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Sponsored Research Newsletter (2/26/11)

Search Grants Opportunities on http://pivot.cos.com/rhome

It pays to apply for NSF grants in economics.

http://dellweb.bfa.nsf.gov/awdfr3/default.asp is an interactive website where one can find acceptance rate of all NSF programs. Below is the acceptance rate for economics



2009368 submitted131 funded36% acceptance
2008339 submitted98 funded29% acceptance
2007324 submitted98 funded30% acceptance
2006399 submitted142 funded36% acceptance
2005412 submitted124 funded30% acceptance

If you missed the Jan 18 NSF economics deadline, the next one is in August

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5437

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NIH Pay lines, Percentiles and Success Rates

<http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/author/sally-rockey/> Sally Rockey

http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2011/02/15/paylines-percentiles-success-rates/

I have read or heard much about the dilemma of NIH applicants as they struggle to understand their chances of receiving NIH funding. As budgets flatten and tighten, this discussion has heated up. To declare that NIH success rates have hovered around 20% for the past five years does little to calm the storm of concern when we hear about shrinking percentiles and paylines. So how is it possible to have a success rate of 20% but a payline at the 7th percentile? Let's take a few moments to sort out what these things mean and think about how these numbers are derived and how they can differ.

Impact Score

It all starts with the impact. This score is assigned by reviewers to indicate the scientific and technical merit of an application. Impact scores range between 1 and 9. A score of "1" indicates an exceptionally strong application and "9" indicates an application with substantial weakness. (I always wondered why at NIH low = good and high = bad but that predates me!) In assigning an impact score, reviewers consider each of five scored criteria: significance, investigator, innovation, approach, and environment, along with other factors like protection of human subjects and vertebrate animal care and welfare. Read more about scoring <http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer_review_process.htm#scoring2>.

Percentile Rank

The percentile rank is based on a ranking of the impact scores assigned by a peer review committee. The percentile rank is normally calculated by ordering the impact score of a particular application against the impact scores of all applications reviewed in the current and the preceding two review rounds. An application that was ranked in the 5th percentile is considered more meritorious than 95% of the applications reviewed by that committee. This kind of ranking permits comparison across committees that may have different scoring behaviors. It is important to note than not all research project grant applications (RPGs) are percentiled. For example, applications submitted in response to a request for applications (RFA) are usually not percentiled. In the absence of a percentile rank, the impact score is used as a direct indicator of the review committee's assessment. Read more about percentiles <http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer_review_process.htm#Summary>.

Payline

Many NIH institutes calculate a percentile rank up to which nearly all R01 applications can be funded. For grant applications that do not receive percentile ranks, the payline may be expressed as an impact score. Institutes that choose to publish paylines in advance (see an example <http://funding.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/paybud/pages/default.aspx>) calculate the payline based on expectations about the availability of funds, application loads, and the average cost of RPGs during the current fiscal year. Other institutes prefer to describe the process for selecting applications for funding (see an example <http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/Application/NAGMSCouncilGuidelines.htm>) and then report on the number of applications funded within different percentile ranges at the end of the fiscal year (see an example <https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/index.php/2011/01/07/fiscal-year-2010-r01-fundin g-outcomes-and-estimates-for-fiscal-year-2011/>). Because the NIH is currently operating on a continuing resolution and funding levels for the remainder of this fiscal year are uncertain, most of the NIH institutes have offered less detail this year than in the past.

But remember, even when an IC establishes a payline, applications outside of the payline can be paid under justified circumstances if these applications are a high priority for the particular institute or center. When these select-pay/out-of-order/priority pay/high priority relevance selections are made, it may result that other applications within in the payline are not paid because funds are no longer available to support them.

Success Rates

The success rate calculation is always carried out after the close of the fiscal year, and it is based on the number of applications funded divided by the number of applications reviewed and expressed as a percent. To better reflect the funding of unique research applications, the number of applications is adjusted by removing revisions <http://grants.nih.gov/grants/glossary.htm#R24> and correcting for projects where the resubmission (A1) is submitted in the same year as the original application (A0). Read more about success rates .

The Answer

Now we are equipped to answer our earlier question. How is it possible to have a success rate of 20% but a payline at the 7th percentile? There are several real-life reasons why paylines (the ones that use percentiles) can be either higher or lower than success rates.

Check out more reports on RPG success rates broken down by year <http://www.report.nih.gov/award/success/Success_ByActivity.cfm> (2001 to 2010) and IC <http://www.report.nih.gov/award/success/Success_ByIC.cfm>.

Whew, you made it through. The difference between paylines, percentiles and success rates remains a confusing topic because of the compounding factors that rule out a simple linear relationship. You need to consider all the factors when assessing the potential for an individual application to be funded. Your best advisor on this issue, because of the differences in the ICs and programs, is your NIH program official. Give him or her call.

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Johnson & Johnson and Rutgers: Proof-of-Concept Fund

Rutgers Office of the Vice President of Research and the Office of Technology Commercialization have recently partnered with Johnson & Johnson to introduce a Proof-of-Concept fund for Life Sciences. The goal of the fund is to assist Rutgers researchers with targeted funding for commercializing the results of their research. Recognizing the difficulty in gaining interest from companies and investors in promising but early biomedical technologies or compounds through critical stages of development, the Proof-of-Concept fund is aimed at obtaining in vivo data that companies or investors need to make decisions.

Areas of interest include but are not limited to: Wellness and Personal Medicine (including implantable intelligent devices, novel sensor technologies, intra-body computing strategies, novel active neural interfaces), Metabolic, Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, Cancer, Inflammation, Diagnostic biomarkers for diabetes, cardiovascular and cancer, Viral Infections, Bacterial Infections.

