DiversityFocused Cancer Research Training Alison Lin Ph D

Diversity-Focused Cancer Research Training Alison Lin, Ph. D Deputy Chief, Diversity Training Branch Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities October 27, 2020

NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) Diversity Training Partnerships • Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (PACHE) Cancer Health Disparities Research • Basic research • Translational research Networks • • Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities Program (GMa. P) National Outreach Network (NON) 2

NCI Diversity-Focused Training Programs Extramural: Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) • • • Support research experiences of underrepresented students and scientists Promote professional and career development Help the trainees achieve research independence Intramural: Intramural Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (i. CURE) 3

More Than a Pipeline: CURE and i. CURE Provide an Ecosystem of Support GMa. P: In-Region Connections Professional Development Workshop Mock Review Mentored Research Experience Technical Assistance Workshop Virtual Platforms Navigation of Trainees 4

Extramural: Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) Emphasize scientific areas of greatest need Expand extend the period of training Increase the size of the talent pool Focused on enhancing diversity: Trainees must be US citizen, non-citizen nationals or permanent resident Race/Ethnicity Disability Disadvantaged Background 5

CURE Trainees (2001 -2018, n = 4, 753) are Diverse Career Levels Demographics 1% 2% 3%0% 4% 2% 3% 4% 6% 12% 17% 11% 2% 35% 42% 1% American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Disability Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Unknown White Low SES 29% 24% Middle School High School Undergraduate Graduate Post-Bac/Post-Masters Postdoc Investigators 6

CURE Funding Mechanisms F 31 Diversity Supplements R 25 YES K 01, K 08, K 22 R R 2 0 1 1 Individual Awards Institutional Awards Individual Awards Re-entry Supplements 7

Diversity and Re-entry Supplements Diversity Supplements Re-entry Supplements 8

Supplements within the CURE: Diversity and Re-Entry • Provide additional funding to currently active NIH grants (parent grants) to support research experiences of trainees • Parent grant must have at least two years of active status at the time of supplement application • Application receipt: Oct 1 – Dec 1 and Feb 1 – Mar 30 • A bridge for candidates to progress to the next academic/career level • Diversity Supplements: http: //www. cancer. gov/aboutnci/organization/crchd/diversity-training/cure/DSGuidelines • Re-entry Supplements: http: //www. cancer. gov/aboutnci/organization/crchd/diversity-training/cure/Re. Entry. Guidelines 9

Diversity Supplements: Special Eligibility Criteria for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows § No concurrent PHS support for graduate student or postdoctoral fellow candidate at the time of application: Ø Cannot be supported by parent grant Ø If coming off of institutional training grant, need letter from institution § AFTER application submission: Ø Can be supported by the parent grant at the recipient’s own risk, pending funding decision of supplement application 10

What Do We Look for in a Supplement Application? Candidate • • Mentoring and Career Development Plan Motivation • Scientific proficiency Accomplishments and mentoring expertise Career goals of mentor(s) Eligibility statement • Defined role(s) and commitment of mentor(s) • Training of career skills • Clear benchmarks • Candidate-specific plans Research Plan • Relevancy to Parent Grant project • Scientific impact on Parent Grant project • Research design and feasibility • Alignment with candidate’s career goals 11

Suggested Timeline for Preparing a Supplement Application 5 Months Prior • • 3 Months Prior Identify mentor/candidate Match interests Plan application Contact NCI Program Director • • • 1 Month Prior Write application Ask people to review Revise and revise Assemble application components Finalize Submission Deadline • • • Start submission process Remember institution deadlines Leave room for submission logistics issues 12

Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health. Related Research (F 31) F 31 13

F 31 Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship (PA-20 -251) § Objective: To increase biomedical workforce diversity by supporting mentored research training leading to a Ph. D or combined dual doctoral degrees. § Benefits Ø Individualized, mentored research training. Ø Experience conducting impactful research as well as presenting and publishing research findings as a first author. Ø Development of a stronger grants skillset which improves competitiveness for NIH funding. Ø Student is the PI of the F 31. § Application receipt: Dec. 8, April 8, and August 8 § Support is provided for up to 5 (Ph. D. ) or 6 years (combined degrees, ex. MD/Ph. D) 14

5 Important Elements of an F 31 Diversity Application 1. Fellowship Applicant 2. Sponsors, Collaborators, and Consultants 3. Research Training Plan 4. Training Potential 5. Institutional Environment & Commitment to Training • Strong academic record • • • Some research experience • Specific Aims clearly described Highlight skills for Independent Career • • Overall scientific impact Explain selection of academic institution • Describe activities that support future career as an independent researcher • Discuss how features of scientific environment will enhance success • • Excellent letters of recommendation Eligibility letter • • Sponsor is active, funded investigator in area of proposed research Must devote time and commitment to trainees’ success Should have a history of mentoring success • Objective, Approach, Innovation, Significance 15

Suggested Timeline for Preparing an F 31 Diversity Application 8 -6 Months Prior 4 -3 Months Prior • Notify NCI PD of intent to apply • Become familiar with the Program Announcement & Instruction requirements • Begin 1 st draft of application working with Sponsor 1 Month Prior • Ask grant writing experts to review 2 nd draft of application • Focus on required sections of the F 31 application • Update NCI PD of progress • Review, Edit, Revise!! Submission Deadline • Final draft of application • Refer to PA and Instructions for submission guidance • Utilize Institutional resources in submission process 16

Career Development K Awards to Promote Diversity K 01, K 08, K 22* *Investigators in tenure-track faculty positions are not eligible 17

