Announcements

NIH has restructured their application instructions for all proposals submitted after January 25, 2010.  Please see attached for specific details.  There are several important changes to note:

• Shortened page limits:  The new page limit for the R01 Research Strategy is 12 pages plus 1 page for Specific Aims, and the R21 Research Strategy page limit has been limited to 6 pages plus 1 page for Specific Aims.  For K applications, the Research Plan and the Candidate Information will be limited to 12 pages.

• Biosketch changes:  A new personal statement will be added to the biosketch as part A.  The current sections labeled A, B, and C will now be B, C, and D.  Publications will be limited to 15 and should be chosen based on recency and importance to the proposal.

• Resources section:  The Facilities and Other Resources section will be changed to require a description of how the scientific environment will contribute to the probability of success of the project, unique features of the environment, and for Early Stage Investigators, the institutional investment in the success of the investigator (e.g. resources, classes, etc.).   

• Research Plan changes: Three sections of the current Research Plan (Background and Significance, Preliminary Studies/Progress Report, and Research Design and Methods) will be consolidated into a new single section within the Research Plan entitled Research Strategy.  The new Research Strategy section (a single PDF) will be sub-divided into three parts: Significance, Innovation, and Approach.  The Approach sub-section will include both Preliminary Studies for New Applications and Progress Report for Renewal/Revision Applications. 
 
For more information, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-149.html and http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov/docs/application_changes.pdf.  Please note that these changes do not apply to the current October/November NIH cycle of deadlines.
 

NIH has also made significant changes to noncompeting continuation progress reports.  Please see below for a summary of significant changes effective October 1, 2009. 

•    New All Personnel Report:  Replacement of the Key Personnel Report with an All Personnel Report that collects information on all personnel who participate in the project for at least one person month or more.  The All Personnel Report also implements a new NIH requirement that all individuals with a postdoctoral role with one person month of more of measurable effort must have an eRA Commons user ID.

•    New Assurance for Institutions Receiving Awards for Training of Graduate Students for Doctoral Degrees:  For institutions receiving NIH awards for graduate training through certain Institutional training grants, a new Graduate Student Assurance is now included.  In addition, for annual progress reports for Institutional training grants Table 12A is modified to collect data related to the Graduate Student Assurance. 

•    Inclusion of Changes to Innovative Potential:  PIs are asked, if applicable, to address any changes to the innovative potential of the project.  This information is now part of the Progress Report Summary, Section B. Studies and Results. 

•    Changes to the Biographical Sketch:  Another change is the addition of a Personal Statement to the biographical sketch.  The statement is for the key personnel to address why their experience and qualifications make them particularly well-suited for their role on the project.  Instructions for the biographical sketch also encourage applicants to limit the list of publications to no more than 15.  Reminder:  A new biosketch is only required as part of the progress report for new senior/key personnel since the previous submission.

•    Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs):  A new item is added to the Progress Report Summary, under section "D. Plans", as Item E. Human Embryonic Stem Cell Line(s) Used, for grantees to note if proposed research involving hESCs is different from that proposed in the previous submission, including use of a different cell line.  
For more information, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-139.html. 

We strongly recommend that you submit your proposal as early as possible.  Grants.gov experiences heavy volume on deadline dates which can cause problems or delays with submissions.  Please plan to submit early to avoid these issues.
 
Investigators should use Cayuse to submit grant proposals to NIH.  Please do not start an application in Grants.gov.