Technical Assistance Webinar: NLM Institutional Training Grants for Research Training in Biomedical Informatics RFA-LM-11-001 Q

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Technical Assistance WebinarNLM Institutional
Training Grants for Research Training in
Biomedical InformaticsRFA-LM-11-001Q A Only

• NLM Extramural Programs
• National Institutes of Health
• Updated 3-24-2011 adding Q 17-26

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QA

• Q1 I dont see any information about consortium
  applications are you accepting them?
• A1 No consortium applications will be accepted.
  A lead applicant may work with other
  organizations through subcontracts multiple
  Project Director/Principal Investigator
  arrangements

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QA

• Q2 In reading the RFA, it seems that
  bioinformatics focused on biological functions
  (but not on patients or disease processes) is not
  a priority area. Is this correct?
• A2 Yes, the emphasis in bioinformatics training
  for this announcement is on health-related or
  translational bioinformatics, relating to
  processes involved in health and disease.

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QA

• Q3 Can an institution submit more than one
  application?
• A3 Any institution with a unique DUNS number or
  NIH IPF number is allowed to submit one
  application. For a university system with five
  campuses, if each campus has a unique DUNS or NIH
  IPF number, then each campus can apply. However,
  those applications compete against one another in
  review.

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QA

• Q4 Do the required tables count against the
  25-page limit?
• A4 No, they do not.

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QA

• Q5 Would a program that offers an MS in clinical
  research rather than biomedical informatics be in
  scope?
• A5 NLMs predoctoral training is meant to
  support PhD research. For postdoctoral trainees,
  such as MDs who want to enter the field of
  biomedical informatics, the MS degree would need
  to be in biomedical informatics, computer science
  or a related field with emphasis in informatics.

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QA

• Q6 Could a program apply that does not have any
  association with a medical school?
• A6 Biomedical informatics training needs to
  have a link to human health. It is difficult to
  imagine that appropriate foundational training
  could be offered without ties to a medical school
  or healthcare organization.

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QA

• Q7 What are NLMs expectations for multiple
  Program Director/Principal Investigator
  applications regarding qualifications?
• A7 Each program director/principal investigator
  in a multi-PD/PI application should have
  comparable qualifications that is, she/he
  should be a senior-level (at the rank of
  associate professor or higher) full-time faculty
  member at the applicant or participating
  institution, capable of providing both
  administrative and scientific leadership for the
  program.

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QA

• Q8 Are any form of subawards/consortium
  agreements allowed with this funding mechanism? 
  If yes, what are the specific guidelines?
• A8 Consortium applications are not being
  accepted. Collaborations with other training
  programs are possible using sub-contract
  arrangements if funds will be transferred from
  the awardee to a partner organization.

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QA

• Q9 The four basic informatics training areas do
  not include bioinformatics or computational
  biology. Does "translational bioinformatics"
  include traditional bioinformatics methods (e.g.,
  analyzing regulatory networks)?
• A9 The emphasis in bioinformatics training for
  this announcement is on health-related or
  translational bioinformatics, relating to
  processes involved in health and disease.
  Traditional bioinformatics topics such as systems
  biology or computational biology or network
  analysis are not supported unless there is a
  clear linkage to health.

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QA

• Q10 Is there a limit to the number of core
  faculty? Previously (2006) the number of
  biosketches was limited to 12.
• A10 There is no limit on the number of core
  faculty, but the biosketches must be attached as
  a single document. These biosketches do not
  require a personal statement. See Instructions
  from p. I-186 of the SF424 RR Application Guide
  (QA document has the text) 

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QA

• Q11 For tables 8AB, do we include all applicants
  or just a selection?
• A11 For applicants you accepted, list all that
  would have been eligible for your proposed
  program had it been in place. For applicants not
  accepted, list 20 of them and provide a footnote
  explaining what you did.

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QA

• Q12 What is the difference between core faculty,
  additional faculty and participating faculty?
• A12 Core faculty are responsible for
  administering the program, developing curriculum
  and primary mentoring of your trainees.
  Additional (aka participating) faculty teach or
  provide research advice.

