•••••••••TheThe ABCDsABCDsofofNIH R01sNIH R01sElfar AdalsteinssonElfar Adalsteinsson2 November 20062 November 2006Questions from StudentsQuestions from Students• How do you come up with an original research idea and becomHow do you come up with an original research idea and becomeknowledgeable to apply for a grant while meeting faculty memberknowledgeable to apply for a grant while meeting faculty member responsibilities?responsibilities? • best way to present your research?best way to present your research?• how to ensure a full pipeline of grants?how to ensure a full pipeline of grants? • How to find out what the sources of funding are? Do they change?How to find out what the sources of funding are? Do they change?• What are the available resources for editing a grant before submWhat are the available resources for editing a grant before submission?ission? • Do you pitch something you would love to work on, are passionateDo you pitch something you would love to work on, are passionateabout,about, and that you believe will bear fruits, or do you pitch somethingand that you believe will bear fruits, or do you pitch somethinghot thathot that will please the reviewers?will please the reviewers?• Grants available to grad students?Grants available to grad students? • What are the current trends in grant approval? Areas? Clinical tWhat are the current trends in grant approval? Areas? Clinical trials?rials? • Coming up with original questions when they overlap with your cuComing up with original questions when they overlap with your currentrrent advisor's?advisor's? OutlineOutline••What does NIH wantWhat does NIH want??••How does the investigatorHow does the investigator respond?respond?••Examples of R01 grantsExamples of R01 grants••Student QuestionsStudent Questions••Open backOpen back--andand--forthforthInformationInformationwww.nlm.nih.gov/ep/Tutorial.html What does NIH want?What does NIH want?The Goal of NIHThe Goal of NIH--supported Researchsupported Research“…“…advance ouradvance our understanding of biologicalunderstanding of biological systems, improve thesystems, improve the control of disease, andcontrol of disease, and enhance health.enhance health.””Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology HST.590: Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series: Developing Professional Skills, Fall 2006 Course Director: Dr. Mya Poe•••Review CriteriaReview Criteria••SignificanceSignificance••ApproachApproach••InnovationInnovation••InvestigatorInvestigator••EnvironmentEnvironmentSignificanceSignificance••Address important problem?Address important problem?••Advance scientific knowledge?Advance scientific knowledge?••Effect on the field?Effect on the field?ApproachApproach••Are design, methods, andAre design, methods, and analyses adequately developed,analyses adequately developed, wellwell--integrated, and appropriateintegrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project?to the aims of the project? ••Does the applicant acknowledgeDoes the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas andpotential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?consider alternative tactics? InnovationInnovation• Does the project employ novelDoes the project employ novel concepts, approaches or method?concepts, approaches or method? • Are the aims original andAre the aims original andinnovative?innovative? • Does the project challenge existingDoes the project challenge existing paradigms or develop newparadigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?methodologies or technologies? Courtesy of NIH.Courtesy of NIH.•••••••InvestigatorInvestigator••Is the investigator appropriatelyIs the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carrytrained and well suited to carry out this work?out this work? ••Is the work proposedIs the work proposed appropriate to the experienceappropriate to the experience level of the principal investigatorlevel of the principal investigator and other researchers?and other researchers?EnvironmentEnvironment• Does the scientific environment in whichDoes the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to thethe work will be done contribute to the probability of success?probability of success?• Do the proposed experiments takeDo the proposed experiments takeadvantage of unique features of theadvantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ usefulscientific environment or employ usefulcollaborative arrangements?collaborative arrangements?• Is there evidence of institutionalIs there evidence of institutional support?support? How does theHow does theinvestigator respond?investigator respond?NIHNIH••AA ––Specific AimsSpecific Aims••BB ––Background and SignificanceBackground and Significance ••CC ––Preliminary DataPreliminary Data••DD ––MethodsMethodsR01R01••25 pages25 pages••$250K/year direct costs$250K/year direct costs••33--5 years5 yearsGet this acrossGet this across ……• Your hypothesis is sound andYour hypothesis is sound and important.important. • Your aims are logical and feasible.Your aims are logical and feasible. • You understand potential problems.You understand potential problems. • You can analyze the data.You can analyze the data.••––•AA ––Specific AimsSpecific Aims••~ 1 page~ 1 page••State your objectives, what youState your objectives, what you want to accomplish, and yourwant to accomplish, and your project milestonesproject milestones AA ––Specific AimsSpecific Aims••Do not confuse specific aims withDo not confuse specific aims withyour project's longyour project's long--term goalsterm goals••Specific aims are what you planSpecific aims are what you plan to accomplish by the end of theto accomplish by the end of the grantgrant AA ––Specific AimsSpecific Aims••Being too ambitious is a commonBeing too ambitious is a common mistakemistake••Limit your proposal to three toLimit your proposal to three to four specific aimsfour specific aimsAA ––Specific AimsSpecific Aims••Design your specific aims andDesign your specific aims and experiments so they answer theexperiments so they answer the question posed by the hypothesisquestion posed by the hypothesis••Make sure the hypotheses areMake sure the hypotheses are testable!testable!BB ––Background and