FELLOWSHIPS & RESEARCH AWARDS or

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!

Residents Research Report 12/10/04 Thomas Michel, M.D., Ph.D. How do I identify a research topic and mentor?

Why get a fellowship grant?

How do I choose which grants to apply for?

Will I be successful?

How do I make the transition to independence?

• How do I identify a research topic and mentor?

• Why get a fellowship grant?

• How do I choose which grants to apply for?

• Will I be successful?

• How do I make the transition to independence?

Guidelines to contemplate as you identify your project and mentor:

1. Decide the fundamental question- do I want a career in basic discovery? clinical research? in patient care? in public policy? What is it that you want to keep you awake at night? Resolve any ambiguity that exists in your own mind, and approach your project with enthusiasm, humor and joy.

2. Get the most rigorous training you can stand, whether in clinical or basic research methods.

3. Stay focused on your research project; research training is not the time for lots of clinical effort.

4. Spend the time needed to get results and publish papers.

Identifying a research topic and mentor

1. The topic comes first-

what do you want to discover?

what facts have you learned that you wish you’d discovered yourself?

what do you wish to contribute to advance biomedical knowledge and human health?

2. The mentor comes next-

read papers from the lab/research group- do you get excited??

big research group vs. small group

senior vs. junior investigator

history of lab/program trainees- are they productive and successful?

lab culture- talk to current and recent trainees- are they happy and engaged in their work?

is the mentor respected by the Department/Division chief?

FIVE INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS IN RESEARCH

1. ASK IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

2. DON’T JUST THINK ABOUT IT, DO IT!

3. BE LIEVE IN YOUR HYPOTHESES- CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK.

4. DON’T BE AFRAID OF NEW APPROACHES.

5. HAVE FUN!!

• How do I identify a research topic and mentor?

• Why get a fellowship grant?

• How do I choose which grants to apply for?

• Will I be successful?

• How do I make the transition to independence?

Why get a fellowship grant?1 Writing a fellowship grant provides an opportunity for

you to focus your specific research plans in consultation with your mentor. This results in greater insight and greater productivity.

2 Having your own support permits greater flexibility in designing your training and transition years.

3 Whether your interest is in clinical or basic investigation, skills in obtaining financial support are fundamental to being successful in any career involving biomedical research.

4 You will instantly become a greater asset to your mentor, division chief and department chairperson. This is good. This is the currency of academic advancement.

• How do I identify a research topic and mentor?

• Why get a fellowship grant?

• How do I choose which grants to apply for?

• Will I be successful?

• How do I make the transition to independence?

THE ALPHABET SOUP OF NIH GRANTSGetting started:T-32: an Institutional Training Grant, typically awarded toclinical divisions or basic science departments

F-32: aka NRSA, entry-level Individual Tra ining GrantK08: a physician-scientist award that supports mentoredresearch experience, then transition to independence

K23: like the K08, but for patient-oriented research

The next steps at the NIH:RO-1: the award that supports investigator-initiatedprojects (special consideration for New Investigators)

K24: picks up where the K23 leaves offPPG: an investigator-initiated multi-investigator “programproject grant”

SCOR: a NIH-mandated multi-project award program

What are the specific NIH Institutes?

NHLBI, NCI, NIDDK, NIA, NIGMS…ALSO: Arthritis, Infectious Diseases, but don’tforget Complementary/Alternative Medicine,National Eye Institute, etc.

What is a NIH Study Section? Peer review panel comprised of non-federal,

(usually) NIH-funded scientists (Ph.D. >M.D.)

Evaluate grant applications by discipline Separate study sections review training

applications Not perfect, but usually pretty good

PAT HWAY S FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT:

Lab-based pathway: K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awar d Development of the independent clinical research scientist, usuallyleads to a RO-1 application (special consideration for New Investigators).

Patient-oriented research pathway: K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research CareerDevelopment Award Development of independent clinical scientist in the arena, then… K24 Midcareer Investigator Award In Patient-OrientedResearch Development of mentors conducting patient-oriented research.

K30 Clinical Research Curriculum Development Awar d Institutional award for development of a clinical research curriculum.

THE K08 AWARD

The purpose of the Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08) is to support the development of outstanding clinician research scientists…provides specialized study for individuals with a health professional doctoral degree committed to a career in laboratory or field-based research.

