SBIR/STTR Program Changes

Scott Somers
Posted by Scott Somers somerss@mail.nih.gov on Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013 12:01 PM EST
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In late January, NIH issued the 2013 omnibus solicitations for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. As mandated and recently re-authorized by Congress, NIGMS and other NIH components have set aside funds for these programs focused on developing innovative technologies with commercial applications.

Starting with the April 5, 2013, receipt date, all applications must follow the instructions and guidelines in the 2013 solicitations. A few key changes are:

  1. The suggested guidelines for allowable budget requests are now $150,000 in total support for Phase I (R41/R43) and $1,000,000 in total support for Phase II (R42/R44). Note that total support includes the direct and indirect costs and fees for the entire length of the project. With appropriate justification, applicants may exceed the budget guidelines by up to 50 percent ($225,000 in total support for Phase I and $1,500,000 in total support for Phase II, a hard cap). NIH, including NIGMS, has received a limited waiver from the Small Business Administration to exceed the hard cap for specific topics.

  2. As in the past, NIH offers applicants for the SBIR and STTR programs access to various technical assistance programs to help move the funded projects toward commercialization. Alternatively, awardees may now directly request up to $5,000 to use for technical assistance of their own choosing.

  3. All applicant organizations must complete registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) Exit icon, Grants.gov Exit icon and eRA Commons. Soon, all small business concerns seeking SBIR or STTR funding will also need to register with the Small Business Administration Exit icon.

NIH plans to publish guidelines later this year to explain how small businesses with venture capital investors may use the SBIR and STTR funding mechanisms.

The NIH SBIR/STTR Web site has a wealth of information covering all aspects of the two programs, and additional updates will be posted there. I am happy to answer questions and discuss potential proposals with applicants. E-mail me at somerss@nigms.nih.gov or call 301-594-3827.

Filed under: Uncategorized
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/02/13/sbirsttr-program-changes/

Post-Submission Application Materials

Paul Sheehy
Posted by Paul Sheehy sheehyp@mail.nih.gov on Thursday, Feb 7, 2013 10:03 AM EST
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NIH has recently updated its policy on what materials can be accepted after an application has been submitted but before initial peer review. Here are the changes:

  1. News of a promotion or positive tenure decision will be accepted if received at least 30 calendar days prior to the review meeting and if confirmed by the authorized organization representative;

  2. Exceptions that previously applied only to requests for applications (RFAs) with a single submission date now apply to the last due date of RFAs with multiple submission deadlines; and

  3. Some specific types of personnel information associated with institutional training and training-related grants will now be accepted.

See NOT-OD-10-115 for all other requirements and exceptions.

Filed under: Research Administration
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/02/07/post-submission-application-materials/

Improving Homology Modeling

Ward Smith
Posted by Ward Smith smithwar@mail.nih.gov on Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 10:54 AM EST
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While the Protein Data Bank includes nearly 88,000 protein structures that were determined experimentally, there are millions more proteins whose structures are unknown. Comparative or homology modeling offers a powerful approach for leveraging solved structures to reveal important biological details about the others.

Two efforts, both funded through the Protein Structure Initiative, are evaluating the current state of our ability to model protein structures and complexes and seeking ways to further advance the accuracy and usefulness of homology modeling.

GPCR Dock 2013

The NIGMS-funded GPCR Network Exit icon is hosting its third round of the GPCR Docking and Modeling Assessment, GPCR Dock 2013. This assessment of homology modeling and docking methods is focused specifically on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), seven-transmembrane proteins that help transmit essential signals from a wide range of hormones and neurotransmitters in the body and that are a major target of existing drugs. Participants will submit prediction models for four target GPCR-ligand complexes recently determined by GPCR Network investigators and yet to be published. An analysis of the results will be available a few months after the March 3 submission deadline. To participate, register by February 1 Exit icon. For more information, contact the organizers.

Technology Development for Protein Modeling Funding Opportunity

As I stated last month, we have reissued the Technology Development for Protein Modeling (R01) funding opportunity announcement. It encourages grant applications from institutions that propose to develop novel technologies that will significantly improve the accuracy of comparative modeling methods for protein structure prediction. Applicants should focus on one or both of these goals:

  • Near-crystal-structure quality for close homologs of known structures, and/or
  • High-accuracy models for remote homologs of known structures.

Filed under: Funding Opportunities, Meetings/Events, Structural Biology
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/01/29/improving-homology-modeling/

Progress Report on the NIGMS Strategic Plan

Judith Greenberg
Posted by Judith Greenberg greenbej@mail.nih.gov on Friday, Jan 25, 2013 10:51 AM EST
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In 2008, NIGMS issued a strategic plan, Investing in Discovery, that was intended to provide guidance for the Institute over the next 5 years. How well have we done in addressing the plan’s strategic goals? After a critical self-examination, we have produced a progress report that describes some of our accomplishments, strategic decisions and outcomes.

