Child Health Research Career Development Awards. (Fellowships, Grants & Awards).

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) supports a program of Child Health Research Career Development Awards (CHRCDAs) intended to develop resources to speed the transfer of knowledge gained through studies in basic science to clinical applications that will benefit the health of children. The CHRCDAs will support research career development of pediatricians who have recently completed subspecialty training and who are commencing basic and/or clinical research relevant to child health. The goal of this initiative is to advance research in child health and to support educational institutions in their ability to stimulate novel research initiatives and career development experiences for junior investigators. This will be accomplished by increasing the number and effectiveness of established pediatric investigators who have a grounding in basic science and research skills that can be applied to the health problems of children, as well as by increasing the number of pediatric medical centers that can stimulate and facilitate the application of research findings to pressing pediatric problems.

A CHRCDA grant provides pediatric research institutions with an opportunity to build a greater capacity for nurturing unior investigators. Individuals with a wide range of biomedical and biobehavioral backgrounds, especially those with a basic science orientation, are asked to mentor newly trained pediatricians just embarking on their research careers. The established investigators make available their expertise, guidance, and laboratory facilities to be utilized by junior investigators for research projects that will enhance their basic science knowledge and skills. Although mentors from collaborating departments may provide expertise and resources, the emphasis remains on research that is relevant to clinical pediatrics and its various subspecialty areas.

Applications from institutions not previously funded for CHRCDAs are encouraged. A CHRCDA may be awarded to a children's hospital or to a department of pediatrics of an approved medical school in the United States that has as a primary teaching site either a general children's hospital or a children's program with an identifiable organizational structure that is part of a larger medical institution. Grantee institutions must have the clinical pediatric specialties and subspecialties, and the discrete clinical and research facilities sufficient to meet the purposes of the CHRCDA program, namely, to bridge clinical pediatric training with a career in basic and/or clinical research relevant to child health. CHRCDA scholars must have an M.D. degree or equivalent, must have completed a pediatric residency and subspecialty training, and must be within three years of completing their subspecialty training when starting the program. Scholars must be willing to spend 75% of full-time professional effort conducting research and research career development activities. Scholars must be U.S. citizens or noncitizen nationals, or must be able to provide legal proof of lawful admission for permanent residence. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.

This request for applications will use the NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program (K12) award mechanism. Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed program will be solely that of the applicant. The NICHD intends to commit approximately $3.2 million in total costs in fiscal year 2003 to fund up to eight new and/or competing continuation grants. Applicants may request a project period of up to five years and a budget of up to $400,000 for direct costs per year. It is not required that applications request the allowable budgetary maximum. Small size is not a disadvantage for CHRCDA funding, if the support requested for core resources (administration, shared core laboratory) is in proportion to the activity in new project development that is the CHRCDA's primary purpose.

The deadline for letters of intent is 25 January 2002, with final applications due 26 February 2002. Further information is available online at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/ RFA-HD-01-019.html. The PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/ phs398/phs398.html are to be used in applying for these grants. For further assistance call 301-435-0714 or e-mail [e-mail].

Contact: Karen K. Winer, Center for Research for Mothers and Children, NICHD, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 4B11, MSC 7510, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510 USA, 301-435-6877, fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Reference: RFA No. RFA-HD-01-019