Research Services
presents
Study Section Trends:
Career Development Awards
Moderator: William G. New,
Associate Dean for Research, SOM
Study Section Trends
• Agenda
– Welcome, Announcements and Introductions
– Panelists’ Presentations
– Discussion
Study Section Trends
• Problem
– Early awards often launch research
careers
– New investigators usually do not
know what their applications
should include or emphasize
Study Section Trends
• Observations
– Review committees tend to look
differently on career development
awards than on research awards
• Individual
• Career path
• Mentors
Study Section Trends
• Panelists
Mabel Caban, M.D.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
and Rehabilitation
James S. Goodwin, M.D.
• Professor of Medicine and Director of Sealy Center on
Aging
Claire E. Hulsebosch, Ph.D.
• Vice-Chair and Professor, Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Slobodan, “Bobo” Paessler, D.V.M., Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
Scott Weaver, Ph.D.
• Vice-Chair for Research and Professor, Department of
Pathology; and Director for Tropical and Emerging
Diseases, Center for Biodefense and Emerging
Infectious Diseases
National Institute for Neurological
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) K Awards
What a Reviewer Requires
Claire E. Hulsebosch, Ph.D.
Director, Mission Connect
Vice Chair and Professor,
Neuroscience and Cell Biology
National Institute for
Neurological Disorders and
Stroke (NINDS) K Awards
1) The NINDS supports a broad spectrum of K
awards, including both mentored and
independent awards.
2) Described in the NINDS training and career
development website:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/research
training.htm
3) Awards include the K01, K02, K08, K22,
K23, K24 and K25.
NINDS K Awards
1) The major objective is to support the
career development of clinician
scientists (must have MD or equivalent
AND “board” certified; i.e., able to treat
patients in the US).
2) This includes research experience and
grantsmanship.
NINDS K22, K24 and K25
Awards
K22: Enables outstanding individuals to obtain a
research training experience in the NINDS Division
of Intramural Research and facilitate successful
transition to an extramural environment as
independent researchers. 2-3 years in a NINDS
intramural laboratory followed by 2-3 years of
support for an independent research project in an
extramural institution.
K24: Midcareer Investigator Award in PatientOriented Research
K25: Mentored Quantitative Research Career
Development Award
NINDS K01 Awards
1) For investigators at the postdoctoral or
early faculty development stage to focus
their efforts on translational research in
neurological disorders.
2) To promote more extensive interaction
among basic and clinical researchers.
3) To accelerate the development of
interventions and effective treatments that
will improve the quality of life of persons
with neurological disorders.
3 Types of NINDS K01 Awards
1) "NINDS Mentored Research Scientist
Development Awards in Translational Research"
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR02-140.html).
2) "Career Development Award for Minority Scholars
in Neuroscience"
(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR02-106.html).
3) Re-Entry Into the Neurological Sciences Program
(http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/postdoc.htm#k0
1).
NINDS K01 Awards
Factors of PI Considered in Review
•
•
•
•
Demonstrated the potential for highly productive
independent research in the period after the doctorate.
The candidate must identify mentor(s) with extensive
basic and/or clinical research experience.
Candidates must be willing to spend a minimum of 75
percent of full-time professional effort conducting research
and research career development during the entire award
period.
The candidate must clearly describe the need for intensive
research supervision for a period lasting 3-5 years,
leading to research independence.
NINDS K08 and K23 Awards
1) Both are MENTORED awards (Junior PI with
Senior Co-I who has successful NIH track record)
BUT the NINDS encourages applicant institutions
to demonstrate strong commitment toward the
academic independence of candidates for these
Awards (read here MUST HAVE A FACULTY
APPOINTMENT AND PROTECTED TIME).
2) The level of institutional commitment IS A MAJOR
FACTOR.
3) K08 is translatable research, K23 is patient
oriented research.
NINDS K08 and K23 Awards
Scientific Factors Considered in Review
1) Junior PI must have publication record (4 or 5) and
evidence of success in research (small grants).
2) Senior PIs must be outstanding in terms of productivity
and grantsmanship; recognized leader in the research
area and have a track record of success in training
independent investigators .
3) Scientific project must be feasible, translatable and be
deemed a valuable training experience.
4) Ability of scientific independence of junior PI must be
addressed.
5) All successful mentored awards have some course work
included as part of training experience.
NINDS K08 and K23 Awards
Institutional Factors Considered in Review
1) Type of institutional appointment.
