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NIH Tackles Privacy Concerns for GWASBy tightening control of datasets, NIH moved quickly to further protect the privacy of people who participate in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). On August 25, 2008, NIH removed files of aggregate GWAS data from the public portion of its databases while keeping summary information public. You will still be able to share and use these data. As an investigator, you must now apply for access and agree to protect confidentiality. This process matches the one NIH has required all along for individual-level data. Read more about NIH's new policy for accessing GWAS data at Modifications to Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) Data Access. NIH revised its policy because a research team led by David W. Craig, Ph.D., at the Translational Genomics Research Institute developed a new bioinformatics method that can detect a person’s SNP profile in 1,000 or more DNA samples. Though it raises privacy concerns, the new technique may help forensic investigators test DNA from a crime scene and could power-up other genetic studies. While the technique works, it apparently has not been used to compromise information in NIH GWAS datasets. Read more in the NIH Background Fact Sheet on GWAS Policy Update on Genome-Wide Association Studies, and email GWAS@mail.nih.gov with questions.
PEPFAR Returns -- How NIAID Fits InPEPFAR is back! In this year's reauthorization, the President and Congress authorized up to $48 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to the global fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Here's how PEPFAR will spend the funds:
PEPFAR has two provisions that affect NIAID and NIH:
At PEPFAR, you can read about the reauthorization, latest results, and PEPFAR's public-private partnerships.
We're Staying on Top of Financial Conflicts of Interest -- Are You?For months, we've been telling you about the renewed focus on financial conflicts of interest. Here are the steps we've taken to make sure we all comply with NIH requirements:
Make sure you're playing your part. Stay within the rules by promptly reporting any significant financial interests to your institution. If the interest creates a potential conflict, don't spend new grant or contract funds until your institution reports the conflict to NIAID. To help you out, NIH has created the following resources:
For their part, institutions need to do the following:
A task force is reviewing NIH policy, so processes may change. If there is any news, we'll let you know. You can also check Special Announcements and Top Policy Changes for the latest developments, including a possible opportunity to comment on NIH's financial conflicts of interest regulations. NIH plans a training session later this year. Stay tuned.
Commercialization Help for SBIR Phase II GranteesNeed help developing your business and moving your product to market? You may want to try CAP, NIH's Commercialization Assistance Program. But hurry–to participate, you must apply by September 26, 2008. CAP gives you access to people who are expert in helping life science businesses mature. Participants benefit from a customized program of mentoring, workshops with industry experts and investors, an opportunity to present to investors and partners, and more. New with this year’s program are two tracks that offer customized assistance:
Find application and other information in the CAP Program Summary. You are eligible if you have been an NIH SBIR phase II awardee in the past five years. You can also talk to your program officer for advice on commercialization and other topics. NIH announced the renewed program in a September 5, 2008, Guide notice.
New on the Immunology Database and Analysis PortalIf you work with immunology data, check out the Immunology Database and Analysis Portal (ImmPORT), which added new features on August 28. These changes will help you submit your own data as well as analyze data from other members of the research community supported by NIAID's Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation. Here's a list of major new features:
ImmPORT posted the full list in the Release Notes.
Introducing the Revolutionary T-R01As we told you before, NIH wants to fund ground-breaking research that could shatter conventional paradigms. If your project has that potential, take a look at the new Transformative R01 from the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. Expectations are high, but with no application budget limit and a $25 million annual funding commitment from NIH, this unique opportunity is perfect for trailblazers with creative ideas for investigator-initiated research. The T-R01 works mostly like other R01s, but with the following differences:
Applications should focus on an area of “Highlighted Need." Read the September 9, 2008, Funding Opportunity Announcement for more information. Check the funding opportunity announcement in December for the Grant Application Package. On December 29, 2008, you can start submitting your application, which is due by January 29, 2009. If your application falls within NIAID's mission, we do a second-level review after initial peer review by specially convened multidisciplinary review groups. NIH's Office of the Director performs a final review of applications from all ICs before announcing awards. For more information, go to the Transformative R01 Program's Frequently Asked Questions and look at our previous articles: Peer Review Proposals -- Poised to Go and Are You Ready for New Paradigms?
Reader QuestionsBrinda Emu, M.D., University of California, San Francisco, asks: "Is there a limit on the percentage of my salary that can come from my R01 grant?" No. As long as your salary does not exceed NIH's cap, all of your salary can come from your R01. See PI Salary Cap and Stipends on our Paylines and Funding page. You should base your salary request on your actual salary, making sure it does not exceed the time and effort you are devoting to the research. Your effort cannot total more than 100 percent. Use the formulas on our Person Months Calculation Example or use NIH's Percent of Time and Effort to Person Months Spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel, 20 Kb.) "Do you recommend discussing an investigator-initiated R03 application with you before sending?" You don't have to talk to an NIAID program officer before submitting an investigator-initiated R03 application, but a program officer can tell you about topics our institute is interested in. A program officer can also advise you as you decide which funding opportunity announcement is best for you. NIAID accepts investigator-initiated applications in response to the Parent R03 announcement as well as R03 announcements on our list of NIH Funding Opportunities Relevant to NIAID. Learn more about the R03 in our Small and Exploratory/Developmental Research Grants SOP and at NIH's Small Grant Program (R03). Find other award types at Training and Career Awards using our Support by Career Stage -- Ph.D. Track and Support by Career Stage -- M.D. Track. For more advice, see the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal starting at Which Award Type Suits You Best? Here's another related question: "Does NIAID have a pre-application process, and if not, why not?" Not usually. As with the R03 example above, you typically don't have to request permission to apply. We require permission only for some grant types such as big grants, conference grants, and clinical trials. (See the Big Grants, Conference Awards, and Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trial Planning and Implementation Grants SOPs for details.) The sheer volume of applications NIH receives makes a universal pre-application process impractical. That said, we do recommend that applicants informally call us to find out whether NIAID or another NIH institute or center is most interested in your application. Program staff at an institute can help steer you in the best direction, often suggesting an appropriate opportunity type for your career stage, experience, and research goals. For more advice, see Contact NIAID Staff for Help, and read Which Award Type Suits You Best? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
See these and older announcements on our NIH Funding Opportunities Relevant to NIAID.
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