NIH Peer Review Process – Grant Renewal Angela Y Ng, MBA, PhD Scientific Review and Referral Officer Center for Scientific Review NCI DCB New Grantee Workshop March 12, 2104

National Institutes of Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute on Aging National Institute on Aging Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Eye Institute National Eye Institute National Human Genome Research Institute National Human Genome Research Institute National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of General Medical Sciences National Institute of General Medical Sciences National Institute of Nursing Research National Institute of Nursing Research National Library of Medicine National Library of Medicine Center for Scientific Review Center for Scientific Review National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases John E. Fogarty International Center John E. Fogarty International Center National Center for Advancing Translational Research National Center for Advancing Translational Research Clinical Center Clinical Center National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Office of the Director Center for Information Technology Center for Information Technology National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

NIH Peer Review System for Grant Applications First Level of Review Scientific Review Group (Study Section) Second Level of Review NIH Institute/Center Council Second Level of Review NIH Institute/Center Council

Submitting Your Renewal Application (Identify FOA  Link to Grants.gov to download Grant Application Package  Follow the SF424 (R&R) Application Guides)Grants.govSF424 (R&R) Application Guides

Review Assignment for Your Renewal R01 Application Default: same study section where your funded grant was reviewed, unless: Study section no longer exists Submit to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with special review arrangements Study section member now named in your renewal application Cover letter request for different study section (if appropriate)

Sample Cover Letter Please assign this Phase I SBIR “Drugs for Retinoblastoma Treatment” (RFA-CS ) to the following: Institutes/Centers National Cancer Institute National Eye Institute Scientific Review Group Oncology Translational and Clinical IRG Please do not assign this application to the following: Scientific Review Group Biological Chemistry and Macromolecular Biophysics This study focuses on a new in vitro model for testing drugs for treatment of retinoblastoma, not the synthesis of new chemotherapeutic agents.

Reviewing Your Renewal R01 Application – Part 1 Review includes: Copy of your application as submitted, including Progress Report (in “Research Strategy”) & Progress Report Publication List (attachment) Copy of summary statement for the funded grant Critique: –Renewals – “the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period.” –Resubmitted Renewals – the committee will consider progress AND “evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.”

Reviewing Your Renewal R01 Application – Part 2 Review does NOT include: Notice of Grant Award (NGA) Previous grant application Progress Reports from non-competing years New/Early Stage Investigator (NI/ESI) consideration

Do I have to Submit my Renewal as a Renewal? You can submit your renewal as new BUT: You are unable to include a progress report. Your application may be withdrawn if aims are too similar to funded grant. Your subsequent renewal application, if any, will be blocked if aims of that application are too similar to this new one. You may change your project title in your renewal

Some Key Definitions: Activity Code (three character codes used to differentiate the wide variety of research related programs supported by NIH. (Examples: R01, R21, R03, etc.)Activity Code Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) include both RFAs and Program AnnouncementsFunding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) −RFA (Request for Applications) will be numbered like this: RFA-CA RFA-CA −Program Announcements (PA/PAR/PAS) will be numbered like this: PA , PAR , etc.PA PAR

Problem: My A1 is not funded, what do I do? Talk to your Program Director! Option #1: Keep the Science and find a new way to submit it (e.g., change grant activity code, submit to RFA) Option #2: Change the Science and submit a new application using the same activity code Option #3: Wait 37 months since the first (A0) submission and submit as new (NIH Guide: NOT-OD ).NOT-OD

Option #1: Apply for a Different Type of Grant There is no limit to the amount of overlap if you apply for a different type of grant once you have your summary statement from the last review in hand. Examples: Change Grant Activity Code −Take a strong aim/aims from your R01 and submit as an R21 (relevant FOA required) −Submit your R01 aims for another similar-sized grant, such as a component in P01, U01 (relevant FOA required) or response to specific RFA.

Option #2: Change the Science NIH will not accept similar grant applications with essentially the same research This policy applies to all NIH funding activities. The same criteria are used to evaluate overlap of new vs. funded, new vs. resubmission, and concurrently submitted applications. Non-compliant applications identified by NIH at any stage of the process (referral, peer review, program/grants management) will be withdrawn. See NIH Guide: NOT-OD &NOT-OD CSR Applicant ResourcesReceipt and Referral

A New Application… Is substantially different in content and scope Has more significant differences than are normally encountered in a resubmitted application Includes substantial changes, particularly in the Specific Aims and the Research Strategy sections Has fundamental changes in the questions being asked and/or the outcomes being examined Includes changes to the Research Plan that should produce a significant change in direction and approach for the research project outcomes examined See NIH Guide: NOT-OD &NOT-OD CSR Applicant ResourcesReceipt and Referral

Other Options / Scenarios Scenario 1: My R01 research really took off and now I have enough data to support 2 R01 applications! –Submit one as new and one as your renewal so long as the aims do not overlap. Scenario 2: I am making good progress and I would like to apply for an additional grant to fund a new direction. –Submit your R01 renewal and think about applying for a small grant award, like R03 or R21, so long as the aims do not overlap. Scenario 3: I am seeking additional funds for a current award to cover increased costs (noncompeting) or to expand the scope of the work (competing) –Submit a type 3 Supplement application (Revision application)

Early Career Reviewer (ECR) Program Train and educate qualified scientists without significant prior review experience so that they may develop into critical and well trained reviewers Help emerging researchers advance their careers by exposing them to review experience that may make them more competitive as applicants Enrich the existing pool of NIH reviewers by recruiting scientists from less research-intensive institutions as well as those from traditionally research-intensive institutions. Information available at

Requirements for Being an ECR Full-time faculty member or researcher Has an active independent research program At least 2 recent senior authored research publications Has not yet been a reviewer at CSR Prior research funding not required Responsibilities of an ECR Participate in reviewer training Review 2 to 4 grant applications and provide written critiques Attend study section meeting Participates in no more than one study section per year and no more than twice total Information available at

Key NIH Review and Grants Web Sites NIH Center for Scientific Review NIH Office of Extramural Research