The K08 supports (@$75,000/year) a 3-5 year period of supervised research experience that may integrate didactic studies with laboratory or clinically-based research… at least 75 percent of the recipient's full-time professional effort must be devoted to the goals of this award. The remainder may be devoted to clinical, teaching, or other research pursuits…

70% OF ALL NIH DOLLARS GO TO NON-PHYSICIANINVESTIGATORS.

THE PROPORTION OF PHYSICIANS PERFORMINGBIOMEDICAL RESEARCH HAS BEEN DECREASINGSTEADILY FOR OVER A DECADE.

WHAT TO DO??

NIH EXTRAMURAL LOAN REPAYMENTPROGRAM FOR CLINICAL RESEARCHERS

“The NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Programfor Clinical Researchers… provides repayment of theeducational loan debt of qualified healthprofessionals who agree to conduct clinicalresearch… repayment of up to $35,000 …for eachyear of obligated service.

“The purpose of the Program is the recruitmentand retention of highly qualified health professionalsas clinical investigators. “

“Participants must engage in clinical research”, aterm that is very broadly defined.

MENTORED PATIENT-ORIENTED RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD (K23)

The purpose of the Mentored Patient-oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is to support the career development of investigators who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on patient-oriented research. This mechanism provides support (@$75,000/year) for 3-5 years of supervised study and research for clinically trained professionals who have the potential to develop into productive, clinical investigators focusing on patient-oriented research.

Clinically trained professionals or individuals with a clinical degree who are interested in further career development in biomedical research that is not patient-oriented, should refer to the Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development (K08) Award.

The K23, continued

For the purposes of this award, patient-oriented research is defined as research conducted with human subjects for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects.

The NIH is interested in increasing the number of clinicians trained to conduct high-quality, patient-oriented clinical research…this award forms an important part of the NIH initiative to attract talented individuals to clinical research.

The K23 provides multidisciplinary didactic training, and the opportunity to obtain both the knowledge and the research skills necessary to compete for independent support in patient-oriented research.

NON-NIH FUNDING SOURCES(Office for Sponsored Research at HMS)

AHA- National/New England Affiliate ATS, ASH, AGA, AfAR… HMS-nominated Junior Faculty Fellowships

described in The Red Book, e.g. Pfizer,Doris Duke, Wellcome, Pew, Searle, etc.

Other Non-Federal

Advantages of disease-specific foundations Often have programs geared towards junior

investigators “Grants-in-Aid” require less preliminary data May have favorable paylines, but not always

Disadvantages of disease-specific foundations Often have fluctuating paylines from year to year Peer review sometimes less rigorous and/or less

objective Sometimes very restrictive eligibility criteria Overhead much lower than NIH- “doesn’t pay

the rent”

A closer look at the AHA National Center’s Research Awards

Fellow-to-Faculty Transition Award- for advanced fellows who will have completed clinical training by time of award activation; supports a mentored research experience, then transition to independenceScientist Development Grant- for junior faculty Established Investigator- for “Established Investigators”Grant-in Aid- awarded to established as well as newly-independent investigators

Overhead for these grants is fixed at 10%, in contrast to the ~65% indirect costs from the NIH.

The payline for these awards used to be quite good, but has declined with the recent recession. These awards now can be harder to get than NIH support.

ACC/Merck Fellowship (www.acc.org/)Supports clinical research, focus is on support of advancedCardiology Fellows. Pays $40,000/year for 1 year.

The Medical Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship(www.tmfnet.org/)Supports fellowship stipends in a broad range of biomedicalresearch. Pays $38,000/year for 2 years.

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Clinical ScientistDevelopment Award (www.ddcf.aibs.org/medical/)Supports transition to faculty in broad range of biomedicalresearch. Pays $100,000/year for 2 years.

NASPE Fellowships (www.naspe.org)One-year award ($35,000) supports clinical and/or basic researchin cardiac electrophysiology.

• How do I identify a research topic and mentor?

• Why get a fellowship grant?

• How do I choose which grants to apply for?

• Will I be successful?

• How do I make the transition to independence?

• OF COURSE!!!

• But……..

