Finding Your Way:
Pathways to Career Success in
Drug Abuse Research
Lula A. Beatty, Ph.D.
Special Populations Office,
National Institute on Drug Abuse/NIH
Miami, 2011
Finding your bliss,
Pursuing your career
Guiding Questions
 What do I need to have a successful
career in sponsored drug abuse and
addiction research?
 What role can NIDA and NIH play in
advancing my research career? What do
they offer me?
 What do I need to do to have a fulfilling
research career?
Objectives
 Brief overview of NIDA
 Introduction to the Special
Populations Office
 Brief Descriptions of Pertinent
Programs
First, People
Then Money,
Then Things
(Thanks, Suze Orman)
People
 People to
listen
guide and navigate
open doors
teach
critique
confirm your competency
identify resources
provide opportunities
share/give credit
encourage/console/carry
you when you need it
 show you the money










Money
 Money to
 Pursue scholarly activities/ Pay tuition
 Ensure physical well-being (e.g., food
and shelter)
 Have/Support your family
 Participate in career and professional
development activities, e.g., attend
CPDD
 Stay sane, reduce stress
 Buy things
Things
 Things such as








Equipment
Books
Trips
Workshops
Research data/expenses
Training and career development experiences
Computer software
Services (editing, library)
NIH
NCI
NIBIB
NIDDK
NIDA
NIAAA NIAID NIEHS NIGMS
NIA
NIDCD
NEI
NIMH
NIAMS
NIDCR
NHLBI
NINR
CIT
CSR
CC
NCRR NCMHD
NCCAM NICHD
NINDS NHGRI
NLM
FIC
NIH 101
 27 (changing!) institutes and centers (ICs)
with distinct disease or research mission, separate
budget, and administrative autonomy
 Common NIH mechanisms available to but
not required of ICs
 Unique programs offered by ICs
 Grantees are institutions, not individuals
 Common review criteria and system
NIH 101
 Primary mission is to uncover new
knowledge that will lead to better
health for everyone
 Research is primary activity (not
service, demonstrations, evaluations)
 Research training and health
information dissemination are
other key activities
National Institutes of Health
Resources
 Has annual budget of about $30 billion
dollars
 Supports about 50,000 + extramural projects
annually
 Supports about 18,000 pre- and post-docs
 Has staff of about 18,000
 Supports about 1200 intramural projects
 Is currently in an period of budget decline
NIH and NIDA Missions
 NIH
Science in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the
nature and behavior of living systems and the application of
that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the
burdens of illness and disability
 NIDA
To lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear
on drug abuse and addiction, through support and conduct
of research across a broad range of disciplines ensuring
rapid and effective dissemination and use of research results
to improve prevention, treatment and policy
Substance Abuse: The Nation’s Number One Health Problem
(Schneider Institute for Health Policy, 2001)
 One in four US deaths can be attributed to ATOD
(alcohol, tobacco and other drugs)
 Economic burden of substance abuse to the US
economy is $414 billion annually (alcohol abuse
alone is about $166 billion)
 One dollar out of every $14 of the nation’s health
care bill is spent to treat those suffering from
smoking-related illnesses
 Drug offenders account for more than one-third of
the growth in the state prison population and more
than 80% of federal inmates since 1985
Substance Abuse: The Nation’s Number One Health Problem
(Schneider Institute for Health Policy, 2001)
 Children from families with substance-abusing
parents are more likely to have problems with
delinquency, poor school performance and
emotional difficulties
 Six to eleven percent of elderly patients
admitted to hospitals exhibit symptoms of
alcoholism as do 20 percent of elderly in
psychiatric wards and 14 percent in emergency
rooms
 For American women age 60 and over, substance
abuse and addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, and
psychoactive prescription drugs are at epidemic
levels
Leading causes of death and actual causes of death in the
United States, 2000
World Health Organization: Causes of
