Biomedical Research and Research Training (93.859)

Program

93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health

Authorization

Section 301 and Title IV of the Public Health Service Act, as amended.

Program Number

93.859

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences supports research that increases understanding of life processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. NIGMS-funded researchers seek to answer important scientific questions in fields such as cell biology, biophysics, genetics, developmental biology, pharmacology, physiology, biological chemistry, bioinformatics, computational biology, selected aspects of the behavioral sciences and specific cross-cutting clinical areas that affect multiple organ systems. NIGMS also provides leadership in training the next generation of scientists to assure the vitality and continued productivity of the research enterprise.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

NIGMS is organized into divisions and a center that support research and research training in a range of scientific fields. One division has the specific mission of increasing the number of biomedical and behavioral scientists who are members of underrepresented minority groups.

Major areas in which these units fund research are listed below their names.

Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics:
analytical and separation techniques
biophysical properties of proteins and nucleic acids
cell organization, motility and division
cellular imaging
membrane structure and function
molecular biophysics
single-molecule biophysics and nanoscience
spectroscopic techniques
structural biology
structural genomics and proteomics

Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology:
chromosome organization and mechanics
developmental biology and genetics
DNA replication, recombination and repair
epigenetics
extrachromosomal inheritance
mechanisms of mutagenesis
neurogenetics and the genetics of behavior
population genetics, evolution and the genetics of complex traits
protein synthesis
regulation of cell growth, cell division, cell death and differentiation
RNA transcription and processing
stem cell biology

Division of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry:
anesthesiology
biochemistry
bioenergetics
bio-organic and bio-inorganic chemistry
biotechnology and metabolic engineering
drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and predictive toxicology
enzymology
glycochemistry and glycobiology
molecular immunobiology
pharmacogenetics/pharmacogenomics
pharmacology and clinical pharmacology
physiology
synthetic and medicinal chemistry
trauma and burn injury
wound healing

Division of Minority Opportunities in Research:
undergraduate student training and development
post-baccalaureate research education
predoctoral research
postdoctoral research and teaching skill development
faculty development
faculty research
efficacy of interventions research

Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology:
biomedical software development
cell and molecular modeling and simulation
computational genomics
database design and enhancement
high-throughput data analysis
systems biology.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

NIGMS trainees must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or permanent residents.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Any nonprofit or for-profit organization, company, or institution engaged in biomedical research.

Credentials/Documentation

Each applicant for research projects must present a research plan and furnish evidence that scientific competence, facilities, equipment and supplies are appropriate to carry out the plan. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. NIH announces availability of funds for grant programs by issuing funding opportunity announcements in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html) and on Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Application packages must be downloaded from Grants.gov and submitted through Grants.gov. This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR, Part 92 for state and local governments and 45 CFR, Part 72 for other organizations, as appropriate.

Award Procedure

All accepted applications are reviewed for scientific merit by an appropriate initial review group and by a national advisory council. National Research Service Award (NRSA) applications for the support of individual fellows and other applications requesting less than $50,000 direct costs per year are not reviewed by the council.) All approved applications compete for available funds on the basis of scientific merit and program emphasis.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Project Grants: about 9 months. NRSA: (institutional) 9-12 months, (individual) 6 months. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR): about 7-1/2 months.

Appeals

A principal investigator may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Institute. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH Web site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-232.html.

Renewals

Renewal grants are generally made prior to the expiration of any current award.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Almost all awards are made for at least 1 year, with additional support (up to 4 more years) depending on the recommendation of the scientific review group, the national advisory council, successful annual performance and availability of funds. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: varies by program.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

varies by program on an annual basis. varies by program on an annual basis. varies by program on an annual basis. varies by program on an annual basis. varies by program on an annual basis.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Audits of profit making organizations are addressed in 45 CFR Part 72 (Subpart C, Section 74.26). In addition, grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal government officials.

Records

Expenditures and other financial records must be retained for 3 years from the day on which the grantee submits the last financial status report for the report period.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2009: In Fiscal Year 2009, the Institute's budget is $1.9 billion. The vast majority of this money funds grants to scientists at universities, medical schools, hospitals and other research institutions throughout the country. At any given time, NIGMS supports approximately 4,500 research grants--approximately 10 percent of the grants funded by NIH as a whole. NIGMS also supports approximately 25 percent of the trainees who receive assistance from NIH.

In addition to its regular appropriation, NIGMS received $505 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It obligated 70 percent of these funds in Fiscal Year 2009 and will obligate the balance in Fiscal Year 2010. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0897-0-1-552.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $1,865,006,000; FY 09 est $1,912,823,000; FY 10 est $1,937,289,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$20,000 to $10,000,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

45 CFR 16 Procedures of the Departmental Grant Appeals Board; 45 CFR 74; 45 CFR 92; NIH Extramural Programs brochure; miscellaneous program literature from Headquarters Office. Grants will be available under the authority of and administered in accordance with the NIH Grants Policy Statement and Federal regulations at 42 CFR 52 and 42 USC 241; Omnibus Solicitation of the Public Health Service for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant and Cooperative Agreement Applications. Omnibus Solicitation of the National Institutes of Health for Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant Applications.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Susan J. Athey 45 Center Drive MSC6200, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Email: atheys@nigms.nih.gov Phone: 3014967301 Fax: 3014020224

Web Site Address

http://www.nigms.nih.gov

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2009: NIGMS supports a wide array of grants supporting both research and training in areas described in paragraph 50. Examples of these grants are available in the Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool, http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

For an overview of NIGMS grant application and review, including funding policy, see http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/Application/GrantAppRev.html.