1. You need a hypothesis.

2. You should have a plausible explanation for why testing this hypothesis is interesting and/or important.

3. You should provide preliminary data (your own or your mentor’s) that document the feasibility of your planned experimental approach, and

4. Your experimental approach must follow logically from all of the above.

5. Your training and research environment needs to be suitable for the planned studies.

Components of the typical application

• Specific aims- a brief description of the topic you will study and the specific hypotheses to be tested.

• Background and significance- providing the rationale behind choosing the topics you will investigate.

• Preliminary data- findings that support the feasibility of the planned studies.

• Experimental approach- a series of experiments logically connected to the exploration of the hypotheses proposed in the Specific Aims.

Criteria (NIH) by which the application is judged:

• Significance of the research problem, broadly defined.

• Experimental approach- novel but feasible, rigorous, logical, and likely to yield results.

• Innovation (but feasibility!).

• Investigator (and mentor, for training grants).

• Research environment and/or training plan.

• Award-specific criteria, outlined by granting agency.

Number of NIH K AwardsFiscal Years 1994 - 2001

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Number of Dollars ($M) to K AwardsFiscal Years 1994 - 2001

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Mill

ions

Success Rates for Selected K ActivitiesFiscal Years 1990 - 2001

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Success Rate

K02

K08

K23

K24

K01

• How do I identify a research topic and mentor?

• Why get a fellowship grant?

• How do I choose which grants to apply for?

• Will I be successful?

• How do I make the transition to independence?

TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE

1. Sustain a thematic focus in your work.

2. Identify an area of your distinctive interest and expertise to move forward on your own.

3. Identify a mentor(s) outside of your own lab or project.

4. Maintain contact with key faculty here and elsewhere.

5. Explore all your options with an open mind, but stay focused on studying what you know and love best.

6. Get funded.

7. Stay funded.

Let’s look at a case study….

Life and Times of Thomas Michel

1955-1972: Beaverton, Oregon

1973-1977: Harvard College

1977-1984: Duke M.D., Ph.D.

1984-1987: BWH Medicine Hemi-doc

1987-1989: BWH cardiology fellow

1988-1990: BWH/HMS research fellow

1989-present: BWH/HMS faculty

1998-present: WRVA Chief of Cardiology

2002-: Inaugural speaker, BWH RRR

TM Funding history:1988-1993: AHA CSA (G protein signaling)1989-1992:AHA GIA (nitric oxide synthase)1990: Milton Fund, HMS (NOS cloning)1991: FIRST Award, NIH (eNOS)1993-1998: HF SCOR (NOS in heart)1996: FIRST renewed as RO-11994-1999: AHA EI (eNOS)1996-2001: Wellcome Scholar Award (NOS)1999-2002: Another RO-1(CV signaling)2001-2006: NOS RO-1 renewal funded2002-2006: CV signal RO-1 renewal funded2005-2010: Program Project Grant funded

Key Mentors:

Bob Lefkowitz, DukeTom Smith, Chief, BWH CardiologyEva J. Neer, BWH cardiology

Key colleagues/bosses:Peter Libby, Victor Dzau, Pat O’Gara, Brian Hoffman

vascular smooth muscle

cells

endothelial cells

bloodplatelets

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eNOS

CaM

cGMP

L-Arg

NO + L-Citrulline

eNOS activators

Vascular regulation by endothelial nitric oxide production

?

SUGGESTED READING

Medawar, P. Advice to a Young Scientist. (1979)

Sacks, Oliver. Uncle Tungsten. (2001)

Harris, Barbara. At the Bench. (2000)

Ramon y Cajal, S. Advice for a Young Investigator. (1897)

Michel, T. How to Succeed in Biomedical Research without Really Trying (in preparation).

KEY WEB SITES FOR MORE INFO

NIH training grants for MD-scientists: http://grants1.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm

HMS Sponsored Programs Administrationhttp://www.hms.harvard.edu/spa/funding/fundmain.htm

HMS “Red Book” (Faculty Fellowshipshttp://www.hms.harvard.edu/fa/fellowship2002

BWH Research Administrationhttp://www.rics.bwh.harvard.edu/links.html

For copy of these slides, see mentoring.bwh.harvard.edu/presentations/ Show_me_the_money.ppt, or e-mail tmichel@research.bwh.harvard.edu or call 2-7376.