Disability by Illness (Insel & Scolnick, 2006)
 Mental illness
26.1
 Alcohol and drug use
11.5
 Respiratory diseases
7.6
 Musculoskeletal diseases
6.8
 Sense organ diseases
6.4
 Cardiovascular diseases
5.0
 Dementias
4.8
 Injuries
4.7
 Digestive diseases
3.4
Drug Use in the United States
 About 20.1 million Americans aged 12 and over were
current illicit drug users in 2008 (8% of the population)
 About 70.9 million Americans aged 12 and over were
current users of tobacco products; about 59.8 million used
cigarettes
 About 126.8 million Americans (51.6 percent of the
population) aged 12 and over were current users of
alcohol; 58.1 million were binge drinking; 17.3 million were
heavy drinkers
 Rates of use is decreasing between boys and girls (girls’
rate is increasing to equal that of boys)
 Rates and patterns of use vary by race/ethnicity and
gender
 Men use more than women
Persons with Substance
Dependence/Abuse, 2008
 22.2 million persons were dependent on
substances
 18.3 million were dependent on alcohol
(7.3% of the population)
 7 million were dependent on illicit drugs
 4.2 on marijuana
 1.7 on pain relievers
 1.4 on cocaine
(The U.S. population in 2009 was about 307
million people)
Current Illicit Drug Use by
Race/Ethnicity, 2008
Race/Ethnicity
%
Two or more races
14.7
African American/Black
10.1
American Indian/Alaska Native
9.5
White
8.2
Native Hawaiian
7.3
Hispanic
6.2
Asian
3.6
Substance Dependence by
Race/Ethnicity, 2008
Race/Ethnicity
%
American Indian/Alaska Native
11.1
2 or more
9.8
Hispanic
9.5
White
9.0
Black
8.8
Asian
4.2
Addiction
A state in which an organism
engages in a compulsive behavior
 Behavior is reinforcing (rewarding
or pleasurable)
 Loss of control in limiting intake
How Do People
Become Addicted?
Something happens in the brain and the environment: Research is needed to
understand the “something” so that it can be understood and effectively prevented
and treated
NIDA Resources
 Has a knowledgeable staff with mission and interests
directly matched to yours
 Supports a great majority of the world’s research on the
health aspects of drug abuse and addiction
 Has an annual budget of about $1 billion
 Is a leading supporter of behavioral research on HIV/AIDS
 Supports primarily extramural, investigator initiated
research
 Has commitment to research and career development
 Has commitment to diversity in research scientists and
research programs
 Supports research across the disciplines
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Office of the Director
Special Populations Office
Lula Beatty, Ph.D.
Office of
Extramural
Affairs
Teresa Levitin, PhD
Office of Planning
& Resource
Management
Mary Affeldt
Nora D. Volkow, MD
Director
Timothy P. Condon, Ph.D.
Deputy Director
Mary Affeldt
Associate Director
for Management
Office of
Science Policy &
Communications
Susan Weiss
AIDS Research Program
Jacques Normand, Ph.D.
Center for the
Clinical Trials
Network
Intramural
Research
Program
Betty Tai, PhD
Division of
Basic Neurosciences
& Behavior Research
Division of
Pharmacotherapies &
Medical Consequences
of Drug Abuse
Services &
Prevention Research
Division of Clinical
Neuroscience,
Development &
Behavioral
Treatment
David Shurtleff, PhD
Phil Skolnick, Ph.D.
Wilson Compton, MD, MPE
Joseph Frascella, PhD
Division of
Epidemiology,
Division of Basic Neurosciences &
Behavior Research
 Models of Addiction
 Pain and Analgesia
 Cognitive Processes
 Vulnerability to Drug Abuse
 Neuropsychopharmacology of Drugs of Abuse
 Genetic Basis of Vulnerability of Drug Addiction
 Neuroimmune Relationships including Studies of
HIV/AIS Related to Neural or Infectivity Processes
Division of Pharmacotherapies & Medical
Consequences of Drug Abuse
 Medications Research (medications for
treatment of cocaine, methamphetamine,
nicotine, opiates, marijuana, club drugs
and hallucinogens, prescription
medications, non-chemical dependencies
such as pathological gambling
 Chemistry and Pharmaceutics
 Clinical/Medical Branch
Division of Clinical Neuroscience
and Behavioral Research
 Clinical Neuroscience




Clinical neurobiology of addiction
Cognitive neuroscience
Neurobiology of treatment
Biological etiology
 Behavioral Treatment