NCI Career Development Awards (K Awards) § Objectives: Ø Provide protected time and salary support for 3 -5 years of intensive training and research Ø Promote career development activities to enhance candidate’s research capabilities Ø Expectation is that awardees will be prepared to lead independent research programs and become competitive for NIH research project grants § Requirements: Ø An academically strong candidate with prior research experience and publications Ø A well-defined research project with scientific impact and structured training activities Ø Experienced, committed, & funded mentor/mentoring team (advisory committee for K 22) Ø Institutional commitment to candidate’s career development and 75% protected time 18

NCI K Awards Supported by CRCHD Upcoming Application Due dates: October 12, February 12 K Award Mentored or Non. Mentored K 01 Mentored K 22 K 08 Non-Mentored Research Focus Salary up to All Cancer-Related Research $100 k Clinical, Translational & Patient-Oriented Research $189 k Max R&D Duration Support $30 k 3 -5 years $50 k 3 -5 years 19

FOAs: Clinical Trial Allowed vs No Independent Clinical Trials § FOAs Ø NCI Mentored Research Scientist Development Award to Promote Diversity (K 01) PAR-18 -364: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18 -364. html PAR-18 -365: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18 -365. html Ø NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K 08) PAR-18 -336: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18 -336. html PAR-18 -337: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18 -337. html Ø NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K 22) PAR-18 -366: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18 -366. html PAR-18 -367: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-18 -367. html 20

Eligibility Criteria: NCI Diversity K 01 and K 08 § Research, clinical or health-professional doctoral degree or equivalent § Clinical doctorate or Ph. D in clinical disciplines (K 08) § Full-time appointment at an academic institution at the time of the award § ≤ 5 years of total postdoctoral training at the time of application § The K 08 award may be used by candidates with different levels of prior research training and at different stages in their mentored career development § No individual NIH K awards or other pending PHS K applications or peer -reviewed research grants. Former PIs of R 03, R 21, R 36 or SBIR remain eligible 21

Eligibility Criteria: NCI Diversity K 22 § Clinical, research doctorate or combined degree § Affiliation with a domestic extramural or Federal institution at the time of submission or resubmission § ≤ 8 years of mentored, non-independent postgraduate training after terminal degree/clinical residency at time of application § No tenure-track faculty position or accepted offer § Applicants are expected to submit an R 01 application by the end of year 2 of the award § No individual NIH K awards or other pending PHS K applications or peer-reviewed research grants (except R 03, R 21) 22

What Do We Look for in a Career Development Application? Candidate Career Development and Mentoring Plan Research Plan • Excellent training & • Structured career • Good training vehicle to research development plan establish applicant’s experience niche • Matched expertise & • Highly productive strong mentoring track • Sound approach (peer-reviewed record of mentor(s) (appropriate research publication record) • Strong reference design and feasible) • Clear career goals • Eligibility letters • Strong environment & institutional support • Well written with good alignment with applicant’s career goals 23

Suggested Timeline for Preparing a K-Award Application 6 -9 Months Prior • • • Perform self and skills assessment Identify gap areas Identify mentors, collaborators Plan application Contact NCI Program Director 3 -6 Months Prior • • • 1 Month Prior Write application Ask people to review Revise and revise Assemble application components Finalize Submission Deadline • • • Start submission process Remember institution deadlines Leave room for submission logistics issues 24

R 25 Youth Enjoy Science Research Education Grant R 25 YES 25

R 25 Youth Enjoy Science Research Education Program Purpose: YES promotes effective early intervention strategies to engage underrepresented middle school, high school and undergraduate students in cancer research Reissue of FOA PAR-17 -059: anticipated late 2020 R 25 YES Requires Three Activities Research Experience § § Individual, mentored research experience for high school students and more senior Strong mentoring support Curriculum / Methods § § Education tools for students Teacher/faculty participants develop activities to bring back to classroom Outreach § Engage middle school students in cancer research activities § Support career and professional development of students § Meaningfully engage families, teachers and communities in support of students § Dissemination of program information § Education and dissemination of cancerrelated information to family and community 26

Tips for Grant Applications: § Find NIH grants and funding information: https: //grants. nih. gov/grants/oer. htm § Visit NIH extramural diversity website: https: //extramural-diversity. nih. gov § Learn about peer review at NIH Center of Scientific Review: https: //public. csr. nih. gov/Applicant. Resources/Pages/default. aspx 27

Intramural Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (i. CURE) Program i. CURE 28

i. CURE Enhances Diversity in NCI Intramural Research Program • i. CURE is new – launched in December 2017 • Mentored research experiences on NCI campuses in Bethesda, Shady Grove (Rockville) and Frederick, Maryland • Supports postbacs (including Post Master’s), graduate students and postdocs • Centralized review and program-facilitated matches for scholars to PIs in NCI Intramural Research Program • No limitation on research areas within NCI Post-baccalaureate (Incl. Post-master’s) One-year research experience awards Graduate Students Two-year research experience awards Postdoctoral Fellows Three-year research experience awards 29

Apply to i. CURE, Connect to i. CURE Applications accepted now: October 15 – December 20, 2020 https: //www. cancer. gov/aboutnci/organization/crchd/diversity-training/icure i. CURE Program Team Email: i. CURE@nih. gov @NCICRCHD @NCIResearch. Ctr @NCIEpi. Training 30

Questions? Contact Alison Lin, Ph. D linaj@mail. nih. gov @NCICRCHD https: //www. cancer. gov/about-nci/organization/crchd 31

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