Full Text PAR-95-045

NIMH CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN RESEARCH (COR) HONORS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TRAINING GRANT

NIH GUIDE, Volume 24, Number 14, April 14, 1995

PAR NUMBER:  PAR-95-045

P.T. 44

Keywords: 
  Biomedical Research Training 
  Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl 
  Emotional/Mental Health 


National Institute of Mental Health

Application Receipt Date:  September 10, 1995 and May 10 thereafter.

PURPOSE

The Career Opportunities in Research (COR) Education and Training
Program of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is intended
to strengthen research and research training experiences in
scientific disciplines related to mental health.  The program is
directed specifically to four-year colleges and universities that
serve substantial numbers of students of one or more racial/ethnic
minority groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, American
Indians and Alaska Natives, and Asians or Pacific Islanders.  Persons
belonging to these racial/ethnically defined groups are
underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences research
relevant to mental health-related fields.  An applicant institution
must propose a two-year COR Honors Undergraduate program for which
six to ten highly talented third- and fourth-year undergraduate
students will be selected.  Students will be provided with special
research training experiences designed to improve their
qualifications for entry into advanced research career training
programs leading to doctoral- level or M.D. research career degrees.

As part of its efforts to stimulate interest among racial/ethnic
minority youth for research careers in biomedical and behavioral
science, NIMH encourages applicant organizations that have received
NIMH COR funding for three or more years to apply for a high school
component for their training programs (see PAR-95-046).  This
provides a unique opportunity for high school students to have hands-
on experiences in research or science education enrichment programs
and encourages racial/ethnic minority individuals to make the choice
of a research career in a mental health- related field.  This
component also provides an opportunity to offer mentoring and role
modeling for up to six racial/ethnic minority high school students
per year through interaction with both undergraduate college students
who are COR Honors Students and faculty of these
institutions.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Program
Announcement (PA), NIMH Career Opportunities in Research Honors
Undergraduate Research Training Grant, is related to the priority
areas of mental health and mental disorders.  Potential applicants
may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:  Stock No.
017- 001-00474-0 or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1)
through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Institutions

Applicant institutions must be four year public or private,
non-profit colleges, universities, or health professional schools
with at least 55 percent racial/ethnic minority students from one or
more of the ethnically defined groups noted above; and be able to
develop the faculty and institutional facilities in order to provide
a suitable research environment and high-quality research training in
areas relevant to mental health.  Foreign organizations are not
eligible to apply.

Trainees

Trainee candidates must be outstanding students who are in their
third or fourth year of a baccalaureate degree program and have a
3.00 grade point average (on a scale of 4.00).

Trainee candidates must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the
United States, or must have been admitted lawfully to the United
States for permanent residence and must have in their possession an
Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-155 or some other legal evidence
of admission for permanent residence) at the time of appointment to
the training program.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

The mechanism of support is the T34 for minority institution
undergraduate research training in the biomedical and behavioral
sciences.  Awards range from $100,000 to $200,000 per year, with an
average award being $150,000 per year.  The maximum period of grant
support that an institution may request is five years.  The maximum
period of support a trainee may receive is two years.

Allowable Costs

Stipends may be requested for each trainee.  The stipend is a
pre-established level to help provide for the trainee's living
expenses during the period of training.  The stipend is not payment
for services performed.  Trainees are not considered to be employees
of either the PHS or the sponsoring institution.  The current
stipends for COR honors undergraduates is $7,656.  Stipend levels are
revised periodically and are announced by the PHS.

Supplementation of a COR Honors Undergraduate stipend from
non-Federal funds is permitted.  No Public Health Service grant funds
may be used for supplementation.  Other Federal funds may be used for
supplementation only if explicitly authorized by the program from
which funds are derived.  Additional support may be provided to the
trainee without obligation by the trainee institution or may be
conditioned on performance of certain services, such as serving as a
laboratory assistant.  Under no circumstances, however, may the
service requirements detract from or prolong the training.