Behavioral therapies development
Pharmacotherapy
AIDS risk reduction
Comorbid Mental and Drug Abuse Disorders
Drug abuse in primary settings
Division of Epidemiology, Services
& Prevention Research: Major Goals
 Promote the development of new theoretical
approaches to epidemiology, services and prevention
research
 Determine how intrapersonal and environmental factors
interact with each other and with genetic factors,
across development in the course of drug
abuse/addictions
 Blend science and services to measurably impact public
health outcomes
Clinical Trials Network
 Conducting studies of behavioral,
pharmacological, and integrated behavioral
and pharmacological treatment interventions
of therapeutic effect in rigorous, multi-site
clinical trials to determine effectiveness
across a broad range of community-based
treatment settings and diversified patient
populations; and
 Ensuring the transfer of research results to
physicians, clinicians, providers, and
patients.
To Thine Own Self Be True
Do you really want to do research?
Assess your motivation to do research
 Personal passion or commitment
 Want to make a difference or contribution
through research
 Institutional or professional requirement
 Want to be competitive , recognized and
valued for research in academia, among
peers
 Want the prestige and power that research
brings
 Want to be listened to, not dismissed
What’s your bottom line?
Barriers: Racial/Ethnic Minority
Scientists
 Do not apply
 Mistrust/Rejection of NIDA/NIH
 Little/No experience with sponsored research including
grant application development
 Limited awareness of range of research
opportunities especially research training and
career development opportunities
 Not in a research rich environment (e.g., mentors,
colleagues, graduate students, equipment, space)
 Isolated in research rich environment (e.g., minorities in
majority institutions)
 Conflict between service, teaching and research
How Will You Be Evaluated?
NIH Review Criteria
 Significance: Does this study address an
important problem? If the aims of the application
are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or
clinical practice be advanced? What will be the
effect of these studies on the concepts, methods,
technologies, treatments, services, or
preventative interventions that drive this field?
 Approach: Are the conceptual or clinical
framework, design, methods, and analyses
adequately developed, well integrated, well
reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the
project? Does the applicant acknowledge
potential problem areas and consider alternative
tactics?
NIH Review Criteria
 Environment: Does the scientific
environment in which the work will be done
contribute to the probability of success? Do
the proposed studies benefit from unique
features of the scientific environment, or
subject populations, or employ useful
collaborative arrangements? Is there
evidence of institutional support?
NIH Review Criteria
• Innovation: Is the project original and
innovative? For example: Does the project
challenge existing paradigms or clinical
practice; address an innovative hypothesis or
critical barrier to progress in the field? Does
the project develop or employ novel concepts,
approaches, methodologies, tools, or
technologies for this area?
 Investigators: Are the investigators
appropriately trained and well suited to carry
out this work? Is the work proposed
appropriate to the experience level of the
principal investigator and other researchers?
Does the investigative team bring
complementary and integrated expertise to the
project(if applicable)?
Assess Your Readiness and Capacity
To Do Research Using NIH Review
Criteria
 Available time - Personal and professional
 Commitment – Self and employer
 Knowledge of the problem area, especially
research already done, significance of the
proposed research, needs of the community,
neglected/understudied issues, content and
methodological research issues, leaders in the
field
Assess Your Readiness and Capacity
To Do Research: NIH Review Criteria
 Research experience you have
 Publications in proposed/related research area
 Previous supported research/Principal
Investigator
 Research administration experience
Assess Your Readiness and Capacity
To Do Research: NIH Review Criteria
 Research Support Available To You
- Institution (e.g., Office of Sponsored Research,
office space, clerical assistance)
 Collaborations/Access to people and systems
- Graduate students/Research staff support
- Colleagues with research experience
Should I be doing NIH-sponsored research?
Yes, if…
 You are ready to make the needed longterm commitment
 You are ready for frustration and
rejection
 You are ready for opportunity and
acceptance
Special Populations Office:
Vision and Goals
 Preparing underrepresented researchers
 Stimulating/Encouraging research that will
lead to more effective drug abuse and drug
abuse related prevention and treatment
approaches for racial/ethnic minority and
other health disparity populations
 Increasing the number of diverse scholars,
racial/ethnic minority researchers engaged in
drug abuse and related research
Major Programs
 Diversity Supplement Program
 Summer Research with NIDA
 Research Development Seminar Series
 Diversity-promoting Institutions Drug Abuse
Research Program (DIDARP)
 Expert Racial/Ethnic Minority Work Groups




Asian American/Pacific Islander Researchers and Scholars
National Hispanic Science Network
African American Researchers and Scholars
American Indian/Alaska Native Researchers and Scholars
NIDA has a summer intramural program, Baltimore; contact
Dr. Jean Cadet
SPO Major Programs
 Diversity Supplement Program
 Summer Research with NIDA
 Research Development Seminar Series
 Diversity-promoting Institutions Drug Abuse
Research Program (DIDARP)
 National Hispanic Science Network
 Expert Racial/Ethnic Minority Work Groups
 Asian American/Pacific Islander Researchers and Scholars
 African American Researchers and Scholars
 American Indian/Alaska Native Researchers and Scholars
SPO Staff
 Pamela Goodlow
 Program Official
 Diversity Supplement Program
 Tamara Willis, Ph.D.
 Summer Research with NIDA
 Work Groups
 Flair Lindsey
 Research Seminar Series
 Other Student Support Programs
SPO Staff
 Ana Anders, MSW
 National Hispanic Science Network
 Asian American/Pacific Islander
Work Group
 Charlotte Annan
 Office Support
Research Supplements to Promote
Diversity in Health-Related Research
 NIH-wide program (Research Supplements to
Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research PA08-190)
 Supplements certain active grants that have
sufficient time
 ICs vary on participation and implementation
 Provides mentoring/training for an identified
individual from underrepresented or
disadvantaged population
 Racial/Ethnic Minority
 Disabled
 Disadvantaged Background
Diversity Supplements
 Supports persons at five levels:





