Of Interest for NAVBO Members

HHT FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

May 7^th, 2008

Research Program: Mechanisms of Disease in HHT

Description

The HHT Foundation’s goal is to stimulate and sponsor research into the diagnosis, mechanisms, treatment and cure of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT). There is currently little effective therapy available for many aspects of HHT. The HHT Foundation International would like to sponsor research leading to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of disease in HHT, with the ultimate goal of developing novel therapies for HHT.

Relevant Research Areas

The HHT Foundation International supports research including, but not limited to, priority areas identified during the NIH HHT Workshop (June 2006). These are detailed at http://www.genome.gov/19519386 and include various aspects of TGF-beta pathway, vascular biology, cell biology and organ pathophysiology research in HHT.

Funds Available

Grants may be awarded for one or two years, up to a maximum of $50,000 US.

Eligibility

Grant applications may be submitted by international principal investigators. Post-doctoral students or fellows are not eligible to apply as principal investigators for this RFP. Basic science researchers are encouraged to apply, including, but not limited to, vascular biologists, molecular biologists, cell biologists and geneticists.

How to Apply

The application process is comprised of two stages: 1) Letter of Intent, and 2)Full application.

1) Letter of Intent

In the first stage of the application process the Principal Investigator is required to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI)

The LOI must include:

	Institutional Affiliation of the Principal Investigator (academic or research position held, department, institution)
	List of co-applicants and collaborators for the proposed research
	Title of the proposal
	Title of this RFP Research Program
	Brief description (100-200 words) of the proposed research
	Amount requested from HHT Foundation International
	List of up to three suggested external referees, including contact coordinates

LOI are mandatory, and are treated with confidentiality by the HHT Foundation International and its peer-review committee. The LOI will allow the peer-review committee to relevance to the HHT Foundation’s research priorities, avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review process and select external reviewers.

The LOI should be submitted electronically to research@hht.org.

2) Full Application

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application by the deadline date. It is expected that the full application will generally be consistent with the LOI with respect to the outline of the research proposals and the participating investigators.

The electronic application form can be requested by emailing research@hht.org.

Letter of Intent Deadline: June 24th, 2008 by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Application Submission Deadline: August 11^th, 2008 by 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time

Read about GINA - Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act - information provided by the HHT Foundation. Click here

Dear Members of the NIH Research Community:

I am writing to remind you that the mandatory NIH Public Access Policy (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html) applies to final peer-reviewed manuscripts accepted for publication on or after April 7, 2008. Making published research funded by NIH accessible to everyone, including health care providers, patients, educators and scientists, helps advance science and improve human health. We all have a role to play in achieving this goal, and I appreciate your efforts to make the NIH Public Access Policy successful.

The NIH Public Access Policy implements Division G, Title II, Section 218 of PL 110-161 (see http://publicaccess.nih.gov/policy.htm), which was signed into law late last year. Compliance with this Policy is a legal requirement and a term and condition for all active grants and contracts awarded as of April 7, 2008. Failure to comply may trigger one or more enforcement actions, depending on the severity and duration of the non-compliance.

Please see the Public Access Web site for the tools you need to comply with the Policy. The Web site houses Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), training information, and other resources.

To ensure compliance with the Policy, please remember to:

Address Copyright - Make sure that any copyright transfer or other publication agreements allow your paper to be submitted to NIH in accordance with the Policy.

Submit Papers upon Acceptance for Publication

1. Some journals will submit the final published article on your behalf, without your involvement. See http://publicaccess.nih.gov/submit_process_journals.htm for a list of these journals.

2. For any journal other than those on this list, please:

a. When submitting a paper for publication, inform the journal that the final peer-reviewed manuscript is subject to the NIH Public Access Policy.

b. Make sure that any copyright transfer or other publication agreement allows the final peer-reviewed manuscript to be submitted to NIH in accordance with the Policy. For more information, see the FAQ Whose approval do I need to submit my article to PubMed Central? and consult with your Institution.

c. Submit the final peer-reviewed manuscript to NIH upon acceptance for publication at http://www.nihms.nih.gov/. See the Submission Process for more information.

Cite Papers

§ When citing your NIH-funded papers in NIH applications, proposals or progress reports, please include the PubMed Central reference number (PMCID) for each paper.

§ NIH will monitor compliance through citations. Effective May 25, 2008, when your NIH Program Officer reviews your progress report or application, he or she will be expecting a PMCID in the citation of every applicable paper that arose out of your NIH funding, or a manuscript submission system reference number (NIHMSID) if the PMCID has not been issued. See Section C of our FAQ for examples.

§ If you publish through a journal listed under http://publicaccess.nih.gov/submit_process_journals.htm, there might be a slight delay in assignment of a PMCID. That is okay. We have signed agreements with these journals that allow NIH to resolve submission with them without your involvement. To facilitate your Program Officer’s job, we ask that you indicate ‘PMC Journal- In Process’ until the PMCID is available.

The NIH Public Access Policy is a legal requirement and represents an important opportunity for science and medicine. We are very interested in your feedback on the Policy and are soliciting input through a request for information from March 31, 2008 to May 31, 2008. Please send any comments or suggestions to http://publicaccess.nih.gov/comments.htm.