Salary and fringe benefit support for the following budget items may
be requested, but each item must be related to the proposed training
program and justified:

o  Personnel

Salary and fringe benefit support may be requested for present and
additional faculty, to the extent that they reflect the time or
effort devoted to this program.  Such requests may not exceed 50
percent of the total time for any individual.  Funds may be requested
for support personnel (e.g., laboratory and secretarial assistance).

o  Consultants

Support may be requested to cover expenses for consultants, such as
seminar and colloquium speakers.

o  Equipment

Support may be requested for items necessary to conduct the trainee
research projects.

o  Supplies

Support may be requested for necessary supplies; e.g., glassware,
chemicals, or animals for conducting trainee research.  Other
supplies may include general office and instructional supplies needed
to conduct the training and research program.

o  Travel

Attendance by trainees and selected faculty at national meetings
closely related to the research projects is encouraged, and support
for this travel may be requested.  Staff travel to off-campus
training sites for purposes of consultation with participating off-
campus staff/preceptors and evaluation of student progress is
allowed.

o  Other Expenses

The applicant may request other items necessary to the training
program, such as computer time, reference materials, duplication
costs, telephone, and costs related to publishing trainee research
papers.

o  Trainees

In addition to stipends, support may be requested for student tuition
and fees.

o  Indirect Costs

The applicant may request actual indirect costs, or 8 percent of
allowable direct costs, whichever is less.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The principal objectives of COR Honors Undergraduate Research
Training Grants are to:  (a) increase the number of well-prepared
students from institutions with substantial minority enrollments who
can compete successfully for entry into research career training
programs leading to doctoral-level or M.D. research careers in mental
health; and (b) develop and strengthen biomedical, behavioral,
neuroscience, epidemiology, prevention, and/or public health
curricula and research training opportunities at institutions with
substantial minority enrollments in order to prepare students for
research careers related to mental health.

Applications must provide information on the following:

Institution Characteristics

o  A brief overview of the applicant institution (i.e., when it was
founded, its status as a private or State-supported institution, and
other pertinent information)

o  A description of the research infrastructure (i.e., facilities,
laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any
other resources to be used in the conduct of the proposed program)

o  Evidence of institutional commitment and support for the proposed
program

o  Where applicable, a description of plans for collaborating with
nearby institutions and laboratories for purposes of exchange,
consolidation, and sharing of resources, including faculty,
equipment, and facilities.  Letters of agreement or memoranda
indicating intended cooperation must be included with the
application.

Training Program

o  A detailed training plan for six to ten students, including core
curricula and specific research experiences from entry to completion

o  A detailed recruitment and retention plan

o  A detailed summer research and study plan between junior and
senior years (It is desirable for students to study and conduct
research in graduate departments specializing in behavioral and
neuroscience projects related to mental health.)

o  A detailed plan demonstrating that trainees will receive
high-quality scientific training and research experiences that
provide both learning and motivation to pursue research careers in
the mental health field

o  Details of seminar and colloquia series, courses, and other plans
whereby trainees become knowledgeable research scientists in areas of
mental health

o  Plans for training students in literature search techniques, as
well as skills in computer data base searches

o  Means for preparing trainees in effective communication, both
written and oral, about science and scientific issues

o  Plans for placing students in appropriate graduate research
training programs that lead to doctoral degrees in mental health
fields

o  Detailed plan for tracking all students, from entry to graduation
and their completion of post-graduate studies.

Program Director

o  Evidence that Program Director is actively engaged in research
and/or scholarship in an area related to mental health

o  Evidence that Program Director can organize and administer the
training program

o  Advisory Committee with a role in selecting and supervising
students, and in evaluating the training program (This committee
should be representative of faculty and departments participating in
the program and be chaired by the Program Director.)

Faculty/Preceptors

o  Evidence that a high percentage of the participating faculty hold
a Ph.D. or other doctoral-
level degree

o  Evidence that participating faculty and preceptors are actively
engaged in research or other scholarly
activities related to mental health

o  Evidence that faculty and preceptors publish in research areas
related to mental health

o  Evidence that sufficient time is committed by preceptors and
faculty to conduct a high-quality program (A staffing chart that
details percent-of-time allotted for each staff member is
recommended.)