High school
Undergraduates
Graduate students
Post doctoral
Investigators
 Type/Amount of support varies with levels
 Review by NIDA committee with program
representatives (exception: undergrads
reviewed within office)
Diversity Supplement Awards
New & Continuing
FY 1994 – FY 2010
FY
New Awards
Continuing Awards
Total Awards
FY 1994
21
21
42
FY 1995
35
18
53
FY 1996
41
26
67
FY 1997
34
28
62
FY 1998
35
32
67
FY 1999
41
20
61
FY 2000
30
41
71
FY 2001
38
23
61
FY 2002
31
23
54
FY 2003
32
26
58
FY 2004
40
24
64
FY 2005
38
28
66
FY 2006
38
38
76
FY 2007
35
36
71
FY 2008
29
26
55
FY 2009
32
19
51
FY 2010
38
Total
588
New Diversity (Minority) Supplement Awards
FY 1994 – FY 2010
Gender, Level of Support & Ethnicity
FY
Gender
Level of Support
Ethnicity
M
F
HS
U
Pre
Post
I
Black
Hispanic
NA
PI
Asian
FY 1994
5
16
3
4
10
4
0
11
5
2
4
0
FY 1995
16
19
2
1
19
1
12
19
13
1
2
0
FY 1996
10
31
0
3
22
5
11
23
16
1
1
3
FY 1997
15
19
0
4
12
8
10
18
12
0
1
0
FY 1998
12
23
0
3
26
3
3
20
10
0
4
1
FY 1999
9
32
0
2
18
10
11
28
10
1
1
1
FY 2000
15
15
0
2
11
11
6
17
9
2
2
0
FY 2001
11
27
0
2
22
8
6
23
9
2
2
2
FY 2002
11
20
0
4
15
9
3
14
12
3
0
2
FY 2003
8
24
0
6
15
7
4
14
11
2
1
4
FY 2004
14
26
1
3
19
5
12
25
10
1
1
3
FY 2005
13
25
0
3
17
8
10
23
12
1
1
1
FY 2006
10
28
0
2
23
6
7
19
14
0
1
4
FY 2007
11
24
0
2
16
12
5
19
9
0
2
5
FY 2008
7
22
0
4
8
4
13
16
8
1
1
3
FY 2009
10
23
1
0
19
4
9
17
13
1
1
1
FY 2010
11
24
1
1
18
9
6
16
16
2
0
1
Total
188
398
8
46
290
114
128
322
189
20
25
31
Minority Supplement Recipients,
1995 and 2000
 72 recipients
 No. and percent who submitted
applications to NIH: 27, 37.5%
 No. and percent awarded NIH grants:
12, 44.4% of those who submitted
applications
 No. and percent of recipients published
(PubMed): 8, 66.7% of those with grants
Diversity Supplement Recipients:
Current NIH Submission and Funding
Overview
 Data obtained from NEPS/QVR search
 Current refers to years 2005 – present
 Identified 24 applicants, not exhaustive
 15 (62%) are female
 11 (46% ) are African Americans; 10 (46%) are
Hispanic, 1 Native American, 1 Asian
 14 (58%) are currently funded (excludes those
funded previously, i.e., funding recently ended)
 13 currently funded by NIDA
 Funding awards include: RO1, KO1,RO3, F31
Diversity Supplement Funding
Highlights
 Approximately 11 -12 (50%) of all the
applications addressed minority health
and/or diversity issues (conservative
estimate)
 Approximately 6 of the applications
addressed “basic” research including brain
imaging (RO1 awarded)
 Two supplement recipients received the
PECASE awards:
 Deborah Furr-Holden, NIAAA grantee
 Laura O’Dell, NIDA grantee
Summer Research with NIDA
 Supported by Diversity Supplement Program
 Observed that high school and undergraduate students
were underrepresented in the program
 Explored reasons for their underrepresentation:
 PIs did not have ready access to students
 Students are “needier”, require great deal of teaching
and supervision
 Reluctant to take on students long-term responsibility
 SPO assumed recruitment, selection and placement
responsibility on behalf of interested Pis
 Pilot program received early support from NIMHD
Summer Research with NIDA
