KUH Team Leader
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Westwood Building, Room 649
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7467
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
No. 93.848.  Awards will be made under the authority of the Public
Health Service Act, Section 301 (Public Law 78-410, as amended 42 USC
241) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal regulations,
most specifically 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is
not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive
Order 12372 or to Health Systems Agency review.