What do grants have to do with it? Why write a fellowship proposal and how Alison K. Hall, Ph.D. Case School of Medicine Office of Graduate Education

What do grants have to do with it?

Why write a fellowship proposal and how

Alison K. Hall, Ph.D.

Case School of Medicine

Office of Graduate Education

http://casemed.case.edu/gradprog/

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Graduate Fellowship Proposal

why write one?

where does this fit in my career?mechanisms just for MD-PhDs

what is a fellowship proposal anyway?NIH, AHA, others

how do you write a proposal?

Why do you want to write a fellowship?

1. Makes the relationship with the PI explicit

2. Benefits associated with grant

3. Looks good on your resume

4. Great learning experience

5. Stipend bonus

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http://grants.nih.gov/grants/partners/NexusImages/September06/submit.jpg

– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm – Refers to the kind of research activity that can be funded

• F series Fellowships• K series Career awards• P series Program projects and centers• R series Research projects• T series Training programs

– Not all institutes support all funding mechanisms

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Where does this fit in my career?

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Dickler, H. B. et al. JAMA 2007;297:2496-2501.

First-Time Applicants for R01 Grants by Degree (1964-2004) and Percentage Awarded (1964-2003)

# physician investigators applying for first R01s

little change for 3 decadesThose proposing clinical work less successful

MD-PhDs are few, but successful!

NIH Funding Mechanisms

• National Research Service Awards (NRSA)– F30 Predoctoral Awards for MD/PhD Fellowships– F31 Predoctoral Fellowships– F32 Postdoctoral Fellowships

• K Awards– K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development

Awd– K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development

Award– K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research

Career Development Award– K99/00 Pathway to Independence Award

5F30DC007274-03 BALU, RAMANIIntrinsic properties of olfactory bulb mitral cells

5F30NS050913-03 COWAN, THOMASAssistive Device Control With Brain Surface Signals

1F30AG029687-01A1 GALLOGLY, MOLLYRole of GRx in calcium homeostasis in the aging heart

1F30NS057883-01A1 MUKERJI, SHIBANIActivin in cerebral hypoxia and acute focal ischemia

5F31NR008984-02 DIMARCO, MARGUERITEAccess/Utilization of Dental Care by Homeless Children

1F31HL085939-01 FLEMING, CHRISTINE3D functional and structural imaging of cardiac tissue

5F31HD049326-03 JAGODNIK, KATHLEENUpper Extremity Control Using Reinforcement Learning

1F31CA123642-01 MONTANEZ-WISCOVICH, MARJORIEMinority Predoctoral Fellowship Program

1F31NS057867-01A1 REED-GEAGHAN, ERINCD14 and TLRs in Abeta-Induced Microglial Signaling

Pre-Doctoral NIH Fellowships at Case

Use the CRISP Database

National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD Fellows (F30)

National Institute on AgingNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute on Drug AbuseNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

(not all NIH Institutes!)

April 8, August 8, December 8

Transition to electronic submission “on hold”

PHS 416-1 (paper)

$20,772 plus $4,200 include health insurance, tuition!

The F30to promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent, highly trained physician-scientists in their scientific mission areas

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-05-151.html

What about Foundations?

How do you find the right match? Grantsnet.org

Public Charitable Organization

MDA, AHA, ACSSupport from the public

FoundationPrivate, support from a family or corporation

American Heart Association

Ohio Valley Affiliate

Predoctoral Fellowshipinitiate careers in cardiovascular and stroke researchJanuary deadline

Annual Award Amount   $21,000: $20,000 stipend plus $1,000 for health insurance

Award Duration  One or two years, renew for thirdhttp://www.americanheart.org

Write for the Reviewers

• Reviewers are:– Smart– Accomplished– Dedicated– Fair

Phyllis McBride, [email protected]

Write for the Reviewers

• Reviewers are also:– Busy– Overworked– Skeptical– May not be as

knowledgeable about the details of the proposed topic as the PI is

Phyllis McBride, [email protected]

After your grant is submitted…The NIH review process

Center for Scientific ReviewAssigned to a scientific Review Group (SRG/study section)Scientific Review Administrator

or Training Director (your friend)Study section meets

F’s are scoredSummary Statement

Funding!

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Inside the NIH Grant Review Process

39 min video NIH Center for Scientific Review

Includes R01/K08/ R03

Download proposals

http://www.drg.nih.gov/Video/video.asp#docs

View the video on the web

http://www.drg.nih.gov/Video/Video.asp

What’s in the NRSA?Form pages

including UG, grad grades, MCAT, USMLEBiosketchesResearch Training Plan 10 pages (a-d)

a. specific aimsb. background and significancec. preliminary studiesd. research design and methodse. human subjectsf. vertebrate animalsg. literature cited

Your career and training goalsMentor’s career development plan for you*3 sealed letters of reference

Where to start?

Read the instructions.

Again.

Ask for advice in time to learn

a research question,

specific aims,

hypotheses,

and long-term research goals.

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A strong research idea should pass the “so what” test. What is the benefit of answering your question? Who will it help and how?

If you cannot make a definitive statement about the purpose of your research, it is unlikely to be funded.

The Research Idea

Strong hypotheses:

• Give insight into a research question

• Are testable and measurable by the proposed experiments

• Spring logically from the experience of the lab and you

Make sure you:• Provide a rationale—where did hypotheses they come from,

and why are they strong?• Provide alternative possibilities that could be tested

why did you choose the ones you did over others

Good hypotheses will lead into your Specific Aims.

Specific aims steps you are going to take to test your hypotheses what you want to accomplish in the course of the grant period

Make sure: Your objectives are measurable and highly focusedEach hypothesis is matched with a specific aimThe aims are feasible in technique, time and money

http://www.theresearchassistant.com/tutorial/2-1.asp

Pilot dataFor F30, perhaps a year of work?

The goal of this section is to demonstrate experience and competence to perform the proposed project

Often, the feasibility of your proposed study is demonstrated through the report of pilot data

Can include work of others in lab

Try your hardest to collect pilot data, even if your N is small.

Do not give up!!

You want to earn supportYour mentor wants you to earn supportYour study section wants you to earn support

Pay attention to the summary statement

resubmit

Grantwriting Resources

ScienceCareers.orgCareer Development Articles

NIMH Grant Application Processhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchFunding/grantprocess.cfmhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchFunding/training.cfm

FASEB Grantsmanship Training Programhttps://ns2.faseb.org/careerutilities/grantprg.htm

Grant Application Writer’s Handbook, Reif-Lehrer

See also http://casemed.case.edu/gradprog/Graduate study/grants