 Provides 8-10 week research placement with a
NIDA investigator
 High interest in NIDA PIs: 2011 program offers
142 sites with 64 in “social sciences” and 78 in
“life sciences”
 Yearly increases in student interest:
Approximately 280 expressed interest in 2010
and 2011
 Total cumulative cost of about $6.2 million; about
$500-600 thousand per year
 Expect to place about 65 -70 students in 2011
Summer Research with NIDA Program Participation - All Years
Total Cost
Gender
Ethnicity
F
M
Black
Hispanic
NA
API
TOTAL
FY 1997
$180,559
16
6
16
5
1
--
22
FY 1998
$184,921
15
7
17
3
1
1
22
FY 1999
$320,634
31
8
31
4
3
1
39
FY 2000
$276,421
25
7
19
6
3
4
32
FY 2001
$334,587
25
15
25
3
3
9
40
FY 2002
$637,025
54
22
46
12
8
10
76
FY 2003
$583,328
48
24
43
11
5
13
72
FY 2004
$523,177
52
18
56
6
2
6
70
FY 2005
$630,533
58
26
50
21
3
10
84
FY 2006
$572,336
63
14
49
17
2
9
77
FY 2007
$421,902
37
15
29
14
--
9
52
FY 2008
$430,547
36
18
28
13
3
10
54
FY 2009
$514,434
45
17
33
5
--
24
62
FY 2010
$548,890
46
21
34
15
3
15
67
TOTAL
$6,159,294
551
218
476
135
37
121
769
2009 Assessment: Students
 Student response rate of about 65% (n=42)
 Student profile:
 Race/Ethnicity: 48% African American, 33% Asian
 Mean age: 20; Range: 15 - 43
 Majority were undergraduate freshmen (39% )
and sophomores (35%)
 16% attended HBCUs
 99% rated experience as excellent (44%), very
good (43%) or good (12%)
 97% rated mentoring as excellent (64%), very
good (19%) or good (14%)
Impact of Internship
76%
67%
Influenced me to try to
obtain other research
experiences.
Influenced me to further
my studies.
52%
38%
Made me realize that I had
abilities that I was not fully
aware of.
Improved my academic
performance.
36%
31%
29%
Influenced me in other
ways
21%
Made me re-examine what
I wanted to do in life.
17%
0%
20%
Broadened my view of
career possibilities.
40%
60%
80%
Influenced me to pursue a
career in drug abuse
research.
Seminar Series
 Two meeting, technical assistance program established
in 1980s for underrepresented scientists who are ready
to apply for independent awards
 Eligibility requirements:
 Must have written concept to participate,
 Research interest must be related to NIDA’s mission and
priorities,
 Must be able to submit an application to NIH (have an
institutional affiliation and standing within the institution)
 Provides science and proposal development lectures,
small group discussion, and one-on-one mentoring in
two-session seminars (about 6 months apart)
Seminar Series
 Mentoring provided by staff and extramural scientists
 Second session centers on mock review led by NIDA
SRA
 Expectation is that application will be submitted within
6 – 12 months after last session
 Usually 2 -3 workshops are held per year
 Seminar Series accepts participants from other SPO or
NIDA efforts, e.g., persons participating in work group
activities
Seminar Series Outcomes
 18 - 19 persons who
participated at some point in
the series are current
NIDA/NIH grantees; all NIDA
except 1
 5 – 6 recent grantees
(funding expired within last
5 years)
Diversity-promoting Institutions
Drug Abuse Research Program
(DIDARP)
 Capacity development program,
provides




