Templates, checklists, examples, and tips for preparing supporting documents.
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Note: Please do not use anyone else’s text without permission.
NIH Biographical Sketch
The Biosketch gives the investigators the opportunity to highlight their expertise and experience related to proposal work.
“Investigator” in the review criterion will be checked in Biosketch
All senior/key personnel and other significant contributors must have biosketches.
Page limit < 5 pages
- Download blank format page from here
- Check basic instruction on NIH website
- Check the Tips
- For more detail, click here (NIAID website)
- My personal statement showcases my skills.
- I convince reviewers that I am the right person to lead the research.
- The other biosketches will convince reviewers that members of my team can all perform the roles I need them to play on the project.
- I highlight each person’s accomplishments in the research support section.
- The publications I choose reveal my skills and those of my team.
- My biosketches are consistent with other parts of the application.
Examples
- NIH sample from here
- Sample Application & More (NIAID website, you can see successful investigator’s Biosketch under “Full Application”)
Click here to see Tips for each section: Tips are filled in red in a blank Biosketch format
Make your Personal Statement shine!
Your personal statement can be a big factor in how you the PI rate on the Investigator review criterion.
All of your key personnel’s biosketches have a personal statement too, which must explicitly state how their experience qualifies them for their role on your project, including relevant education, expertise, and accomplishments.
Carefully choose your publications.
Highlight your team’s expertise by listing publications or manuscripts in press for each member.
Letter of Support
Attach all appropriate Letters of Support, including any letters necessary to demonstrate the support of consortium participants and collaborators such as senior/key personnel, other significant contributors and institution included in the grant application.
No letter should be sent directly to Department of Medicine Chair.
In an effort to organize the departmental signature process for grant application documents (e.g., letters of support, multi-PI plans, cover sheets, etc.) a routing workflow has been developed. The process and associated timeline is in place to ensure we put forth the best letter in support of DOM faculty research and to confirm content is aligned with funding solicitation and institutional requirements. Your DOM grants and contracts administrator (GCA) will facilitate the review and signature process with the Chair’s office. For grants submitted through an academic center or institute, the letter or application cover sheet should be sent to the Medicine Office of Research email alias (dom-ra@dm.duke.edu) for review and routing to the Chair’s office.
- Please contact Dr. Wolf if you need a letter from DOM Chair
- Please allow 2 weeks before your deadline
- Refer to some samples from the Duke website and make a draft for Dr. Wolf
- Letters should be directed through the Division Chief (Dr. Wolf) who will ensure Drs. Cooney/Wolf agreed upon format. Delivery to Chair will be followed by the Division chief.
The letter of support should clearly describe what type of support your collaborators will provide (e.g., reagents, animals, human samples, technology).
When you request a Letter of Support, consider providing your collaborator a summary of your agreement as a convenient starting point.
You could draft the full letter, so the person can just sign and return it.
For Mentored Career Development Grant
Instruction from NIH guide from here.
All mentored career development applications should identify any and all co-mentors involved with the proposed research an career development program. The mentor and each co-mentor must provide a “Mentor Statement”.
The mentor and co-mentors must each document their role and willingness to participate in the project, and explain how they will contribute to the development of the candidate’s research career.
Each statement should include all the followings
- The plan for the candidate’s training and research career development.
- include not only about research , but also about other developmental activities, e.g., seminars and presentations at scientific meetings
- discuss expectations for publications
- define what aspects of the proposed research project the candidate will be allowed to continue to pursue as part of his/her independent research program.
- The source of anticipated support for the candidate’s research project for each year
- The nature and extent of supervision and mentoring of the candidate, and commitment to the candidate’s development
- The candidate’s anticipated teaching load (number and types of courses/seminars), clinical responsibilities, committee and administrative assignments, and the portion of time available for research
- A plan for transitioning the candidate from the mentored stage of his/her career to the independent investigator stage. Describe the mentor’s previous experience as a mentor.
Instruction from NIH guide from here
* Letter of Support and Letters of Reference is different!
Who is required for Letter of Support?
- Collaborators
- Contributors
- Consultants
Facilities and Other Resources
The information included in the Facilities & Other Resources and Equipment sections is what reviewers will primarily use to assess the strengths and weaknesses under the “Environment“ core review criterion!
Identify the “Facilities” to be used (6 sub-sections). If appropriate, indicate their capacities, pertinent capabilities, relative proximity and extent of availability to the project.
- Laboratory
- Animal
- Clinical
- Computer
- Office
- Other
Describe only those resources that are directly applicable to the proposed work.
Early Stage investigator = a PD/PI who has completed their terminal research degree or end of post-graduate clinical training, whichever date is later, within the past 10 years and who has not previously completed successfully as PD/PI for a substantial NIH independent research award. See here for more detail.
If you are an Early Stage Investigator, describe institutional investment in the success of Early Stage Investigator. This will be included in “Facilities and Other Resources” section.
Your description may include the following elements:
- resources for classes, travel, or training
- collegial support, such as career enrichment programs, assistance and guidance in the supervision of trainees involved with the ESI’s project, and availability of organized peer groups
- logistical support, such as administrative management and oversight and best practices training
- financial support, such as protected time for research with salary support
Templates from our Division
- Template descriptions for the following Duke University facilities and resources sections are provided below. Templates were prepared for and by the Division. Applicants are welcomed to incorporate and use these sections, where applicable, to compile the final facilities and resources page specific to their proposal.
- Templates include
Examples from our Division
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Templates from Duke SoM Office of Research Mentoring for Early Investigator and Career Development award applications include
Sample Application & More (NIAID website; you can see successful investigator’s Facilities and Other Resources under “Full Application”)
Offer only objective detail: avoid subjectivity and clinches (e.g., “adequate” space or “state-of-the-art”equipment)
Include proximity and extent of access to shared/core facilities and/or equipment
If there are multiple performance sites, describe the resources available at each site.
Equipment
List major items of equipment already available for this project and , if appropriate, identify the equipment’s location and pertinent capabilities.
This includes personal lab equipment, shared used equipment available to the division (details below), and/or equipment resources provided through Duke University CoreResearch
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MSRBII Shared Equipment – List of shared use equipment available at MSRBII and additional information of the equipment models/specifications, location, point of contact for use, and special instructions of use)
Nephrologysignup.com – Equipment reservation calendar