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QA

• Q13 Can we include faculty from other
  universities in our list of participating
  faculty?
• A13 Yes, if they will be teaching or providing
  research advice to your trainees. You would want
  to include letters from those organizations
  agreeing to participate.

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QA

• Q14 Our PhD program will begin after the
  application is submitted. Should we leave table
  9A blank?
• A14 Yes, unless your department offers other PhD
  programs that are very similar in scope or nature
  to the one you are proposing.

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QA

• Q15 Please define participating department,
  (Table 1).
• A15 Participating departments are (1) the
  department planning to offer the NLM supported
  training plus (2) any other departments who are
  collaborating in the training program by
  providing instructors, research advice or other
  opportunities for proposed NLM trainees.
  Respectively, they are home to core faculty and
  to additional/participating faculty.

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QA

• Q16 Will there be information posted on your web
  site for people who could not attend today?
• A16 Yes, we will post a transcript of the
  session and also update the QA slides if
  necessary

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QA

• Q17 Will there be site visits done as part of
  the award process?
• A17 Site visits will not be routinely done as
  part of the award process. However, a site visit
  could be scheduled if NLM felt that additional
  information about a proposal was needed before an
  award decision could be made.

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QA

• Q18 You are not accepting consortium
  applications. Should organizations who were part
  of a consortium in the previous round apply as
  new or renewal applicants?
• A18 Only the awardee organization should apply
  as a renewal applicant. Other components of the
  consortium may apply as new applicants.

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QA

• Q19 Do MD postdoctoral trainees need to pursue a
  degree during their training period?
• A19 Yes, they would need to pursue either a
  research-oriented MS in biomedical informatics or
  related field, or a PhD in biomedical informatics
  or a related field.

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QA

• Q20 What is the rational for requesting a
  balanced mix of predoctoral and postdoctoral
  trainees, and must it be a 60 predoc40 postdoc
  ratio?
• A20 NLM wishes to increase the number of
  postdoctoral trainees in its programs so that the
  numbers of predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees
  are relatively equal. An applicant may present a
  rationale for a different ratio.

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QA

• Q21 For existing NLM programs, should the Short
  Term trainees be recorded in the tables or just
  in the progress report?
• A21 List Short Term trainees both places. In the
  tables, list them with other predoctoral or
  postdoctoral trainees as appropriate, indicating
  that they are STTP.

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QA

• Q22 What is meant by practicum experiences for
  trainees?
• A22 NLM expects that trainees will have a number
  of experiences which might be called hands on
  or in context that will further their
  understanding of biomedical informatics and its
  applications in health domains.

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QA

• Q23 If the postdoctoral trainee is pursuing a
  PhD, is funding limited to only 3 years?
• A24 Yes that is correct.

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QA

• Q24 For a new application, how should
  subcontracts be structured when the number of
  trainees is not yet known?
• A24 Applicants should describe the intended
  arrangement for a multi-institutional program in
  terms of trainee selection, location, mentorship
  and cohort experiences. The details of budget
  distribution are worked out by the awardee and
  subcontractors.

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QA

• Q25 Does the PI need to be heavily published in
  biomedical informatics or will related experience
  suffice?
• A25 The PI needs to be a senior faculty member
  with research and publishing background
  appropriate for that level. Additionally, a PI
  should have experience with administering
  training. The review criterion list provide
  additional guidance about qualifications of PIs.

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QA

• Q26 Can an MD/PhD student be supported with NLM
  predoctoral training funds?
• A26 Yes, the PhD portion of the students
  training can be supported by NLM training funds
  provided that the degree is awarded in biomedical
  informatics or a related field.

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Further Questions

• Program contact Dr. Valerie Florance, Director,
  NLM Extramural Programs, florancev_at_mail.nih.gov
• or
• Send questions to mailbox NLMEPWebinar_at_mail.nih.go
  v with Subject line T-15 question