NIH Director's Early Independence Awards (DP5) RFA-RM-18-010
*Request for Nominations*
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**$1.25M Limited NIH program—a university-wide internal selection process is required. The NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards provide an opportunity for exceptional junior scientists to accelerate their entry into an independent research career by forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period.
Given the focus on early research independence, the receipt date of the terminal doctoral degree or end of post-graduate clinical training* of the PD/PI must be between June 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019. The degree receipt date is that which appears on the official transcript for the degree. [*The end of post-graduate clinical training includes residency and fellowship periods.]
At the time of application (Sept. 27, 2018), the PD/PI must not have served as a post-doctoral fellow following a previous (not the most recent) doctoral degree for more than twelve months.
In addition, at time of application, candidates must not be in an independent position (as defined below). Please see the eligibility criteria below. Nominations from the Schools of Medicine, Humanities and Sciences and Engineering are encouraged.*
# of applicants permitted from Stanford: 2 (see internal submission guidelines below)
Timeline:
Internal deadline for nomination packets: Wednesday., June 6, 2018, 5 p.m. (see internal submission guidelines below)
NIH Letter of intent deadline: Aug. 27, 2018
NIH Application receipt date: Sept. 27, 2018
Program Guidelines:
Please see the Stanford eligibility clarification and other information before reading the NIH guidelines.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-18-010.html
FAQ webpage:
http://commonfund.nih.gov/earlyindependence/faq
Stanford DP5 recipients: 1 in 2011, 2 in 2012, 1 in 2013, 2 in 2014; none in 2015; 1 in 2016, 1 in 2017.
http://commonfund.nih.gov/earlyindependence/fundedresearch
Amount of funding:
$250,000 direct costs /yr (plus indirect costs) x 5 yrs. $1.25 million in total direct costs.
Up to
10 to be awarded in 2019.
Purpose:
This FOA issued by the National Institutes of Health, solicits applications for the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5) from institutions or organizations that propose to appoint and support exceptional, early career scientists directly following the completion of their Ph.D. (or equivalent) or, for clinical candidates, the completion of their medical residence, into an independent academic research position (an Instructor appointment, not a Clinical Instructor appointment, here at Stanford), thereby omitting the traditional post-doctoral training period from their career path.
ELIGIBILITY--please read carefully
IMPORTANT-PLEASE READ: Although traditional post-doctoral training is likely most appropriate for the majority of new Ph.D.s and, for clinical candidates, [M.D.s who have completed their medical residence], the DP5 applicant must be amongst " a pool of talented young scientists who have the intellect, scientific creativity, drive and maturity to flourish independently without the need for traditional post-doctoral training."
1) At the time of application (by Sept. 27, 2018), the Early Independence PI must:
- Given the focus on early research independence, the receipt date of the terminal doctoral degree or end of post-graduate clinical training* of the PD/PI must be between June 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019. The degree receipt date is that which appears on the official transcript for the degree.
- [*The end of post-graduate clinical training includes residency and fellowship periods.]
- At the time of application (Sept. 27, 2018), the PD/PI must not have served as a post-doctoral fellow following a previous (not the most recent) doctoral degree for more than twelve months.
2) At the time of award to the sponsoring Institution, the Early Independence PI must either:
- have received a PhD, MD, DO, DC, DDS, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, Dr PH, DNSc, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), PharmD, DSW, PsyD, or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution (it is the responsibility of the sponsoring institution to determine if a foreign doctoral degree is equivalent),
- or an authorized official of the degree-granting or training institution must certify that all degree requirements have been met and that the receipt date of the degree (as will appear on the transcript) will be before September 30, 2019; in addition, an authorized official of the host institution must certify that the PD/PI will be eligible to conduct independent research at the institution at the time of the project start date.
3) Research independence at time of application:
Individuals are eligible only if they, at the time of application submission, do not have research independence. Lack of research independence is defined functionally rather than by position title. Eligible individuals must have all the following characteristics:
- The PD's/PI's current research agenda is set through concurrence with mentors.
- The PD's/PI's research is funded primarily through support to other investigators (mentored fellowships such as NIH F31 or F32 Fellowships or NSF Graduate Research Fellowships do not preclude eligibility).
- The PD/PI does not have any space assigned directly by the institution for the conduct of his or her research.
- The PD/PI, according to institutional policy, cannot apply for an NIH R01 grant without special waiver or exemption from the institution.
- Note: Though the PD/PI must not be functionally independent at the time of application submission, they may become functionally independent prior to time of award and still retain eligibility for the award.
4) Level of effort:
Individuals must commit at least 9.6 person-months each year (i.e., 80% effort of a 12-month appointment) during the first two years of the project period to research supported by the Early Independence Award. In the final three years of the project period, awardees may reduce effort toward the Early Independence Award project, but the total effort towards independent research in general must remain at least 9.6 person-months each year (i.e., 80% effort of a 12-month appointment).
5) STANFORD ELIGIBILITY CLARIFICATION: per Dr. Ann Arvin the Dean of Research Office:
- The type of academic research appointment for a DP5 PI, if funded, here at Stanford would be an "Instructor" position [not a clinical instructor posItion] [**per the guidelines, the appointment need not be permanent, and can be contingent upon receipt of funding]
- the department must confirm that the candidate, if funded, would be provided dedicated lab space, equipment and administrative support.
- the department must provide Institutional commitment to permit the PI to conduct full-time, independent research, excepting
- the minimal clinical commitments required for clinician researchers and minimal, optional teaching commitments.
Miscellaneous:
- By the end of the award period, the Early Independence investigator is expected to be competitive for continued funding of his/her research program and for a permanent research position.