Successful applicants are provided funds for materials procurement and/or development, e.g., synthesis or scale-up and hourly wages for these task and data analysis. The VPR office will provide for veterinary services and per diem and thus do not need to be included in the budget. Assistance with protocol design is also available, at the investigator's discretion, to maximize the value of the data collected.

Funding Criteria

  1. An invention or intellectual property disclosure must be submitted to the Office of Technology Commercialization on the key invention and The University must have clear rights to commercialize the intellectual property. The IP must not already be licensed.
  2. The intellectual property and prospective product must address a need in the marketplace and have a competitive advantage over existing products.
  3. The proposed work is directed to obtain in vivo data . It is not for the creation of new intellectual property or basic research, but rather to obtain addition data that demonstrates the efficacy of existing Rutgers IP for meeting a market need.
  4. Preference will be given to projects that can begin as soon as approved and completed within six months.

Format of Proposal

  1. Email your application to Shrijay (Jay) Vijayan at svijayan@otc.rutgers.edu. There is no deadline and projects will be reviewed as soon as received.
  2. Include a cover sheet that includes the project title, principal investigator(s), names of project participants, and Rutgers Technology ID Number (assigned at time of disclosure)
  3. Describe the current status of the invention and the funding history of the research (up to 1 page). Summarize what data has been obtained to date. Attach any publications or manuscripts.
  4. Describe the proposed product that would be commercialized and the problem it solves. Discuss existing solutions available in the marketplace and the advantages of proposed product. (up to 1 page).
  5. Describe research at other universities and how your research is differentiated and superior (up to 1 page).
  6. Describe the goal of the proposed in vivo studies proposed (Up to 1 page)
  7. Optional: Describe the procedures that will be used to collect data. This can be detailed if you propose to supervise the collection of data yourself or very general if you would like assistance designing a protocol to maximize potential for generating commercializable technology.
  8. Budget. Include supplies and time of technicians who will create materials and collect or analyze data. Do not include per diems or expenses of Laboratory Animal Services because these will be covered internally.

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Rutgers OTC launches CEO-in-Residence Program - March 29th Kick-Off event with CEO panelists

In December Rutgers Office of Technology Commercialization announced the launch of a CEO-in-Residence program under which selected entrepreneurs and business executives assist the university in creating start-up companies based on innovative technologies developed by Rutgers researchers. These companies are expected to stimulate economic growth and create jobs for residents of New Jersey and beyond. The resident CEOs review intellectual property at the university and will help decide whether the specific innovations can be commercialized or form the basis for start-ups. If appropriate opportunities are identified, the CEOs will contribute to and may lead new start-up ventures. They may also assist current start-ups that could benefit from their business expertise.

"We are very excited about this new program and see it as a way to establish better connections between the university and the private sector," said Richard L. McCormick, president of Rutgers University. "The program's success should have a direct link to economic development and will showcase Rutgers as an entrepreneurial leader in the state."

The Rutgers Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) is overseeing the CEO-in-Residence program and has recruited several highly qualified individuals to be the first CEOs. They include James T. Posillico, Ph.D., Stephen Dyer, M.B.A.,and Peter F. Young, "These are dynamic leaders with a track record of success in establishing, financing, and leading start-up companies," said Dipanjan Nag, OTC Executive Director.

The fifth event in the OTC Roundtable series will focus on the how to form a company commercializing Rutgers technology. There will be a panel session with the CEO-in-Residence and also a panel with faculty founders of current Rutgers start-ups. This event will be held March 29, 2011, from 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM at the Rutgers Visitor's Center on Busch Campus. Further details will be posted soon at http://otc.rutgers.edu/.

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Funding Opportunities for Research on Violence

COS Search for funding on "Violence"

See http://pivot.cos.com/rhome or other funding opportunities.

Title: Research on Violence and Victimization Across the Life-Span - NIJ-2011-2824

Sponsor: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
United States Department of Justice (DOJ)
Deadline: April 6, 2011
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=62993

Research and Evaluation on Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Teen Dating Violence

Sponsor: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
United States Department of Justice (DOJ)
Deadline: June 1, 2011

Research on Teen Dating Violence (R01)

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Deadline: June 5, 2011
URL for more information:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-169.html

Research on Teen Dating Violence (R21)

Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Deadline: June 16, 2011
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-170.html

Law and Social Science Program

Sponsor: Law and Social Science
Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES)
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Deadline: August 15, 2011
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5422

Visiting Fellowship Program - NIJ Residency Research Opportunities

Sponsor: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
United States Department of Justice (DOJ)
http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles/165588.txt

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Bluebird Photo from Duke Farms

With Spring coming soon, I thought I'd send out one of my favorite bird photos. This was taken at Duke Farms in Hillsborough, NJ. (Click to enlarge or visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/pazzani/3932356029/)

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/pazzani/3932356029> Eastern Bluebird


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Reminder: Research Council Award Program- March 4 Deadline

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate and Professional Education announces the FY2011-2012 Research Council Grant Program. By means of small grants, the Research Council supports studies leading to significant outside funding and publication in all fields of learning represented in the University as well as creative work in the arts. Applicants may request funds for a variety of needs, such as equipment and supplies, help, publication subvention, and essential travel related to research - in short, funds to cover expenses directly related to research and to other creative endeavors.

Additional information, application forms and instructions for completing the application are available on the Office of the Vice President for Research website at http://vpr.rutgers.edu/internal-funding-programs/research-council-grants.php Applications must be submitted through the Easychair electronic submission website. Easychair will open for submissions on February 7, and proposals are due by 5:00 P.M. on March 4, 2011. Hard copy and late applications will not be accepted.

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