Funding-Limited Submission - Program to Enhance NIH-supported Global Health Research Involving Human Subjects; February 17, 2010

The NIH invites applications from U.S. institutions for one year of support for resources and activities that will strengthen oversight of NIH-supported human subjects research conducted collaboratively with institutions in low- to middle-income countries. This support is meant to improve the quality as well as enhance the efficiency of the ethical review and monitoring and accelerate global health research.  It is expected that the enhancements supported will be sustained by the U.S. and foreign institutions after the award ends. 

Applications will be supported to develop collaborative processes and training as well as jointly used tools and systems to address the specific needs and capabilities for improved review and monitoring of protocols for NIH supported research conducted at a developing country institution. The grants will provide up to $50,000 direct costs of support for an applicant U.S. Institutional Review Board (IRB) to collaborate with a developing country counterpart IRB which reviews some of the same NIH research protocols to do any of the following:

o Develop sustainable electronic systems, procedures and communication methods to facilitate collaboration on review and monitoring of protocols sent to both IRBs;

o Increase administrative, scientific, socio-cultural and ethical  competencies of IRB members and staff related to research reviewed by both IRBs through joint workshops, short-term exchange and training activities;

o Create sustainable international research ethics training resources for global health researchers at both institutions to improve research protocols and practices involving human subjects in the collaborating developing country.

Additional information and guidelines: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-10-006.html

Because the NIH limits an institution to one application, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process. Individuals interested in responding to this solicitation are to send the following information electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Wednesday, February 17, 2010:

· Names and departments of the Project Director and key personnel including their roles on the project

· Names of participating foreign institutions

• Narrative (4 pages) – a) list the NIH-supported research protocols jointly reviewed and monitored by UK and developing country IRB partners during the last five years; b) outline an evaluation plan to determine the effectiveness of the IRB activities and resources developed in the program for improving the review and monitoring of protocols for NIH-supported research conducted at the developing country institution; c) describe plans to sustain the proposed collaborative systems, procedures, training components and resources after the end of the grant period at the U.S. and developing country institutions. 

A committee will be appointed to review the information and make recommendations as to the University’s submission in time for the February 22, 2010 letter of intent and March 22, 2010 complete application deadlines.

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663.)