To cite a few highlights, we have:

  • Maintained a funding success rate of approximately 24 percent and funded about 200 new/early-stage investigators each year.
  • Maintained peer review excellence through the implementation and evaluation of innovative review practices.
  • Examined our large-scale science initiatives to determine which to continue, change or phase out, while also ensuring that the resulting knowledge and resources are made widely available to the broader scientific community.
  • Published Investing in the Future, our strategic plan for biomedical and behavioral research training, which articulates a clear, multiyear approach and strategy to ensure that future NIGMS-supported training reflects scientific and workforce needs and contributes to the development of a strong and diverse biomedical research workforce.
  • Established a new Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity, which merges NIGMS research training programs with activities that were previously in the Institute’s Division of Minority Opportunities in Research.
  • Launched this blog to share information about funding opportunities and trends, meetings and scientific resources with our grantees, applicants and others in the scientific community.

I encourage you to read the report for further details and to let us know your thoughts. Although the plan was originally envisioned as a 5-year guide, it is still relevant, and because we hope to have a permanent director later this year, we decided to wait until 2014 to pursue a new strategic planning process.

Filed under: Director’s Messages
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/01/25/progress-report-on-the-nigms-strategic-plan/

Advisory Council Meeting

Emily Carlson
Posted by Emily Carlson carlsone@mail.nih.gov on Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013 3:12 PM EST
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The next meeting of our Advisory Council is later this week. For more information on Council activities, see these previous Feedback Loop posts:

Filed under: Meetings/Events, Peer Review
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/01/23/advisory-council-meeting/

Macromolecular Interactions in Cells, Biomedical Workforce Diversity and Training

Jilliene Mitchell Drayton
Posted by Jilliene Mitchell Drayton mitchelj@mail.nih.gov on Thursday, Jan 17, 2013 1:51 PM EST
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You may be interested in these recent funding opportunity announcements:

Revisions for Macromolecular Interactions in Cells (R01)
(RFA-GM-14-003)

Purpose: Extend the scientific scope or enhance research capabilities of active NIGMS-funded R01 or R37 projects specializing in the analysis of molecular systems and mechanisms in live organelles, cells, tissues or organisms
Letter of intent due dates: January 19, 2013; August 19, 2013
Application due dates: February 19, 2013; September 19, 2013
NIGMS contacts:
Alexandra Ainsztein, 301-594-0828
Daniel Janes, 301-594-0943
Vernon Anderson, 301-594-3827
Paul Brazhnik, 301-451-6446

Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) (R25)
(PAR-13-085)

Purpose: Prepare recent baccalaureate science graduates from diverse backgrounds who are underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences to pursue and complete Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. degrees in these fields; and increase the diversity of the host institution’s Ph.D. or M.D.-Ph.D. training programs
Application due date: March 14, 2013
NIGMS contact: Michael Bender, 301-594-0943

Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) (R25)
(PAR-13-082)

Purpose: Develop new or expand existing institutional developmental programs at research-intensive institutions that prepare undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds for attaining the Ph.D. degree in biomedical or behavioral sciences and subsequent competitive research careers and leadership positions
Application due date: March 14, 2013
NIGMS contact: Daniel Janes, 301-594-0943

Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) Program, which offers three funding opportunities based on career level that are designed to increase the research competitiveness of faculty at minority-serving institutions and institutions with a historical mission of training students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research

Purpose: Conduct high-quality research and increase research competitiveness by progressively enhancing the pace and productivity of projects
Career level: Advanced formative stage

Purpose: Test a new idea or gather preliminary data to establish a new line of research
Career level: Early academic career

Purpose: Continue engaging in meritorious biomedical or behavioral research projects of limited scope in a given biomedical or behavioral area within the NIH mission
Career level: Intermediate stage

Application due dates: March 4, 2013; May 25, 2013; September 25, 2013
NIGMS contact: Hinda Zlotnik, 301-594-3900

Filed under: Funding Opportunities
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/01/17/macromolecular-interactions-in-cells-biomedical-workforce-diversity-and-training/

JIT Information: How We Use “Other Support” Data

Joe Gindhart
Posted by Joe Gindhart gindhartjg@mail.nih.gov on Friday, Jan 4, 2013 8:20 AM EST
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The study section gave your application a competitive score, and now you’ve been asked to submit Just-in-Time (JIT) information about your other sources of funding, including active and pending support for key personnel on the application. Why do we request this information?

First, for all applications that might be funded, we check the JIT information for scientific overlap with the investigators’ active grants from NIH and other funding sources, since we can’t provide support for a project that’s already being funded.

Second, as directed by the NIGMS Advisory Council, we give additional scrutiny to new and competing renewal applications from investigators whose total research support, including the pending award, exceeds $750,000 or more in annual direct costs. These applications require special analysis and documentation from NIGMS staff to justify why the project is highly meritorious, and they are discussed by the Advisory Council.

Finally, we may use the information about other research support to decide which grants to recommend for funding and to establish the budget level of the award. As you may know, NIGMS does not rely solely on a percentile cutoff or “payline” to make funding decisions. We also consider other factors, including career stage, perceived impact of the proposed work, summary statement comments and the other funding available to the investigator.

I hope this post helps provide some context for how we use JIT information and why it is important that your JIT information is complete, accurate and submitted promptly after the request so as not to delay the funding decision. Additional JIT information is available on the NIH and NIGMS Web sites and from your program director.

