Title: WRITING A GRANT AS A YOUNG INVESTIGATOR
1WRITING A GRANT AS A YOUNG INVESTIGATOR
Kay Ryan Director, Clinical Research
Operations MGH Clinical Research Program January
29, 2008
2Todays Goals
1. Resources for Clinical Investigators 2.
Tips 3. Grants for starting Investigators NIH
Training Grants NIH Career Development
Awards Foundations
3Resources for Clinical Investigators
- MGH Clinical Research Program
- CRP faculty mentors (Genomic/Genetic research
Outcomes/Epidemiology research Biostatistical
study design issues) - IRB submission consultation and advice
- Implementing clinical studies budgeting clinical
studies locating funding sources - Help with NIH and other federal submissions
- Contact Kay Ryan (kryan10_at_partners.org)
4More Resources
- PHS Human Research Committee (HRC)
- Guidelines, Forms, Certification, etc
- http//healthcare.partners.org/phsirb/home.htm
- Advice Maria Sundquist, PHS HRC
- Denise McCauley, MGH Clinical
Research Program - Research Management
- Staff contacts, Forms, Policies, Deadline
- http//phsresearchintranet.partners.org/PHS_Resea
rchMgmt/RM_Contacts_MGH.asp -
5Tips
- Identify at least 2 potential funding
- sources for every project idea
- 2. Dont rely on federal funding check
- foundation databases
- 3. Anticipate a re-submission
- 3. Prepare a Letter of Intent (LOI)
- LOIs used by foundations feds
- 4. Start writing early, identify
mentors/reviewers
6Federal Grants for Different Career Stages MD
T32 or F32
K08 or K23
K22
K02
K24
R37
T35
R01
Independent PI
Medical Student
Clinical Training
Faculty Position
MD
K02 - Independent Scientist Award K24 -
Mid-Career Investigator Award Clinical
Research R37 - Merit Award
T35 - short-term, health prof students T32 -
Institutional Training Grant F32 - Individual
Postdoctoral Fellowship K08 - Mentored Clinical
Scientist Devt Award K23 - Mentored Clinical
Research Devt Award K22 - Research Scholar Devt
Award R03 Small Grant R21 Exploratory
Grant
7NIH Career Development Programs (K Awards)
- 14 Different Mechanisms
- articulate with Career Stage
- Mentored, Mid-career, Senior
- interact with other NIH Awards
- use K Kiosk or Career Award Wizard
- http//grants.nih.gov/training
- Note Not every NIH institute offers K awards
8Know your NIH Institute!
- Look at NIH Institute-specific websites (for
example www.niddk.nih.gov ) - Learn Institutes research priorities
- Look at Institutes application success rates (
applications awards) - http//grants1.nih.gov/grants/award/success.ht
m
9NIH Career Development Programs (K Awards)
- 14 Different Mechanisms
- articulate with Career Stage
- Mentored, Mid-career, Senior
- interact with other NIH Awards
- use K Kiosk or Career Award Wizard
http//grants.nih.gov/training
10Career or K-series Awards
- designed to protect time, i.e., free up time
currently spent in clinic or on administrative or
teaching duties - most are for early career development
- provide salary not stipend
- meant to train U.S. citizens/permanent residents
- K99 is an exception to this policy
- limited to U.S. research/clinical institutions
11Career Development (K-series) Awards
- K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development
Award (Ph.D.)- usually basic research - K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development
Award (M.D. or other clinical degree)- usually
basic research - K99/R00 Pathway to Independence (PI) Awards
- K23 Mentored Patient-oriented Research Career
Development Award (M.D. or other clinical degree) - K22- Transition Award- 2-3 years at NIH 2-3
years at extramural academic institution in U.S. - K24 Mid-Career Investigator Award in
Patient-oriented Research (M.D.)
12Career Development Mechanisms Aimed Primarily at
Clinical Scientists
- Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development
Award (K08) - usually apply toward the end of fellowship
training - 2-5 years of training in research
- up to 75,000 per year in salary, up to 25,000
per year in research-related costs - 3-5 year award
- traditionally, not necessarily, basic research
13Career Development Mechanisms Primarily Aimed at
Clinical Scientists
- Mentored Patient-Oriented Career Development
Award (K23) - encourage career development of physician
scientists in clinical research - Senior Postdoctoral fellows
- up to 75,000 per year in salary, and
25,000-50,000 per year in research-related
costs - 3-5 year award
14Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awards
(K08/K23)
- mentor-based, bridge to independence
- discrete research plan with plan for independence
- this is NOT Post-Doctoral training
- should have finished clinical training
- Institutional support (promotion to Instructor?)
- minimum 75 effort
- 3-5 years of support
- may also apply for (and receive!) R01 grant while
holding a K award
15NIH Application Resources
- Sample K award applications
- K08 http//www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/training/red
book/k08model.htm - K23 http//www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/training/red
book/k23models.htm
16NIH Pathway to Independence (PI) Awards
(K99/R00)
- provides up to 5 years of support in two phases
- K99 Provides an intensive, mentored research
experience for up to 2 years - R00 Independent scientist phase transition to
research independence as junior faculty (up to 3
years of support) - move to different Institution is generally the
goal
17Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development
Award (K08/K23/K99)
- Essential components of grant application
- career development plan must be carefully
documented - may include coursework
- may work toward a graduate degree
- mentorship must be strong and appropriate
- Institutional commitment to career development
must be clear
18 R-series grants
- R01s Research project grants unsolicited and in
response to Funding Opportunity Announcements
(e.g. PAs and RFAs) - R21s Exploratory/Developmental grants usually
only in response to FOAs - R03s Small grants only in response to FOAs
- Subscribe to NIH Guide weekly announcement of
NIH funding opportunities - email NIHTOC-L_at_LIST.NIH.GOV
19The Letter of Intent (LOI)
- Used by federal agencies/foundations
- Filter applications to their interest area
- Appoint appropriate reviewers
- Specific to the agency, typically ask for
- - Abstract
- - NIH CV /Biosketch
- - Nomination letter (some, but not all)
-
-
20Writing an LOI- Start Early
- Limited to 2 to 3 pages
- Title of proposal
- Abstract ( 200 words)
- Background of applicant (or NIH Biosketch)
- Objectives
- Methodology
- Statistical analysis plan
- Key references
21LOI can help you
- crystallize the essence of the project
- organize key references
- get spring loaded to submit well thought out
project in short time frame - Scope of work can be adjusted to funding
22LOIs
- Theyre Not Easy !
-
- If I had more time, I would have written
- you a shorter letter.
- Mark Twain
23Acknowledgements
- Recent Extensive Presentations by
- William F. Crowley, Jr. , MD
- How to write a ucceful NIH grant
- Janet E. Hall, MD
- Writing your first investigator initiated grant
as a Young Investigator - Available on CRP website.
24End