- The host institution must be identified and documentation must be provided about the applicant's academic research appointment [Instructor appointment, not a Clinical Instructor appointment, here at Stanford]** and institutional commitment (lab space, administrative support, etc.)
- Institutions may actively recruit eligible junior scientists to apply for support through this program.
- The DP5 candidate's research plan musts include a scientific area relevant to the NIH mission for which the investigator has demonstrated expertise
- PD/PI (the nominee/candidate) is permitted only a single application for a DP5 NIH Early Independence Award.
You must check with the nominee regarding:
- 1) his/or her willingness to be nominated here at Stanford, and,
- 2) if selected, his/her willingness to be one of Stanford's two DP5 applicants. [note: the candidate will need to know that he/she can only be the PI for one DP5 application (therefore, for only one institution). For example, a candidate cannot be the DP5 applicant for Stanford and the DP5 applicant for another institution.]
- 3) notify the candidate that any Instructor position, independent lab space, equipment and support may be contingent upon receipt of DP5 funding.
INTERNAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES (nomination packets)
By Wednesday., June 6, 2018, 5 p.m., please send 2 PDF files via email attachment to:
Jeanne Heschele
Research Management Group
650-245-2351
jheschele@stanford.edu
Institutional representative: you do not have to submit your internal proposal through the RPM in RMG. You can submit it directly to Jeanne.
#1 One PDF file containing a scanned copy of the original signed nomination letter (#1 below) should be kept confidential and sent directly to Jeanne Heschele at jheschele@stanford.edu
[file name: Nominee Last name_NIH_EIA_letter.pdf]
#2 One PDF file containing the items #2, #3, #4 below-- title page, research proposal, candidate's CV (in that order, please)--can be sent separately to Jeanne Heschele at jheschele@stanford.edu
[file name: Nominee Last name_NIH_EIA_proposal.pdf]
PDF file #1: Nominator letter
Nominator letter [confidential]-to be sent separately to Jeanne by the nominator/department
Nominator (candidate's faculty advisor): please send the PDF of the scanned original letter directly to:
Jeanne Heschele
Research Management Group
650-245-2351
jheschele@stanford.edu
This nominator letter, prepared by the nominee's scientific faculty advisor, and co-signed by the Division Chief (if applicable) and the Department Chair, printed on department letterhead, and addressed to Dr. Peter Sarnow and the School of Medicine Awards Committee must:
- a) most importantly, confirm that although traditional post-doctoral training is likely most appropriate for the majority of new Ph.D.s and M.D.s, their nominee has the intellect, scientific creativity, drive and maturity to flourish independently without the need for traditional post-doctoral training.
- b) confirm that the candidate does not have research independence as defined above >>.
- c) provide a detailed assessment of the prospects for a successful early transition to research independence; achievements as a graduate student; and the potential for future scientific contributions.
- d) must confirm the candidate's research plan is in scientific area relevant to the NIH mission for which the investigator has demonstrated expertise
- e) must confirm the department would agree to appoint the nominee to an "Instructor" position (not: a "clinical instructor" position) (this can be contingent upon receipt of DP5 funding)
- f) must confirm the department will provide dedicated lab space, equipment, institutional financial commitment, and administrative support in order for the applicant to conduct full-time, independent research, excepting the minimal clinical commitments required for clinician researchers and minimal, optional teaching commitments. (This position can be contingent upon receipt of DP5 funding.) Note: Institutional commitment to the development of the candidate as a successful and independent research scientist will be given considerable attention during the review and selection process.
- g) must confirm that the candidate will be able to devote at least 80% effort to conducting independent research during the project period, with at least the first two years being devoted entirely to the Early Independence Award project. Clinicians should be permitted to perform clinical duties to the extent necessary to maintain credentials.
PDF file #2 (a single PDF file containing the title page, research proposal and CV)
2) Title Page
Name of this RFA: NIH Director's Early Independence Awards (DP5) RFA-RM-18-010
Title of the nominee's research proposal
Name of Nominee, current title, department, institution, contact information
Ph.D. candidates: the receipt date of the terminal doctoral degree (the date on your official transcript) (reminder-it must be between June 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019)
Clinical candidates: the date of the end of post-graduate clinical training (which includes residency and fellowship periods.) Reminder-that date must be between June 1, 2017 and September 30, 2019.
Start date (if applicable) in a postdoctoral position: (reminder: at the time of application (Sept. 27, 2018), the PD/PI must not have served as a post-doctoral fellow following a previous (not the most recent) doctoral degree for more than twelve months.)
Name of nominator: advisor, title, department, contact information
Name of department chair, department, contact information
3) Research proposal -indicating specific aims, etc. (4 page limit- references and figures are not included in the page total).
Format:
Arial or Helvetica font size 11 or larger. 1/2 inch margins, Single-spaced.
REMINDER: Per the guidelines: the research plan must be in a scientific area relevant to the NIH mission for which the investigator has demonstrated expertise.
The 4 page proposal should only include science.
General outline:
Introduction (1/2 page)
Past research in the field (1/4 page)
Specific Aims (approx. 2 1/2 pages)
For each aim: Rationale and Significance (1/4 page), Prelimiary data (1/4-1/2 page), describe overal aim (not so much the methods) (1 page)
Short conclusion (a few sentences)
4) Nominee's CV
Selection process
The School of Medicine Awards Committee will review the nomination packets submitted from all Schools and select the two DP5 Principal Investigators (PI's) to represent Stanford. The NIH application deadline is Sept. 27, 2018.