Trainees

o  Evidence that trainees will be selected for their potential to
pursue graduate work successfully in mental health-relevant sciences,
including behavioral, biomedical, epidemiological, neurosciences,
prevention, and related fields

o  Evidence that trainees will be selected for their commitment to
pursue graduate programs leading to doctoral level degrees necessary
for research careers

o  Documentation of the number of students majoring in each
participating department during the past five years; the number of
graduates from the participating departments who continued studies in
pursuit of advanced degrees (especially the Ph.D. or M.D. degrees);
and the pool of potential COR scholars currently enrolled in the
college

Evaluation

o  Evaluation plan for determining success of the program in
achieving goals and objectives, including: (1) entry and completion
dates for each trainee; (2) departments of trainees' undergraduate
degrees; (3) summer internships (locations and research areas); (4)
colleges and universities (by department) where trainees pursue
graduate studies; (5) areas of trainees' future research; (6)
publications; (7) research accomplishments; and (8) awards

o  Plan for tracking trainees after completion of COR program,
including information about graduate schools, assistance in locating
financial support, and provisions for followup support and
consultations

For Competing Continuation Applicants Only

The following information about the previous training grant period
must be provided for renewal
applications:

o  Number of individuals trained

o  Research activities of all trainees subsequent to COR training
program

o  Present employment of former COR trainees (i.e., whether in
biomedical and behavioral research areas related to goals of the
training program)

o  Attrition rate of COR trainees

o  Number and types of degrees obtained by COR trainees

o  Publication record of past and present COR trainees

o  If there has been a high school training component, or one is
planned, description thereof

Special Requirements

Each COR trainee candidate must meet National Research Service Award
(NRSA) eligibility requirements in order to be appointed to an Honors
Undergraduate Training Grant.

The institution must submit a Statement of Appointment (form PHS
2271) to NIMH each time a trainee is appointed or reappointed to the
grant (usually every 12 months).  At the end of the total support
period for an individual trainee (which may be a maximum of two years
under this program), the institution must submit a Termination Notice
(form PHS 416-7) to NIMH. Failure to submit the required forms in a
timely fashion may result in an expenditure disallowance.

As with all NRSA Awards, no funds for tuition, fees, or trainee
expenses may be provided from a COR Honors Undergraduate Research
Training Grant to, or on behalf of, any individual unless that
individual is receiving a stipend under the grant.

No appointment for less than nine months may be made without prior
approval by the NIMH.

An NRSA may not be held concurrently with other Federally sponsored
fellowships or similar Federal awards which provide a stipend or
otherwise duplicate provisions of the NRSA.  A trainee may, however,
accept concurrent educational remuneration from the Veterans
Administration (e.g., G.I. Bill) and loans from Federal funds.

Trainees in academic institutions are not entitled to vacations as
such.  They are, however, entitled to the normal short student
holidays observed by the training institution.  The time between the
spring and fall semesters is to be used as an active part of the
training period.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS

It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects,
unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided
that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the
subjects or the purpose of the research.  This new policy results
from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies
(Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and
Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which
have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some
provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies.

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should
read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the
Federal Register of March 20, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted
in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11,
March 28, 1994.

Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program
staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide
additional relevant information concerning the policy.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS
398 (rev. 9/91).  Applicants are required to follow the guidelines of
National Research Service Awards (NRSA).  Application kits are
available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and may
be obtained from the Office of Grants Information, Division of
Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Westwood Building,
Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone 301/710-0267.  The title and
number of the program  announcement, "NIMH COR Honors Undergraduate
Research Training," PAR-95-045, must be typed in Section 2a on the
face page of the application.  The completed original application and
five legible copies must be sent or delivered to:

DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE  ROOM 1040  MSC 7710
BETHESDA  MD  20892-7710

BETHESDA  MD  20817 (for courier service)

The entire address should appear in UPPER CASE letters without
punctuation to allow optical scanners to read and sort mail.