Institutional resources and support
Faculty development
Student development
Research support
 NIDA review
 Divisions fund
Current DIDARP Programs

Howard University (Kathy Sanders Phillips)

Morehouse School of Medicine (Ronald Braithwaite )

Meharry College of Medicine (Hubert Rucker)

University of Hawaii (Linda Chang)

University of Houston (Avelardo Valdez)

University of Puerto Rico (Albizu-Garcia)

Universidad Central Del Caribe (Eddy Rios-Olivares)

Hunter College (Vanya Quinones-Jenab)

California State University San Bernandino (Cynthia Crawford)

City College of New York (CCNY) (Eitan Friedman)

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Theodore Friedman)
Recent Programs since 2005
 Florida International (Mario de la Rosa)
 Morgan State University (Fernando Wagner)
 SUNY, College at Old Westbury (George
Stefano)
 Hampton University (Hugh McLean)
 Morris Brown College (Jeanne Stahl)
DIDARP: Selected Outcomes
(Source: Progress Reports)
 SUNY, Old Westbury (undergraduate program)
 PI and faculty participant (most recent PI) awarded
patents dealing with mu3 opiate receptor subtypes
 Faculty participant received Fogarty MIRT grant and
NCMHD MHIRT grant
 80% of students have gone to graduate, MD, or MD/PhD
programs
 Students received prestigious awards including:
University’s Presidential Award for Academic Excellence,
Excellence in Research, Chancellor’s Research Award
(selected from entire SUNY system)
 Initiated program for high school honors students. Some
of these students received scientific and academic awards:
Siemens Westinghouse, Intel Science, International
Science and Engineering, American Mathematics Award of
Distinction
SUNY, Old Westbury continued
DIDARP: Selected Outcomes
(Source: Progress Reports)
 Student won 2nd prize at 2007 COR colloquium
 Studies included: morphine induced analgesia;
distribution of endomorphine in the tissues of
the snail; Planorbarius corneus cloning and
sequencing
 Student research published in peer reviewed
journal
 Student received MHIRT support for 10 week
study at the University of Lille, France, to work
on nitric oxide and nerve regeneration
 About 40 publications
 Significant research: morphine is present in
invertebrate ganglia; normal healthy human
white blood cells can produce morphine
DIDARP: Selected Outcomes
(Source: Progress Reports)
 Morgan State U. (undergraduate and graduate students)
 Focus on drug use, mental health, HIV, nicotine in urban and
minority communities
 PI received NIHMD support: reducing tobacco smoking among
residents of low income urban settings
 Graduate student won best dissertation award for work on
depression and onset of tobacco use in adolescents
 Held writing institute for faculty from Morgan and Coppin
State
 Established two courses for public health degree program
including methodological and analytical issues in substance
abuse research
 13 publications, some with students and well-established
colleagues (e.g., Ialongo, Jim Anthony
 Publications on topics such as: high risk sexual behaviors in
African American males at HBCUs, risk behaviors in Mexican
middle school students, covariates of early substance abuse
use among African American 5th graders
DIDARP: Selected Outcomes
(Source: Progress Reports)
 Florida International (graduate)
 Focus on drug abuse among Latinos (Cuban,
Dominican, Colombian, Honduran, Nicaraguan
descent)
 PI received P20 from NIMHD in 2007: Center for
Substance Use and AIDS Research on Latinos in
the U.S.
 Required students and faculty to submit to NIH
 Faculty member received R21 from NIAAA
 Two students received F31s from NIDA (drug use
and dietary patterns among Latinas; commitment
language in adolescent AOD treatment)
 28 publications
 Special journal issue on substance abusing Latinos
Racial/Ethnic Minority Work Groups
 Researchers and others involved in drug abuse
research/programs representing the interests of
African American, Native American, Alaska Native,
Asian American, Pacific Islander, and
Hispanic/Latinos populations
 Originally convened to provide advice to NIDA on




Researcher development needs and obstacles
Research needs within the population
Barriers to research
Research dissemination
 Provide mentoring and stimulate research
Racial/Ethnic Minority Work Groups
 Researchers and others involved in drug abuse
research/programs representing the interests of
African American, Native American, Alaska Native,
Asian American, Pacific Islander, and
Hispanic/Latinos populations
 Provide advice to NIDA on




