Supplemental Funding to Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical & Behavioral Research

Most recent NIDDK funding announcement: NOT-OD-21-134

Eligibility

The “eligibility” of the candidate must be clearly delineated and described in a “Letter of Eligibility” prepared by and signed by the Program Director/Principal Investigator of the parent award and an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) for the institution.

The program announcement outlines the following requirements to demonstrate a candidate's eligibility:

• Candidates must have a doctoral degree, such as MD, DDS, PhD, OD, DVM or equivalent degree at the time of application
• Candidates must have been in a post-Doctoral or faculty position at the time they left active research
• Candidates should have a minimum of one year and a maximum of eight years of absence from their active research
  • In general, the candidate should be in complete hiatus from full-time paid research activities
  • The following are examples of qualifying interruptions:
    • Child rearing
    • Incapacitating illness or injury of the candidate, spouse, partner or a member of the immediate family. Relocation to accommodate a spouse, partner, or other close family member
    • Pursuit of non-research endeavors that would permit earlier retirement of debt incurred in obtaining a doctoral degree
    • Military service
• Candidate must be either a US Citizen (e.g., born or not born in the US or its territories/possessions; or by naturalization), a US National, or a Permanent Resident (e.g., possesses a “Green Card”) at the time of an award
  • Before an award may be activated, a notarized photocopy of a candidate’s US Permanent Residency must be received by the NIDDK

Applying

Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov or eRA Commons

Required Documents

Pay close attention to Section IV, "Application and Submission Information," heading 2. "Content and Form of Application Submission," the Program Announcement (PA). This section of the PA outlines supporting documents that must be submitted along with the PHS398. If the additional documents are not submitted, the application will not be reviewed.

Research Plan (PHS398 Research Plan Component)
Please provide a brief description of your research experience, not to exceed six pages, that includes the following headings:

• Summary or Abstract and Specific Aims of the funded parent grant or project (not included in the six page limit);

• Research and Plan and Timeline proposed for the candidate, including how the proposed research relates to the specific research goals and objectives of the parent grant;

• Career development plan for the candidate, including a description of how the supplement will expand and foster the research capabilities of the candidate through activities, such as grant-writing, communication, and training in laboratory management skills and knowledge, that will lead to the candidate’s scientific and career success and independence;

• Description of the scope and nature of the proposed mentoring relationship/plan between the PD(s)/PI(s) and/or Primary Mentor and the candidate, including:

  • information on the research qualifications and previous experiences of the mentor as a research supervisor,

  • a mentoring plan that describes the nature of the supervision and mentoring that will occur during the proposed award period, including how the candidate’s scientific and professional independence will be promoted,

  • a description of the elements of the planned research training, including any formal coursework, and

  • a plan for transitioning the candidate from the supplement award to independence;

• If more than one mentor is proposed, the respective areas of expertise and responsibility of each should be described. Co-Mentors should describe clearly how they will coordinate with the primary mentor and the candidate.

The application's Research Plan should contain these specific section headings:

Biosketch
Submit a NIH Biosketch for the candidate, the PD/PI, and all Senior/Key Personnel in compliance with the Notice to the Guide NOT-OD-15-032 . Please note that biosketches not in compliance with the new policy will not be accepted and the application will be withdrawn.

Human Subjects Section (if applicable)

• If your research will include Human Research Subjects:

• Please visit https://humansubjects.nih.gov/ for the most up to date information.
  • If appropriate for the proposed research strategy, you may use the Human Subjects Section from your parent award

• State whether or not you intend to charter a Data and Safety Monitoring Plan. Information relating to the Protection of Human Research Subjects may be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/hs/hs_policies.htm.

