NIH Academic Research
Enhancement Award (AREA)
Grants (R15)
SOT 2010
Mike Humble, PhD
Program Administrator
Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT)
National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Dept of Health & Human Services (DHHS)
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
The National Institutes of Health
Overview
 NIH and NIEHS
 NIH R15 AREA Grants
 NIH Review Process
NIH consists of 27 Institutes and Centers
NHLBI
NINR
OD
NCCAM
NIEHS
NCI
NIAMS
CIT
NIDA
NEI
NIMH
CC
NIDDK
NLM
NINDS
NHGRI
NCMHD
NIDCR
NIA
NIBIB
NIDCD
NIAAA
NICHD
NIAID
FIC
CSR
NCRR
= Extramural only
NIGMS
NIEHS -- National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences
Human health and human disease result from three interactive
elements:
 environmental factors
 individual susceptibility
 age
The mission of the NIEHS is to reduce the burden of human
illness and dysfunction from environmental causes by
understanding each of these elements and how they interrelate.
Grant Mechanisms
“R”: Research Project R01: Reseach Grant
R03: Small Research Grants
R15: AREA Grants
R21: Exploratory/Developmental Grants
R43:
Business
Innovation Research
Although there
areSmall
many
mechanisms,
not all
“P”:
Multi-component
ProgramatProjects
mechanisms
areP01:
available
all Institutes under all
projects
P30
& P50: Center Grants
circumstances.
“T”: Institutional
Training
“F”: Individual
Fellowships
(NRSA)
“K”: Career
Development
T32: Institutional Training Grants
T35: Short-term Training
F30: MD/PhD Predoctoral Fellowship
F31: Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship
F32: Postdoctoral Fellowships
K99/R00: Pathways to Independence Award
K08: Mentored Clinical Scientist Develop Award
K12: Institutional Career Develop Program
NIH Academic Research
Enhancement Award Grants
“AREA” Grants (R15)
NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grants (R15)
Since Fiscal Year 1985, Congressional appropriations for the NIH have
included funds for AREA program.
It was realized that a significant number of the Nation’s research scientists
earn their baccalaureate and/or advanced degrees at educational intuitions that
have not been major recipients of NIH support.
The AREA grant program creates an opportunity for scientists and institutions
otherwise unlikely to participate extensively in NIH programs, to contribute to
the Nation's overall biomedical and behavioral research effort.
AREA grants support small-scale health-related research projects proposed by
faculty members of eligible, domestic institutions.
NIH AREA Grants (R15)
The three goals of the AREA program are:
 to support meritorious research
 to strengthen the research environment of the educational institution
 to expose students to research.
Students will benefit from participating on research projects and will be
encouraged to continue studies in the biomedical sciences.
The AREA grant is a research award and not a training award.
 The focus of the proposal/project should be on hands-on meritorious
research, and not on course work, training plans, or training objectives.
NIH AREA Grants (R15)
AREA grants support small-scale, new or renewal, projects in biomedical and
behavioral research, including:
 pilot research projects and feasibility studies
 development, testing, and refinement of research techniques
 secondary analysis of available data sets
 similar discrete research projects that demonstrate research capability
Applicants may submit more than one application, provided they are scientifically
distinct
 applicant may have only one AREA grant at a time.
NIH AREA Grants (R15) – New Page Limits
Introduction to Application (Resubmission or Revisions only)
Specific Aims: 1 page
Research Strategy: should not exceed 12 pages
Background
Significance
Innovation
Approach
Preliminary studies for new applications
Progress report for renewal/revision applications
Includes tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts.
NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details
Budget:
up to $300,000 direct costs plus applicable Facilities &
Administrative (F&A) /indirect costs
Project Period:
The total project period may be up to three (3) years.
NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details
Eligible Institutions:
Must offer baccalaureate or advanced degrees in the sciences related
to biomedical and behavioral sciences
AREA grants are meant for educational institutions that have not been
major recipients of NIH support
Limits: NIH funding totaling less than $6 million per year (in both direct
and F&A/indirect costs) in each of 4 or more of the last 7 years.
NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details
Eligible Individuals
 Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary
to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with their
institution to develop an application for support.
 May not be the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) of any
active NIH research grant at the time of award of an AREA grant
(although he or she may be one of the project personnel for an active
NIH grant held by another PD/PI).
 May not be awarded more than one AREA grant at a time (although
he or she may hold successive new or competing renewal AREA
grants).
 May not submit an application to NIH for another research grant for
essentially the same project proposed in a pending AREA application.
New Investigator vs Early Stage Investigator

New Investigator: has not yet been awarded a
substantial, competing NIH research grant.

Early Stage Investigator (ESI): a New Investigator
who has completed his or her terminal research degree
or medical residency—whichever date is later—within
the past 10 years and has not yet been awarded a
substantial, competing NIH research.
14
NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Details
Receipt dates
All R15 – new, renewal, resubmission, revision
February 25
June 25
October 25
NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Website
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm
NIH AREA Grants (R15) -- Contacts
Enhanced Review Criteria for FY2010
Core Review Criteria
For research grant applications and
cooperative agreements

Received for potential FY2010
funding

Will receive individual criterion
scores from assigned reviewers &
discussants

Significance

Investigator(s)

Innovation

Approach

Environment

9-point Scoring Descriptions
Weaknesses
NIH AREA Grants (R15)
Current AREA Grants Announcement:
PA-10-070: Academic Research Enhancement Award (Parent R15)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-070.html
Contact Information
Mike Humble, PhD
humble@niehs.nih.gov