Researcher development needs and obstacles
Research needs within the population
Barriers to research
Research dissemination
 Provide mentoring and stimulate research
Selected Work Group Activities
 Native American/Alaska Native
 Individualized mentoring program
 Asian American/Pacific Islander
 Mentoring meeting, 2010
 National Hispanic Science Network
 Summer graduate student research training
 African American
 Mini-medical school on addiction and
Addiction Research Training Institute,
Morehouse School of Medicine
Race And Ethnicity Representation
of Research Grants
Fiscal
Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
1Race
White1
86.2%
85.7%
85.2%
84.4%
83.5%
82.8%
82.1%
All
African
Amer.1 Hispanic2
1.3%
2.9%
1.3%
2.9%
1.5%
3.1%
1.6%
3.3%
1.7%
3.3%
1.7%
3.5%
1.8%
3.5%
Other3
11.4%
12.1%
12.4%
13.2%
14.1%
14.8%
15.4%
Data may contain individuals reporting Hispanic Ethnicity, as well as individuals reporting more than one race
3Includes
Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaskan
2“All Hispanic” includes Hispanic Race, plus individuals reporting Hispanic Ethnicity (for these individuals the data
includes individuals who are represented in one or more of the racial groups).
Race and Ethnicity of NIDA Applicants and
Awardees Based on NIDA Success Rate
Overall
Total
White
African
American
Hispanic
1995
276/926
233/720
3 /19
10/25
18 /67
22/124
1996
264/1003
229/824
2/14
5/31
15/83
22/74
1997
312/971
253/787
2/14
10/28
37/96
21/68
1998
328/1072
275/865
2/28
10/34
26/85
22/90
1999
338/996
290/805
6/29
9/30
25/90
20/71
2000
355/956
301/764
5/18
12/29
30/93
19/78
2001
432/1200
356/947
4/17
11/41
41/140
31/102
2002
353/1149
292/936
7/31
14/39
31/112
24/82
2003
425/1224
357/997
10/35
12/38
43/137
21/66
2004
394/1465
339/1194
3/43
13/58
36/163
18/84
2005
376/1727
315/1383
5/42
21/65
31/166
27/143
2006
367/1853
288/1422
5/55
10/64
43/215
34/178
2007
414/1766
328/1349
6/40
17/73
40/227
43/166
FY
Other
Unknown
Race and Ethnicity of NIDA Applicants and
Awardees Based on NIDA Success Rate
FY
Overall
Total
White
African
American
Hispanic
Other
Unknown
1995
29.8
32.4
15.8
40.0
26.9
17.7
1996
26.3
27.8
14.3
16.1
18.1
29.7
1997
32.1
32.1
14.3
35.7
38.5
30.9
1998
30.6
31.8
7.1
29.4
30.6
22.2
1999
33.9
36.0
20.7
30.0
27.8
28.2
2000
37.1
39.4
27.8
41.4
32.3
24.4
2001
36.0
37.6
23.5
26.8
29.3
30.1
2002
30.7
31.2
22.6
35.9
27.7
29.3
2003
34.7
35.8
28.6
31.6
31.4
31.8
2004
26.9
28.4
7.0
22.4
22.1
21.4
2005
21.8
22.8
11.9
32.3
18.7
18.9
2006
19.8
20.3
9.1
15.7
20.0
19.1
2007
23.4
23.9
15.0
23.3
17.7
25.9
Mechanisms
Instruments or ways in which money is
transferred from NIH to recipient
Mechanisms for New
Investigators?
 Select based on science/research needs
first
 Common first independent award
mechanism
 RO3s, e.g., A Start (HIV/AIDS), B Start
 R01 (consideration for early career/first
award)
Mechanisms Vary . . .
 In Intent
 Dollar Amount
 Length of Support
 Review Criteria
Watch Your Ps & Qs …
and your
“R”s, “U”s, “F”s, “K”s, “T”s
The Alphabet Soup of NIH
R Awards
 Support original investigator-initiated research
and research development activities
 No maximum amount of support unless stated;
request for over $500,000 in direct costs per
year must be approved before submission
 Grants usually range from 3 –5 years
 Review criteria include significance, originality,
investigator experience, research resources
R Awards: Examples
 RO1 – original research, confidence in researcher
and research environment, “gold standard”
 RO3 – small grant, for pilot work, new
investigators
 R21 – exploratory, new idea
 R13 – research conference grant
 R15– Academic Research Enhancement Award
(AREA grant) , for institutions without strong
research experience
 R24 – often capacity development awards, can
vary by IC; for NIDA it’s DIDARP
F Awards
 Provide research training for students
 Separate budget line (NRSA)
 Stipends are uniformly established by NIH
 Support is usually from 3-5 years, time limit on
eligibility
 Review criteria includes student’s grades,
recommendations, and mentor’s credentials
 Student must be working with person/environment
with active research
F Awards: Examples
 F30 –
Predoctoral M.D./Ph.D. Fellowships
 F31 -- Individual Predoctoral Fellowships
 F32 -- Individual Postdoctoral Fellowships
 Fellowships specific for Minority Students are
available
 Pre and Postdoctoral Fellowships are
available through T32 grants (Training
Centers)
K Awards: Examples
Early Career
 KO1– Mentored Research Scientist
Development Award
 K08 – Mentored Clinical Scientist
Development Award
 K12 -- Mentored Clinical Scientist
Development Program Award
(educational institution)
 K23 -- Mentored Patient-Oriented Career
Development Award
K Awards
 Support professionals wanting to enter
research career or strengthen research
skills
 Awards are usually for 5 years