• Submit a copy of your IRB approval letter, with clearly legible approval and expiration dates

  • If your research proposal is currently pending IRB review, submit a letter documenting that the IRB review is pending

  • Note that any award for a Research Supplement will require documentation of IRB approval prior to the activation of any award

• For any person identified as Senior/Key Personnel, submit documentation for Human Subjects Education Requirements programs that have been completed

Vertebrate Animals Section (if applicable)
If your proposed research will involve live vertebrate animals:

• Submit a “Vertebrate Animals Section” in support of your application

  • See the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare at the NIH website

  • As a guide for the preparation of this section, use the Grant Application VAS Worksheet (PDF, 153 KB)

  • If appropriate, you may submit your “Vertebrate Animals Section” from your parent award, provided that the animal studies to be conducted by the candidate are encompassed by the original research plan

• Submit a copy of your IACUC approval letter, with clearly legible approval and expiration dates and Animal Welfare Assurance number

  • If your research proposal is currently pending IACUC review, submit a letter documenting that the IACUC review is pending

  • Note that any award for a Research Supplement will require documentation of IACUC approval prior to the activation of any award

Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs)
If the proposed project involves hESCs, then the application must identify an hESC line from the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry.

Responsible Conduct of Research
NIDDK recognizes that instruction in the responsible conduct of research occurs formally and informally in educational settings and that informal instruction occurs throughout the research training experience.

• Provide a formal training plan for your candidate during the requested timeframe of support

• Use "Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research", NOT-OD-10-019 , to help in prepare this section

• The Responsible Conduct of Research section may be up to three pages in length, and is not included in the six page limit for the description of the abstract, research plan and career development, and how the proposed research plan will benefit the candidate

Additional Personal Statement
This is not the same as the “Personal Statement” reported on Section A of the NIH Biosketch form. A separate signed personal statement of the candidate’s career and research goals is required by NIDDK.

This is not the same as the “Personal Statement” reported on Section A of the NIH Biosketch form. A separate signed personal statement of the candidate’s career and research goals is required by NIDDK.

As described in NOT-OD-11-045 the content of the personal statement should:

“Briefly describe why your experience and qualifications make you particularly well-suited for your role in the proposed project that is the subject of the application. Within this section you may, if you choose, briefly describe factors such as family care responsibilities, illness, disability, and active duty military service that may have affected your scientific advancement or productivity.”

Additionally, please include some comments on your long-term career goals, and how a Research Supplement will allow you to reach those goals.

Letter of Applicant Eligibility
A signed statement from the PD(s)/PI(s) and an institutional official clearly establishing the eligibility of the candidate for support under this program. The statement must include:

• Clearly presented information on the candidate’s citizenship

  • For US Permanent Residents, include a notarized photocopy of their documentation of US Permanent Residency

• A description of the candidate’s research career prior to the hiatus

• Reason for the hiatus, the duration of the hiatus

• A statement describing any current or previous Public Health Service research grant support that the candidate has received.

ERA Commons Registration
Candidates for this supplement support must have an eRA Commons account and the candidate's Commons Username must be entered in the Credential field and on her/his NIH Biosketch.

Budget

Submit the completed "Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period," "Budget for Entire Proposed Project Period" and "Checklist" paged from PHS398. Please include the “Institutional Base Salary” on the budget pages so that our Grants Management Staff can evaluate the appropriateness of the stipend requested, as well as a "Justification" for the salary/stipend, travel and supplies, and tuition requested. Section IV, “Application and Submission Information”, heading 5, “Funding Restrictions”, outlines the allowable funding support based upon the career level of the candidate.

Review

Applications are reviewed at the end of each review month (from October through June). No applications will be reviewed in July, August, September, or December.

• Applications received before 5:00 PM local time on the 1st business day of the month will be reviewed in the same month.
• Applications received after the 1st business day of the month will be reviewed at the next scheduled monthly meeting.

Funding decisions will be made three times per year in January, April, and June. Notifications will be sent out by the Project Officer for the parent award following the approval of the funding pay plan. Administrative Notes and priority scores from the review meeting will not be made available to the PD/PIs, and your Project Officer for your parent award will provide any feedback regarding your application after a recommendation from the Committee has been made.