Director, AREA ProgramNational Institutes of Health

Meet the Experts in NIH Peer Review, November 2014

Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Program

•Support meritorious small-scale research projects

•Expose students to research ▫Not train students to conduct research

•Strengthen the research environment of the institution▫Institutions of higher education that have not been

major recipients of NIH research grant funds

Goals of AREA program

Who does what for R15s

•Project period is limited 3 years•Direct cost limited to $300,000 over entire

project period •Multiple PIs are allowed, if all eligible•Research Strategy limited to 12 pages•Grants are renewable•Preliminary data not required but can be

provided• Institution has not been major recipient of NIH

support ▫ http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_ineligible_list_2014.pdf

Key features

•Terminal health science degree issued by component not university▫DPH,DDS, DPT, DC, PhD, MD, DO, DVM, BSN▫Different that programmatic accreditation

• Impact on this unit is evaluated

Is Health Professional School considered separately from Other Academic?

•What is accredited? Where is degree issued?•At level of flagship campus = not considered

separately•At level of satellite campus = considered

separately

Can satellite campus be considered separately from flagship?

•Funded through the R15 grant mechanism▫Program Announcement (PA) Number: PA-13-313

•Standard receipt dates▫February 25, June 25, and October 25

New, A1/resubmission, renewal, revision▫AIDS-related research deadlines: May 7, September

7, and January 7

•All NIH ICs participate in the AREA program except FIC, NIMHD, and NCATS

Application logistics

•Goals of AREA integrated into scorable review criteria in PA-12-006 & PA-13-313

•Application should convey how you meet these

Unique review criteria

• “Important scientific contribution”•Provide research opportunities for students•Strengthen research environment

Overall impact

•Significance▫Strengthen research environment?▫Expose students to research?

• Investigator▫Experience supervising students in research?

•Approach▫Can project stimulate students’ interest so they

consider biomedical/behavioral science career?•Environment▫Well qualified students available?▫Have or likely will students pursue biomedical/

behavioral science careers?

Some review criteria are unique

•Additions to PI Biosketch detail experience with student researchers

•Additions to Facilities address students & institution and impact of grant on institution▫Institution/component, not PI

Unique application instructions

•Like NIH Area Program on Facebook▫https://www.facebook.com/NIHAreaProgram

•AREA home page▫http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm

•FAQs▫http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_faq.htm

•R15 Mailbox (me)▫R151@mail.nih.gov

Resources