The summary statement contains: • Overall Resume and Summary of Review Discus-

sion • Essentially Unedited Critiques • Priority Score and Percentile Ranking • Budget Reconunendations • Administrative Notes

Common Problems in Applications • Lack of new or original ideas • Absence of an acceptable scientific rationale • Lack of experience in the essential methodology • Questionable reasoning in experimental approach

• Uncritical approach • Diffuse , superficial, or unfocused research plan • Lack of sufficient experimental detail • Lack of knowledge of published relevant work • Unrealistically large amount of work • Uncertainty concerning future directions

When You Get the Summary Statement • Once read, leave it for 24 hours • Don't take it personally, they really don't know

you • Speak to the Program Representative • You can amend the application • You can rebut the summalY statement

Applications Submitted to NTII • Approximately 66,000 grant applications were sub­

mitted to NIH in Fiscal Year 2003, of which 25-30% were funded

• Competing grant applications are received for three review cycles per year

Overall Timeframe from Submission to Award There are three overlapping cycles per year.

Nlli Opportunities for Young Investigators • National Research Service Individual Fellowship

(F32) • Mentored Research Scientist Development Award

(KOl) • Independent Scientist Award (K02) • Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award

(KOS) • Small Grant (R03) • -Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15) • Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R2l)

Points to Remember • You have a role • This is a Government Agency • It takes time and commitment • It appears complex, but it is straightforward • It is highly competitive • The system is not perfect, but it is flexible • The system has options • Government employees are approachable • Volunteer for Study Section service

When Preparing an Application

• Read instructions • Never assume that reviewers "will know what you

mean"

• Refer to literature thoroughly • State rationale of proposed investigation • Include well-deSigned tables and figures • Present an organized, lucid write-up • Obtain pre-review from faculty at your institution

1:30 p.m. FACll.ITATED ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

1:45 p.m. BREAK

2:00 p.m. Experimental Design P. Macke Consigny, PhD

Guidant Vascular Intervention

Santa Clara, CA

2:20 p.m. IACUC/ Animal Models Tam Garland, DVM, PhD

Interventional Radiology Research Laboratory

Indianapolis, IN

Science has made great progress in treating or prevent­ing diseases. This progress has not been without diffi­culty or cost. However, as an investigator, the responSi­bility of some of the cost is on your shoulders. How well you design your studies and work with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) may deter­mine your success in obtaining future funding .

The regulations affecting the use of animals in re­search, teaching and testing programs are numerous. A working knowledge of the applicable regulations is nec­essary if the principal investigator (PI) is to insure that proposals contain the necessary information. The PI must assure the conduct of all research is in compliance with the requirements of the regulatory and funding agencies. While the ultimate responsibility for compli­ance rests with the PI, institutional policies should be designed to provide those responsible for compliance with the necessary resources to do so.

The use of animals in experimentation dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans Yet, the scientific revo­lution began in the late 16th, early 17th century. With over 100 years of animals in research, experimentation progressed from a relatively uncommon practice into the scientific mainstream. In the late lS00s, there was a surge in antivivisectionist activity throughout Europe and the United States. The prevailing belief was medical science had advanced as far as it could using animal models.

The U.S. Congress took action in 1966, passing the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act. This original legislation regulated only the acquisition and handling of animals by dealers. It was amended in 1970 (and the name shortened to the Animal Welfare Act) to include the care

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