Filed under: Research Administration
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2013/01/04/jit-information-how-we-use-other-support-data/

Metabolomics, Human DNA Sequence Variants Funding Opportunities

Jilliene Mitchell Drayton
Posted by Jilliene Mitchell Drayton mitchelj@mail.nih.gov on Friday, Dec 21, 2012 12:08 PM EST
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You may be interested in the following funding opportunity announcements:

Collaborative Activities to Promote Metabolomics Research (Admin Supp)
(PA-13-041)

Purpose: Request supplemental funds to current NIH-funded research projects for new interactive collaborations between basic or clinical researchers and metabolomics experts to pursue biomedical studies requiring a metabolomics approach
Application due date: March 15, 2013
NCI contact: Barbara Spalholz, 301-496-7028

New Methods for Understanding the Functional Role of Human DNA Sequence Variants in Complex Phenotypes (R01)
(RFA-GM-14-006)

Purpose: Propose experimental approaches for determining the functional relevance of human DNA sequence variants
Letter of intent due date: January 21, 2013
Application due date: February 21, 2013
NIGMS contact: Donna Krasnewich, 301-594-0943

Filed under: Funding Opportunities
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2012/12/21/metabolomics-human-dna-sequence-variants-funding-opportunities/

Crystallography Gets Support from United Nations, NIGMS

Ward Smith
Posted by Ward Smith smithwar@mail.nih.gov on Tuesday, Dec 18, 2012 1:49 PM EST
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Laue X-ray diffraction pattern of a single crystal of a dimeric hemoglobin taken at the BioCARS structural biology research center. Credit: Vukica Srajer, BioCARS/University of Chicago, and William Royer, Jr., University of Massachusetts Medical School
Laue X-ray diffraction pattern of a single crystal of a dimeric hemoglobin taken at the BioCARS structural biology research center. Credit: Vukica Srajer, BioCARS/University of Chicago, and William Royer, Jr., University of Massachusetts Medical School

As NIH Director Francis Collins recently noted on his blog, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the first experiment demonstrating that X-rays are diffracted by crystals. Two years later, this discovery was recognized with a Nobel Prize in physics. For this and other reasons, the United Nations has designated 2014 as the International Year of Crystallography Exit icon. The designation offers an opportunity for organizations worldwide to increase public awareness of the field and promote access to crystallographic knowledge and activities.

X-ray crystallography is central to many areas of basic biomedical research, and NIGMS supports a number of major crystallographic efforts that may be of interest and use to you.

Since 2000, our Protein Structure Initiative (PSI) has undertaken the high-throughput determination of protein structures by crystallography and NMR methods, resulting in the deposition in the public Protein Data Bank Exit icon of more than 5,000 macromolecular structures. The initiative’s current phase focuses on the determination of biologically relevant and important structures. Members of the scientific community can nominate proteins Exit icon for structure determination, order protein plasmids and empty vectors Exit icon, and access PSI data and other resources Exit icon. Active PSI funding opportunities solicit applications for Technology Development for High-Throughput Structural Biology Research (R01) and Technology Development for Protein Modeling (R01).

We also have been involved in supporting the construction, upgrade and maintenance of synchrotron beamline stations for X-ray crystallographic studies. These activities include a state-of-the-art facility Exit icon at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, which we established in partnership with the National Cancer Institute. Our support of synchrotron facilities and of crystallographic technology development has improved access for NIH grantees and other users and increased the capacity for crystallographic data collection.

In addition, we now oversee the Biomedical Technology Research Centers, several of which focus on developing and applying innovative crystallography techniques. These resource centers provide broad access to instruments, methods, software, expertise and hands-on training.

I look forward to sharing more details about the International Year of Crystallography as activities get under way.

Filed under: Funding Opportunities, NIH, Resources, Structural Biology
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2012/12/18/crystallography-gets-support-from-united-nations-nigms/

NIGMS Support of Career Development (K) Awards

Alison Cole
Posted by Alison Cole coleal@mail.nih.gov on Wednesday, Dec 5, 2012 12:32 PM EST
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NIH offers a wide variety of career development (K) awards, and NIGMS participates in a number of them. Here are answers to questions we often get about NIGMS support of these awards.

Which career development awards (K awards) does NIGMS support?

We support:

I’ve found a new funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for a K award. How can I tell if NIGMS participates in this FOA?

If NIGMS is participating, it will be listed in the “Components of Participating Organizations” section near the top of the FOA. If NIGMS is not participating, consider whether another listed component may be appropriate for your application.

Where can I learn more about NIGMS-supported K awards?

Visit our Mentored Career Development Awards page to find additional information about most of our K awards. You also can contact an NIGMS program director in your area of interest.

Where can I find information on all NIH K awards?

You can find information on these awards at the K Kiosk. Another NIH resource, the Career Award Wizard, can help you identify the K awards that may be right for you.

Filed under: Career Development, Funding Opportunities, Resources, Workforce Development and Diversity
Permalink: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2012/12/05/nigms-support-of-career-development-k-awards/

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