NIH Grant Application Writing Workshop

Significance and Innovation

S.P. SugrueFeb. 13 2013

General comments:

• Propose something significant• Good ideas do not sell themselves• Make it exciting• Probe for mechanism and seek new paradigms

(perhaps models)• Avoid proposing to collect more data• Be very clear• Do not assume much reviewer background• Do not ‘test the waters’

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Death Critiques

• “Low impact” research• “Incremental changes” –death knell for significance• “Confirmatory research, duplicative”• “Derivative”

Significance

• Title• Abstract • Specific Aims • Significance• Innovation• Public Health Relevance Statement

Significance Section:

• Although you will emphasize your project's significance throughout the application, the Significance section should give the most details.

Significance Section:

• Take your time and tell them your story—• Needs to be crafted for perspective of the

reviewers.

Significance should:

• Convince your reviewers how the niche you've selected for this project can push forward the frontier of knowledge in your field.

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Significance ≠ Illness

• Don’t argue that a particular illness is significant.

• Significance: What will you do to help cure the illness/lessen its consequences/prevent sequelae?

Two questions:

1. If 100% successful with the experiments proposed, where will we be?

2. If you and your lab team disappear, how will you be missed?

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Don’t fall into traps

• Just because it hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it needs to be done

• This area is so important (or new) that any information will be significant

Significance need to:

• Present the research proposed in the context of the state of your field and your long-term research plans.

Significance Section Suggested Layout

• Paragraph one: Introduce the problem:• Paragraph two: Additional background as

needed:• Paragraph three: Emphasize the significance of

the idea (hypothesis) proposed- • Paragraph four: Emphasize the significance in a

broader context-

Summary

• describe the importance of your hypothesis to the field

• describe the importance of your studies to human disease.

• point out the project's significance throughout the application.

• show awareness of the opportunities, gaps, roadblocks, and research underway in the field.

• State how your project fills gap.

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Think Broadly about Innovation

• A new MECHANISTIC hypothesis• A new combination of expertise (unusual

multi-disciplinary team), leading to new perspective

• A new combination of 2 previously used methods

• A refinement of existing model, technology • Unique sample, opportunity provide • the novelty

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How to Write about Innovation?Be Straightforward!

• Note: NIH makes no recommendations re: length; suggested length ½ -¾ page

• Does your research incorporate a new perspective on your subject?– Novel concepts, approaches or methods? – Are the aims original and innovative? – Does the project challenge existing paradigms or

develop new methodologies or technologies?

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Remember: Innovation is Necessary, But Not Justification for Research

• “This model has been tested in rabbits, mice, rats, drosophila, dogs, cats, chickens, zebrafish and hamsters, but no one has looked at it in a frog yet.”

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Too much “innovation”

• Be careful about arguing you’re “outside the mainstream” • Need to balance innovation with:–Feasibility (preliminary data, scope

of research) –Credibility (training, publications)

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Closing comments

• Use readers• Do not be defensive• Be flexible and responsive

• Good Luck!