Sincerely,

Norka Ruiz Bravo, PhD

NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research

For the latest in NIH grants policies and initiatives, subscribe to the NIH Extramural Nexus

The January Issue of the Peer Review Notes is Now Online:

http://cms.csr.nih.gov/NewsandReports/PeerReviewNotes/

Check out the latest news:

More Societies Urged to Help Recruit Reviewers

New Benefits for Reviewers
* CSR Study Sections Go West!
* NIH Gives Chartered Reviewers New Flexibility Submitting Applications
* Online Review System Improved
* CSR Seeks to Honor Outstanding Reviewers

New Input and Actions for CSR and NIH
* A Year of Listening to Improve CSR Review Groups
* Review Group Realignment Continues
* Trans-NIH Effort to Enhance Peer Review Update

New Advice for Applicants
* Study Section Chairs Share Insights for Applicants

About the Peer Review Notes
The NIH Center for Scientific Review publishes Peer Review Notes to inform reviewers, NIH staff and others interested in news related to our grant application review policies, procedures and plans. Comments may be sent to Don Luckett, Communications Director, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health. E-mail: Luckettd@csr.nih.gov

For Comments, Suggestions or Questions on the Peer Review Notes, please feel free to send an e-mail to PRN@csr.nih.gov.

CSR News Flash

January 6, 2008
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

NIH Gives Chartered Reviewers New Flexibility Submitting Applications

NIH has just increased the incentives for scientists to serve as chartered or “permanent” members on its peer review groups so it can better identify the most promising research for funding. These researchers, who typically serve four years reviewing NIH grant applications, now have more flexibility in submitting their own grant applications.

A recent NIH Guide Notice explains a new policy that gives these reviewers the option to submit—as soon as they are developed—R01, R21 or R34 applications that would normally be submitted for standard submission dates. Chartered members are strongly encouraged to add a cover letter to their applications requesting this option.

This new policy was developed to better compensate chartered reviewers, who can be disadvantaged by deadlines that force them to develop their own applications while reviewing those submitted to NIH by others.

These reviewers may still request a review by a standing study section other than their own. In this case, they must submit their applications in accord with established deadlines. A second NIH Guide Notice explains that current “windows” for reviewers to submit many of these applications late will remain available.

Continuous submission will be carefully evaluated to see whether eligibility should be extended. The NIH Guide Notice provides details on this new practice.

About CSR
The Center for Scientific Review organizes the peer review groups that evaluate the majority of grant applications submitted to the National Institutes of Health. These groups include experienced and respected researchers from across the country and abroad. Since 1946, CSR’s mission has been to see that NIH grant applications receive fair, independent, expert, and timely reviews — free from inappropriate influences — so NIH can fund the most promising research. CSR also receives all incoming applications and assigns them to the NIH institutes and centers that fund grants.

For more information, go to our Web site—http://www.csr.nih.gov—or phone 301-435-1111.

Apply for an NIH Director’s Pioneer Award.

If you’re a new investigator, you’re also eligible for an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award.

Both programs are part of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research and support exceptionally creative scientists who propose highly innovative—and often unconventional—approaches to major challenges in biomedical or behavioral research.

Women and members of groups that are underrepresented in NIH research areas are especially encouraged to apply.

Pioneer Award

$2.5 million in direct costs over 5 years

5-10 awards expected in September 2008

Open to Scientists Who

	Are at an institution in the United States
	Are at any career level, including the early to middle stages
	Will commit at least 51% of their research effort to the project

Streamlined Application

	Electronic application includes 3- to 5-page essay and 3 letters of reference
	Applications accepted December 16, 2007-January 16, 2008

More Information

	See http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-013.html and http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer
	E-mail questions to pioneer@nih.gov

New Innovator Award

$1.5 million in direct costs over 5 years

Up to 24 awards expected in September 2008

Open to New Investigators Who

	Have not yet obtained an NIH R01 or similar grant
	Hold an independent research position at an institution in the United States
	Received a doctoral degree or completed medical internship and residency within the past 10 years
	Will commit at least 25% of their research effort to the project

Streamlined Application

	Electronic application allows preliminary data but does not require it
	Applications accepted March 3-31, 2008

More Information

	See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-014.html and http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/innovator_award
	E-mail questions to newinnovator@nih.gov

Get Pioneer Award, New Innovator Award, and Other NIH Roadmap News

NIH Loan Repayment Programs Application Deadline
NIH is reminding health professionals engaged in biomedical and behavioral research to apply online for a loan repayment award before the upcoming annual deadline, December 1, 2007.* The Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a vital component of our nation's efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified professionals to careers in priority research areas.

NIH annually awards loan repayment contracts to approximately 1,600 health professionals. Approximately 40% of new and 70% of renewal applicants are funded each year. Please refer to our loan repayment brochure http://www.lrp.nih.gov/brochure.pdf.

NIH will repay up to $35,000 annually of qualified educational debt for health professionals pursuing careers in one of the five LRPs: Clinical, Pediatric, Health Disparities, Contraception and Infertility, and Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Background. The programs also provide coverage for Federal and state tax liabilities.

To qualify, applicants must possess a doctoral-level degree, devote an average of 20 hours per week or more to research funded by a qualifying domestic non-profit organization, university, or government entity (NIH grant support is not required). New applicants must also have outstanding educational loan debt equal to at least 20% of their institutional base salary and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

To access the online application and for a full list of eligibility requirements, please visit the LRP website at www.lrp.nih.gov; for assistance, please call the toll-free LRP Helpline at 1.866.849.4047 or send email inquiries to lrp@nih.gov.

*Given that the annual deadline of December 1^st falls on a weekend, all applications for 2008 awards must be submitted online by the next business day, Monday, December 3, 2007 at 8:00 pm EST.

Best regards,
Suman R. King, PhD
Director, NIH Division of Loan Repayment
www.LRP.nih.gov