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Introduction |
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PAR
Number: PA 03-178
Release Date: 09-30-03
Expiration Date: 07-21-06, unless reissued |
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Scope and Priorities |
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Purpose
The National Library of Medicine, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering wish to support informatics research that addresses biomedical information management problems relevant to management of disasters. Disasters can be caused by nature or by man, through accident or by malice. Terrorism, particularly bioterrorism, is now an important focus of federal activity, but terrorism is only one of a number of threats to public safety classified as disasters. Disaster management is heavily dependent on efficient flow of information. How best to utilize information technology in a disaster situation poses a number of problems for which relevant informatics research is necessary.
Research Objectives
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) classifies disasters as Natural (e.g. earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildlife fires etc.) or Technological (e.g. terrorism, nuclear power plant emergencies, hazardous materials etc.). Other classification schemes exist, but whatever the cause, certain features are desirable for management of almost all disasters:
- Prevention
- Advance warning
- Early detection
- Analysis of the problem, and assessment of scope
- Notification of the public and appropriate authorities
- Mobilization of a response
- Containment of damage
- Relief and medical care for those affected
Because efficient realization of these elements is heavily dependent on adequate and timely flow of information, appropriate use of modern information technology can be of enormous help to those responsible for disaster management. How best to use the information systems in place, and how to improve their contribution to disaster management are the concerns of this PA. Some informatics issues relevant for disaster management include, among others:
- Standards to permit collection of data from diverse sources
- Coordination of disparate information systems across jurisdictional boundaries, and among system owners
- Design and deployment of appropriate databases for assessment of impact pre- and post-disaster
- Current, accurate information for clinicians and public
- Decision support systems for diagnosis and treatment
- Pattern recognition, data mining, and knowledge extraction algorithms
- Preserving privacy while protecting the public
- Pre- and post-disaster tracking systems for response personnel, disaster victims, and other resources
- Timely mobilization (including prior or standing IRB approval)
For the most part these are the same issues that have interested informaticians during the past decade with considerable success for clinical information systems. However, specific solutions are needed within the context of disaster management. Universal installation of electronic medical record systems and physician order entry would doubtless provide multiple benefits; however, such systems are not likely to be widely in place in the near future. Solutions are needed that can utilize or incrementally improve the health care information systems of today. This PA is intended to encourage applications that seek such solutions.
Within this area, NIMH is particularly interested in encouraging researchers to develop and test data collection technologies and procedures that will speed and coordinate the process of acquiring and utilizing new information about mental health consequences of disasters. The development and testing of approaches for computerized patient triage and tracking systems, coordination of databases and survivor registries, data storage and confidentiality procedures, and environmental stress/damage assessments are examples of the types of projects that can help to gather, manage, and disseminate mental health relevant information in a disaster situation. Such information may: improve long-term survival, help prepare for subsequent incidents, aid in assessing the physical and emotional needs of a population, impact on planning and provision of mental health services for victims and other disaster-affected persons, and increase understanding of the human response to trauma more broadly.
NIBIB supports hypothesis-, design-, technology- or problem-driven research relating to the discovery, design, development, translation, application, and assessment of new knowledge in biomedical imaging and bioengineering. In the context of disaster management NIBIB is interested in (i) technologies related to data reduction, data mining, and knowledge extraction; (ii) the enhancement of the utility of existing databases by development of tools for meta-databases and integrative services; and (iii) methods for timely, appropriate communication of pertinent knowledge to cognizant bodies.
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Eligibility |
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Eligible Institutions
You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the following characteristics:
- For-profit or non-profit organizations.
- Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories.
- Units of State and local governments.
- Eligible agencies of the Federal government.
- Domestic or foreign.
- Faith-based organizations
Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with an eligible institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH programs.
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Mechanism |
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This PA will use the NIH R21 award mechanism. As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This grant program uses "just-in-time" concepts. It also uses the modular and non-modular budgeting formats (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm )
Specifically, if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or less, use the modular format. Otherwise, use the standard PHS 398 instructions for detailed budgets. |
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Review Criteria |
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The goals of NIH-supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, improve the control of disease, and enhance health. In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to discuss the following aspects of your application in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals:
- Significance
- Approach
- Innovation
- Investigator
- Environment
The scientific review group will address and consider each of these criteria in assigning your application's overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application. Your application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, you may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but is essential to move a field forward.
(1) Significance: Does your study address an important problem? If the aims of your application are achieved, how do they advance scientific knowledge? What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field?
(2) Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics?
(3) Innovation: Does your project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims original and innovative? Does your project challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?
(4) Investigator: Are you appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to your experience level as the principal investigator and to that of other researchers (if any)?
(5) Environment: Does the scientific environment in which your work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?
Protections: The adequacy of the proposed protection for humans, animals, or the environment, to the extent they may be adversely affected by the project proposed in the application.
Inclusion: The adequacy of plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the research. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects will also be evaluated.
Data Sharing: The adequacy of the proposed plan to share data.
Budget: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested period of support in relation to the proposed research.
Additional Review Criteria: In addition to the above criteria, your application will also be reviewed with respect to the following:
- Can the project produce results useful now or in near future?
- Is the work applicable to other sites?
- Is the P.I. appropriately aware of existing disaster management plans and resources?
- Is attention paid to the use of standards for information management?
- Are user acceptance issues considered?
- Will the work be adaptable to tomorrow's information technology?
- Is the evaluation plan appropriate?
Award Criteria
Applications submitted in response to the Small Grant Program will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
- Scientific merit of the proposed project as determined by peer review
- Availability of funds
- Relevance to program priorities
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Application and Process |
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Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html For further assistance contact:
GrantsInfo@nih.gov
Telephone (301) 435-0714
Specific Instructions for Modular Grant Applications: The NLM Small Grant program is covered by the NIH policy requiring all applications requesting up to $250,000 per year in direct costs to be submitted in a modular grant format. The modular grant format simplifies the preparation of the budget in these applications by limiting the level of budgetary detail. Applicants request direct costs in $25,000 modules. Section C of the research grant application instructions for the PHS 398 (rev. 5/2001) at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html includes step-by-step guidance for preparing modular grants. Additional information on modular grants is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/modular/modular.htm
Sending an Application to the NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the 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
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)
Application Processing: Applications must be received by or mailed on or before the receipt dates described at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm The CSR will not accept any application in response to the Small Grant Program that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The CSR will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of a substantial revision of an application already reviewed, but such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous critique.
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Review Considerations |
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Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by the NLM Biomedical Library and Informatics Review Committee (BLIRC)
As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
- Receive a written critique
- Undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will be discussed and assigned a priority score
- Receive a second level review by the appropriate national advisory council or board
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Contact Information |
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The NLM encourages inquiries concerning this PA and welcomes the opportunity answer questions from potential applicants. Before submitting an application, interested applicants should contact Dr. Valerie Florance to discuss their projects:
Valerie Florance, PhD
Extramural Programs
National Library of Medicine
Rockledge 1, Suite 301
6705 Rockledge Drive MSC 7968
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 594-4882
FAX: (301) 402-2952
Email: floranv@mail.nih.gov
For NIMH and NIBIB contact information, see the NIH Guide program announcement at http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-178.html |
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