Limited Submission Internal Deadline: NIH Collaborative Program Grant for Multidisciplinary Teams (RM1)

Limited Submissions: Internal Call for Proposals

National Institute of Health

Collaborative Program Grant for Multidisciplinary Teams (RM1)
UNC Internal deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, August 24, 2020

*Please distribute to relevant faculty*

Key Dates

UNC Internal Deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, August 24, 2020

LOI Due Date: 30 days prior to application deadline

NIH Application Deadline: January 27, 2020 by 5:00PM

Important Information

• Number of Applications per Institution: Only one application per institution is allowed per review round.
• Consultation with relevant IC staff at least 10 weeks prior to the application due date is strongly encouraged.

To Apply

Submit the following (in ONE .pdf)  to the Office of Research Development limited submissions inbox Limited_Submissions@unc.edu by 11:59PM, Monday, August 24, 2020.

1. PI/Proposed team member’s CV/NIH Biosketch (five-page maximum)
2. Project Summary (four-page maximum)
3. List of potential/committed collaborators (internal and external to UNC)
4. Written confirmation that the PI team has spoken with an NIGMS Program Official who has agreed to accept the proposal under the RM1 mechanism (please see additional program information below for more details.
5. Names of three internal (to UNC) experts who could speak knowledgeably about the candidate’s research and who could potentially serve on an internal review panel.
   • Please do not include the names of faculty named on the project, chairs, deans, directors, direct reports, or others who have a conflict of interest. 
   • Please notify all potential internal reviewers before submitting the pre-proposal packet to ORD.

Program Overview

Purpose: Many research questions in biomedical science can be pursued by single investigators and their close collaborators and are adequately supported by individual and multiple PD/PI research grants. However, the scope of some scientific problems is beyond the capabilities of a small group of investigators. Such complex and challenging research questions benefit from the integrated efforts of teams of research laboratories employing complementary approaches and having multiple areas of intellectual and technical expertise, and the necessary resources to accomplish a unified scientific goal. Such team-based efforts can produce convergent, lasting scientific benefits with high impact, such as the creation of new disciplines of study, resolution of long standing or intractable problems, or definition of new areas that challenge current paradigms. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) encourages Collaborative Program Grant applications from institutions/organizations that propose to conduct research to address complex and challenging biomedical problems, important for the mission of NIGMS, through deeply integrated, multidisciplinary research teams. The Collaborative Program Grant is designed to support research in which funding a team of interdependent investigators offers significant advantages over support of individual research project grants. Applications should address critical issues and be sufficiently challenging, ambitious, and innovative that objectives could not be achieved by individual investigators.

Background: Recent reports (e.g., enhancing the effectiveness of team science) have evaluated the benefits of a team science approach to scientific inquiry, and the need to create flexible funding opportunities that enable interdisciplinary research teams to accomplish goals that could not be achieved individually. The Collaborative Program Grant draws on our past experience and is designed to improve support for interdisciplinary collaborative research across different scientific domains. We also anticipate that these grants will enhance the diversity and interdisciplinarity of participating investigators and provide opportunities to encourage early stage investigators (ESIs) to engage in team science projects. Successful Collaborative Program Grant applications will bring together scientists to apply complementary approaches to work on an important and well-defined problem. Applications may address any area of science within the NIGMS mission, which is to support basic research that increases understanding of biological processes at a range of levels, from molecules and cells, to tissues, whole organisms, and populations. NIGMS also supports research in a limited number of clinical areas that affect multiple organ systems. Truly new interdisciplinary ideas for approaching significant biological problems are encouraged. Applications that bridge the research interests of more than one NIGMS division are also encouraged but must remain within the scope of the NIGMS mission. Research with the overall goal to gain knowledge about a specific organ or organ system, or the pathophysiology, treatment, or cure of a specific disease or condition will, in most cases, be more appropriate for another Institute or Center.

Eligibility

• Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed per review round. The same or a similar topic may be submitted for subsequent review rounds involving the same or a similar team, but must be presented as a New application, not a Resubmission.
• Applications that are not considered in the NIGMS mission will not be reviewed. Given that only one application is permitted per institution per review cycle, it may be important to contact NIGMS staff before committing to any particular team and its topic area.
• The application is required to be submitted as a multiple PD/PI application, with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 PDs/PIs, all of whom must have an appointment at a domestic institution. Scientists employed solely by foreign institutions may not serve as one of the PD(s)/PIs of the multiple PD/PI team, although they may be included in the application as collaborators/co-investigators, consultants or other significant contributors.

Award Information

Award Budget: While applications may request research program budgets of up to $1.5 million direct costs per year, it is anticipated that most awards will be between $700,000-$900,000 direct costs. Annual inflationary increases are not allowed. The requested budget should be consistent with the number of PDs/PIs and the complexity and needs of the proposed program. An additional $250,000 direct costs per year may be requested for optional developmental funds to support the addition of ESIs to the program in YRS 2-5.

Award Project Period: Applications may request up to five years of support.

Additional Information

Prior Consultation with IC staff: NIGMS intends to fund a limited number of applications. Therefore, consultation with relevant staff at least 10 weeks prior to the application due date is strongly encouraged. Once applicants have identified overall program objectives and PD/PI participants, NIGMS staff may be able to advise applicants whether the proposed research strategy meets the goals and mission of the Institute, whether it addresses one or more high priority research areas, and whether it is appropriate for a Collaborative team program. A collaborative program that is closely related to the goal of a PD/PI’s existing NIGMS-funded research might require that funding be relinquished to avoid overlap. Institute staff will not evaluate the technical and scientific merit of the proposed program in advance; technical and scientific merit will be determined during peer review using the review criteria indicated in this FOA. During the consultation phase, if the proposed research strategy does not meet NIGMS’ programmatic needs, or is not appropriate as a Collaborative Program Grant, applicants will be encouraged to consider other funding opportunities.

Additionally, ORD has compiled notes from prior NIH RM1 webminars that we will make available to interested teams.  Please contact Limited_Submissions@unc.edu to request these materials.

Full Solicitation: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-20-103.html

For additional information, please contact the Limited Submissions Team with questions at Limited_Submissions@unc.edu.

Limited Submissions Team

Office of Research Development

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

308 Bynum Hall

Chapel Hill, NC 27599

(919) 962-7503