REPORT The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse Work Group On NIDA’s Approach to Grant-Making May 2006 The National Institute on Drug Abuse

Other Members NIDA’s Approach to Grant-Making Work Group NIDA’s Approach to Grant-Making Work Group Rodolfo Arredondo, Jr., Ed.D. Mark Greenberg, Ph.D. Linda Porrino, Ph.D. Claire E. Sterk, Ph.D. David Vlahov, Ph.D. Constance Weisner, Dr.P.H., M.S.W. Chair Kathleen Carroll, Ph.D. Tom Kosten, M.D. Scott Lucas, Ph.D. First Meeting December 6-7, 2005 Second Meeting February 7, 2006 NIDA Council Members NIDA Council Members

Charge: To produce a written report and determine if any actions or new policies may be needed on the following… Charge: To produce a written report and determine if any actions or new policies may be needed on the following… NIDA’s Approach to Grant-Making Work Group NIDA’s Approach to Grant-Making Work Group  Protect young investigators  Balance between large and small science  Guidelines regarding Principal Investigators with multiple grants  Recommendations on the duration of grants including R01s, centers and program projects  Other issues as deemed appropriate

Recommendation Topics  Protecting New Investigators  Enhancing the Science Mission of NIDA  Increasing Research Innovation

Protecting Early Career Investigators Recommendations Directly Addressing New Investigators  Provide uniform NIDA-wide data on new investigators. Track success of those who submit grants and are funded. Provide an annual report to Council  Set aside funds for R56 and other mechanisms to fund promising investigators. Track success  Support and encourage the development of the CSR Pilot (Rapid Feedback to Young Investigators).

Protecting Early Career Investigators Recommendations Directly Addressing New Investigators  Track and expand mechanisms that are successful in funding these early career investigators, including: –Expand use of Co-PI status for early investigators –Monitor success of new Pathway to Independence Award (K99R00) –Evaluate and perhaps expand B/START, I/START –Examine success of Individual and Institutional Training grants in regard to timing and cost effectiveness –Expand use of Mentored K mechanisms  Continue data collection begun to monitor NIDA policies

Protecting Early Career Investigators Guidelines about PIs with Large/Multiple Grants  Take into account track record for training and mentoring (including data to outside junior investigators) as part of funding decisions. Total amount of funding should consider: –High quality of science –Needs of Institute (balancing the portfolio) –History of PI’s support for developing new investigators –Provisions in application for including early career investigators

Enhancing Science the Mission of NIDA Balance between Large vs Small Science  Continue joint planning across NIDA for NIH Roadmap, Blueprint and other trans-NIH funding opportunities. Monitor the success of different initiatives.  Examine opportunities for training and mentoring by programs such as CTN, CJDATS  Keep the research portfolio balanced (recognizing differences in study sections)

Enhancing Science the Mission of NIDA Balance between Large vs Small Science  Solicit applications for Center grants to maximize programmatic flexibility and budgetary control. Applications solicited by this NIDA-wide announcement should be reviewed once/year. Funding decisions should include: –Quality of the science and innovation –Evidence of collaboration with other Centers and institutions –Needs of the Institute (balancing the NIDA portfolio) –History of support of new investigators

Increasing Research Innovation  Establish a NIDA Innovation Committee (similar to NIMH) to consider highly innovative applications beyond the pay line. Provide full or partial support to document progress and address concerns for improved application.  Develop a NIDA-wide definition of innovation that can be used in funding decisions  Evaluate the Cutting Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) program to determine if it is supporting innovation at both the initial (R21) and R01 stages

Increasing Research Innovation  Designate HIV/AIDS as one of the efforts on an Innovation Committee. New investigators and new ideas on HIV and drug use need to be developed and NIDA should emphasize HIV- designated projects appropriately.  Review how Administrative Supplements are used to ensure that there are not missed opportunities to protect young investigators, enhance NIDA’s science mission, or increase research innovation that falls within the scope of the original goals of funded grants

Conclusions  Fundamentally, as an Institute, NIDA is doing well in protecting early career investigators in this era of shrinking funding opportunities.  NIDA is currently promoting innovative research via a number of standard mechanisms.  Improvements on all of these fronts can be made by NIDA continuing activities such as: –collecting accurate data on new investigators –increasing use of mechanisms that stress innovation and nurture early investigators (e.g., B/START) –educating PIs that training/mentorship must be present in all multi-grant or large grant environments –increasing the funding and scope of Mentored K Awards –establishing an Innovation Committee –increasing awareness of the various trans-NIH initiatives, such and the Roadmap and Blueprint.