Receipt and Review Schedule

Applications for the COR Honors Undergraduate Training Program are
submitted and reviewed on the following schedule:

Receipt      Initial Review     Council    Earliest
Date         Group Meeting      Meeting    Start Date

Sep 10, 1995    Feb/Mar      May/Jun      Jul 1

Beginning fiscal year 1996 (October 1, 1995), applications will be
received on a single receipt date of May 10 and will be reviewed on
the following schedule:

Receipt      Initial Review     Council    Earliest
Date         Group Meeting      Meeting    Start Date

May 10          Oct/Nov      Jan/Feb     Apr 1

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

"Applications will be assigned on the basis of established Public
Health Service referral guidelines.  Applications will be reviewed
for scientific and technical merit by study sections of the Division
of Research Grants, NIH (or by the review group of the relevant
Institute, Center, or Division), in accordance with the standard NIH
peer review procedures.  Following scientific-technical review, the
applications will receive a second-level review by the appropriate
national advisory council."

Applications that are complete and responsive to the program
announcement will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by
an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIMH in accordance
with NIH peer review procedures.  As part of the initial merit
review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo
a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest
scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under
review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a
second-level review by the National Advisory Mental Health Council.

Review Criteria

Applications will be assessed for:

Quality of Training Program for COR Undergraduates

o  Scientific and educational merit of the proposed research training
plans

o  Quality of the applicant institution's training record and
potential for training future scientists

o  Adequacy and appropriateness of recruitment, selection, retention,
and mentoring/counseling plan
components

o  Adequacy of plans for providing students with appropriate summer
research experiences, including
linkages and commitments from placement sites

o  Appropriateness of course requirements and sequencing, and
timetable for completing planned
activities

o  Overall organization of training program, the factors involved in
assigning trainees to specific research experiences, and the plan for
monitoring students' progress

o  Adequacy of plans for protection of human subjects and/or care of
animals in research, where applicable

Methods of Selection, Monitoring, and Followup of Trainees

o  Availability of trainee candidates of high potential

o  Adequacy of plans for selecting trainees

o  Methods for monitoring student progress, early identification and
remedy of student problems, and
provision of support and supervision

o  Provision of enrichment experiences, professional socialization,
and interaction beyond those in the local setting

o  Knowledge of available graduate training programs and a plan for
career advising and choice-assistance of students

o  Adequacy of plans for placing students in graduate research
training programs in mental health, including plans to assist
students in securing scholarships and obtaining financial aid

o  Adequacy of plans for tracking students after graduation.

Program Leadership

o  Qualifications and experience of Program Director

o  Relevant research experience of COR faculty and mentors

o  Plans for effective program administration and coordination among
faculty and advisory committee by
Program Director.

Institutional Commitment and Resources

o  It is the intent of this program to foster interactions across
disciplines and departments within institutions.  There should be
evidence of institutional commitment to the goals and objectives of
the COR program as it has an impact on students' academic
preparation, research training, and faculty interaction

o  Access to research facilities and related resources, including
laboratory space, computer time, equipment, research samples

o  Adequacy of plans for linkages with collaborating institutions
where necessary

o  Adequacy of plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the training
program

o  Evidence of involvement of a wide variety of research areas in
disciplines such as biology, chemistry, and behavioral sciences.

Budget

o  Appropriateness of budget in relation to scope of proposed
training program.

Program Evaluation

o  Adequacy of plans for evaluating the COR program on an annual
basis, including methods for assessing the extent to which the COR
program increases recruitment, training, and placement of
racial/ethnic minority students in graduate programs in mental health
fields.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved
applications assigned to the NIMH.  The following will be considered
in making funding decisions:  quality of the proposed project as
determined by peer review, availability of funds, and program
priority.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or
questions from potential applicants is welcome.  Direct inquiries
regarding programmatic issues to:

Rodney R. Cocking, Ph.D.
Career Opportunities in Research Education and Training
National Institute of Mental Health
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 17C-14
Rockville, MD   20857-8030
Telephone:  (301) 443-3641
FAX:  (301) 443-8552
Email:  RC4@CU.nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Diana S. Trunnell
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7C-08
Rockville, MD  20857-8030
Telephone:  (301) 443-3065
Email:  DT21A@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.282.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410) as
amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 6. This
program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements
of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.

PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide
a smoke-free workplace and to promote the non-use of all tobacco
products.  In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of
1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any
portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care or early childhood development
services are provided to children.

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