The Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education (TSFRE), through grants from The William J. von Liebig Foundation and Datascope Corp., and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) wish to announce a program of jointly sponsored Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awards (K08), directed at thoracic surgeons in the early stages of their research careers.

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The purpose of the Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (MCSDA) is to support the development of outstanding clinician research scientists. This mechanism provides specialized study for clinically trained professionals who are committed to a career in research and have the potential to develop into independent investigators. The award supports a 5 year period of supervised research experience that integrates didactic studies with laboratory or clinically-based research. The proposed research should have both intrinsic research importance and be a vehicle for learning the methodology, theories, and conceptualizations necessary for a well trained independent researcher.

Because of the focus on progression to independence, the prospective candidate should propose a period of study and development consistent with this goal and his or her previous research and clinical experience. For example, a candidate with limited experience in a given field of research may find a phased developmental program lasting for 5 years, which includes a designated period of didactic training and supervised research experience, the most efficient means of attaining independence. A candidate with substantial previous research experience may require a shorter period for class work and supervised training and more time for laboratory work appropriate for the transition to independence. The entire program should be comparable in scope and rigor to meeting the requirements of an advanced research degree.

The candidate must have a M.D. degree or its equivalent, must have initiated postgraduate clinical training in thoracic surgery, must identify a mentor with extensive research experience, and must be willing to spend a minimum of 75 percent of full time professional effort conducting research and research career development.

Applications may be submitted, on behalf of candidates, by domestic, non-Federal organizations, public or private, such as medical, dental, or nursing schools or other institutions of higher education. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or noncitizen nationals, or must have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and possess an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-151 or I-551) or some other verification of legal admission as a permanent resident. Noncitizen nationals, though not U.S. citizens, owe permanent allegiance to the U.S. They are usually born in lands that are not states but are under U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.

Former principal investigators of NIH research project grants (R01), FIRST Awards (R29), sub-projects of program projects (P01) or center grants (P50), or the equivalent, are not eligible. A candidate for the MCSDA may not concurrently apply for any other PHS award that duplicates the provisions of this award nor have another application pending award. MCSDA recipients are encouraged to apply for independent research grant support during the period of this award. Questions regarding eligibility requirements should be directed to the NHLBI contact listed at the end of this announcement.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

Awards in response to this program announcement will use the K08 mechanism. Planning, direction, and execution of the program will be the responsibility of the candidate and his/her mentor on behalf of the applicant institution. The project period will be 5 years. Awards are not renewable.

A. Environment: The institution must have a well established research and clinical career development program and a qualified faculty in clinical and basic research to serve as mentors. The institution must be able to demonstrate a commitment to the development of the candidate as a productive, independent investigator. And, the candidate, mentor and institution must be able to describe a multi-disciplinary career development program that will maximize the use of relevant research and educational resources.

B. Program: The Award provides 5 consecutive 12 month appointments. At least 75 percent of the recipient’s full-time professional effort must be devoted to the program and the remainder devoted to other clinical and teaching pursuits consonant with the objectives of the award. The basic science component must develop knowledge and research skills in scientific areas relevant to the career goals of the candidate.

C. Mentor(s): The recipient must receive appropriate mentoring throughout the 5 year program. Where feasible, women and minority mentors should be involved as role models.

Applications should conform to the guidelines published in the document "Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award" dated October 8, 1999 and the document "NHLBI Supplemental Information to the NIH Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award" dated November 18, 1999.

Applicants should note the NHLBI recommends, but does not require, the establishment of an Advisory Committee composed of the candidate’s mentor and at least two other senior faculty members to review the candidate’s progress on an annual basis.

Applications are to be submitted on form PHS 398 (rev. 5/01) and will be accepted on or before the receipt deadline of June 1, 2003. Forms are available at most institutional offices of sponsored research and from the Office of Grants Information, Center for Scientific Review, NIH, 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7710, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone 301/435-0714. Copies of the form may also be printed from the NIH website at the following address:

Please take note that the maximum salary budget to be requested of the NHLBI using Form PHS 398 is $75,000. Any request over $75,000 in salary support may be cause for rejection of the application by the Center for Scientific Review of the NIH. As a function of the overall awards program and separate and distinct from the NHLBI application, TSFRE will be contributing $75,000 in addition to the amount awarded by the NHLBI under the K08 provisions.

To identify the application as a response to this program announcement, check “YES” on item 2 of page 1 of the application and enter “PA-00-003, Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award: Assign to NHLBI.” Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application with Checklist and five signed photocopies, in one package to: Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710, Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (20817-7710 for express/courier service) and five signed photocopies to the Research Committee of TSFRE, 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Chicago, IL 60611. In addition, send one photocopy to Beth Schucker, MA, Leader, Research Training and Special Programs, Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases, NHLBI, Two Rockledge Centre, Suite 9140, MSC 7940, Bethesda, MD 20892-7940.P>

REVIEW CONSIDERATION

Applications will be reviewed for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review and for responsive to this program announcement by TSFRE and by NHLBI. Applications that are complete and responsive to the program announcement will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened at the NHLBI in accordance to the standard NIH peer review procedures. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have highest scientific merit, generally the top half of the applications under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by the National Heart, Lund and Blood Advisory Council. The application will also receive a secondary review by TSFRE.

TSFRE and the NHLBI will notify the applicants of the joint action of TSFRE and the NHLBI Council shortly after the Council meeting in February. It is anticipated that up to two jointly sponsored MCSDA award will be made each year and the name(s) of the awardee(s) will be announced by TSFRE.

For questions regarding eligibility requirements and the K08 application process:

Beth Schucker, MA

Leader Research Training and Special Programs

Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

6701 Rockledge Drive

Suite 9140, MSC 7940

Bethesda, MD 20892-7940

Tel: 301-435-0535

For questions regarding TSFRE:

Robin Hoyle, J.D.

Executive Director

The Thoracic Surgery Foundation

for Research and Education

900 Cummings Center, Suite 221-U

Beverly, MA 01915

Phone: 978-927-8330

Fax: 978-524-8890