 Amount is a certain percent of salary (up
to 75% or more) plus research expenses,
varies by IC and specific award
 Review criteria varies if mentored award
or independent award
Mentored Career Development
Awards (K Awards)
 Mentored Research Scientist Development (K01)
 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development (K08)
 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development (K23)
 Mentored Quantitative Research Development (K25)
Features of Each:
Duration:
up to 5 years
Mentor required:
Yes
Salary:
up to $90,000/yr
Research costs: up to
$50,000/yr
Renewable:
No
K Awards: Examples
Middle Career
 K02 – Independent Scientist Award
 K24– Mid-Career Investigators in PatientOriented Research Award
Senior Career
 K05 -- Senior Scientist Award
R03 – Small Grants Program
 Intended for newer, less-experienced
investigators
 Ideal for investigators at institutions that
are not traditionally well developed in
research
 Good for exploratory studies or research
methods and techniques
Up to $50,000/yr in direct costs for up to 2
years
PAR-10-021 (R03) – A/Start
(AIDS-Science Track Award)
 This funding opportunity announcement seeks to
facilitate the entry of both newly independent and
early career investigators to the area of drug abuse
research on HIV/AIDS.
 2 years support, at a maximum of $100,000/yr in
direct costs
 Funded investigators expected to submit R01 grant
applications intersection of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS
 DESPR (epidemiology, prevention, services research)
program contact is Dr. Richard Jenkins,
jenkinsri@nida.nih.gov
Funding Opportunity Announcements
 Drug Abuse Dissertation Research in Epidemiology, Prevention,
Treatment, Services and/or Women and Sex/Gender Differences
PAR10-020 (R36)
 Health Services Research on the Prevention and Treatment of
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
PA-08-263 (R01)
PA-08-264 (R21)
PA-08-265 (R03)
 Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research
PA-08-217 (R01)
PA-08-218 (R21)
PA-08-219 (R03)
 Drug Abuse, Risky Decision Making and HIV/AIDS
PAS-07-324 (R01)
PAS-07-325 (R21)
PAS-07-326 (R03)
Funding Opportunities in which
NIDA Participates
 NIH Pathway to Independence Award
PA-10-063 (Parent K99/R00)
 Social Network Analysis and Health
PAR-10-145 (R01)
PAR-10-146 (R21)
 Women's Mental Health in Pregnancy and the
Postpartum Period
PA-09-174 (R01)
PA-09-175 (R21)
 Research on Teen Dating Violence
PA-09-169 (R01)
PA-09-170 (R21)
NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs)
are a vital component of our nation's
efforts to attract health professionals to
careers in research.
How they work:
You: Commit to perform research for 2 years
NIH: Repays up to $35,000 per year of your qualified
educational debt and covers the resulting taxes
Increase the number of biomedical and behavioral
research scientists
Preparing Yourself: Read the Funding
Opportunities (PAs and RFAs)
 Explain the purpose, eligibility, objectives
 Identify the mechanism(s) to be used
 Provide application receipt dates – AIDS and nonAIDS
 List participating ICs
 Identify program contacts
 Give review criteria
 May give some background and source material
Preparing Yourself to Seize
NIH Opportunities
 Know the mission, funding priorities, and culture
and style of the sponsoring organization.
 Become knowledgeable about research and
researcher development activities at NIH but
particularly the ICs that support work related to
your interest (e.g.,NIDA, NIMH, NCMHD)
 Prepare a short concept paper (1-5 pages)
on your research ideas for review by
program staff and colleagues
 Contact program officials at the ICs
 Develop a relationship with your sponsored
research office
Preparing Yourself to Seize
NIH Opportunities
 Never submit an application without
conferring with program
 Know who will likely review your application
 Expect not to be funded the first time around;
it’s not the norm
 Be prepared to be funded the first time around
 Cultivate a strong support system that
understands the process
After You Are Funded (Post-award)
 Publish!
 Know your and your institution’s
responsibilities and authority
 Know your institution’s financial
administrator for your grant
 Know who your NIH Program and Grants
Management Officials are; know their
roles; establish relationship with Program
Official
 Make no programmatic or budgetary
changes without permission
Post-Award
 Did I say Publish?
 Turn in reports on time
 Anticipate/Explain delays
 Participate in NIH meetings
 Serve on review committees
 Consider diversity supplement
 Begin revised or new grant application
submission early
 And Publish! (The beginning, middle and end)
Keep in Touch
 Establish and maintain relationships
with staff and colleagues
 Lula Beatty
 lbeatty@nida.nih.gov
 301-443-0441