2) Sufficiency of funds available to carry out the
proposed research.
3) Sufficiency of dedicated space for the
candidate.
4) Sufficiency of protected time for the candidate
(75% or so effort).
5) Other resources available to the candidate.
NINDS K02 Awards
1) Follows a K08 award to support the continued
career development of independent clinicianscientists for an additional 5 years (to obtain an
R01 or equivalent).
2) The award provides both Salary and Research
costs for the first 3 years, and continued salary
support for years 4 and 5, contingent on receipt of
an R01 or equivalent award.
3) NINDS considers an R01-equivalent grant to be an
independent, peer-reviewed, multi-year award with
the K02 awardee as PI, and the total award must
be for a minimum of $75,000 per year for 3 years
or $100,000 per year for 2 years.
Thank you for your
attention.
Claire E. Hulsebosch, Ph.D.
Director, Mission Connect
Vice Chair and Professor,
Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Mentored Clinical Scientist
Research Career
Development Award (K08)
Mabel Caban, M.D.
Dept. Orthopedic Surgery & Rehabilitation-SOM
Division Rehabilitation Science-SAH
National Cancer Institute K08 in 2005 for “Effects of
Disability on the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer”
Choose a Mentor
• Single most important decision
• Chemistry
• Productivity
– Active grant writers & publishing
– Resources & track record of training others
• Someone with whom you have published
• Ask if he/she will support your application
Participating Organizations
• Check NIH website:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/pa-06-512.html
• Take advantage of your profile
• Seed funding (search InfoEd)
– Institution, foundation or national academies
• Read the Program Announcement
• Contact the Institute: check your eligibility
• Contact department head & UTMB directors
Decision Making
• 75% research
• 25% clinical
The Process
• Request funded K awards from mentor
• Writing the grant:
– Mentor
– Environment: institutional support & resources
– Candidate
• Develop idea from work as research fellow
– Specific Aims and Model
– Significance: innovative, timely, important
– Responsible conduct of research
– Sound methodology
Timeline
Apply
CIRWH
Seed Grant award
5/2003
8/2003
Start K award Draft to
Application
Program Director
8/2003
1/2004
Submit
K08
2/2004
Summary
Statement
Program
Contact
NOGA
8/2004
8/2004
10/2005
The Process
• Start now
• Meet with mentor and provide drafts q.
week
• Use editors
• UTMB is the right place
• You can do it
Two Slides Worth
of Advice on K Awards
James S. Goodwin, M.D.
George & Cynthia Mitchell Distinguished Chair in
Geriatric Medicine
Director, Sealy Center on Aging
Writing a Career Development Proposal:
General Advice
• Thinking straight is immensely difficult for everyone. Do
not handicap yourself by using complex, florid language.
• An NIH proposal is like a long letter to two or three people
– the only people who will ever read it. Your job is to make
it easy for those two or three individuals to understand
your proposal.
For example:
 Avoid abbreviations
 Use frequent summaries
 Use headings for everything
 Construct lots of diagrams, figures, tables, lists and
white space
• Schedule your efforts so that you produce a complete first
draft at least four weeks prior to submission. Send it out
for review.
Sealy Center on Aging
Writing a Career Development Proposal:
Specific Advice
The major product of a K-Award is the individual,
not the science.
Thus, it is key to:
• Provide a credible career development plan.
This cannot be an afterthought.
• Think long and hard about what you want to be
doing in five years – really. Then communicate
that in a coherent manner and make sure the
rest of the proposal is consistent with that
vision.
Sealy Center on Aging
Thoughts on a K08 Award
Application
Slobodan, “Bobo” Paessler, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases K08 in 2004 for “VEE Pathogenesis
and Vaccine Development”
Characteristics of a Strong
Career Development Grant
Mentor, Basic Sciences
Scott Weaver, Ph.D.
Vice-Chair for Research and Professor,
Department of Pathology
Director for Tropical and Emerging Diseases,
Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious
Diseases
Characteristics of a Strong Career
Development Grant Mentor,
Basic Sciences
1.
2.
3.
4.
History of strong, stable grant funding, preferably
including NIH R01s, and preferably extending
through the proposed training period.
Strong publication record, preferably including
collaborative, interdisciplinary publications that
have involved past trainees.
History of mentoring trainees who have been
productive and remained in science, ideally in
academic biomedical research as faculty.
Ability to provide trainee with a tailored set of
training activities to meet their career goals.
Research Services
Thank you.
Questions from the audience.