Internal Deadline for Limited Submission: NIH Collaborative Centers in Children’s Environmental Health Research and Translation (P2C Clinical Trial Optional)

Limited Submissions: Internal Call for Proposals
NIH Collaborative Centers in Children’s Environmental Health Research and Translation (P2C Clinical Trial Optional)
UNC Internal deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, August 17, 2020

*Please distribute to relevant faculty*

Key Dates

UNC Internal Deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, August 17, 2020

NIH LOI Deadline: October 23, 2020

NIH Application Deadline: November 23, 2020

Important Information

• Number of Applications per Institution: Organizations may only submit one nomination.

To Apply

Submit the following (in ONE .pdf) to the Office of Research Development limited submissions inbox Limited_Submissions@unc.edu by 11:59PM, Monday, August 17, 2020.

1. PI/Proposed team member’s NIH formatted biosketch (five-page maximum)
2. Project Summary (no more than 4 pages)
3. List of potential/committed collaborators (internal and external to UNC)
4. Names of three internal (to UNC) experts who could speak knowledgeably about the candidate’s research and who could potentially serve on an internal review panel.
   • Please do not include the names of faculty named on the project, chairs, deans, directors, direct reports, or others who have a conflict of interest. 
   • Please notify all potential internal reviewers before submitting the pre-proposal packet to ORD.

Award Information

Award Budget: Applicants may request direct costs up to $500,000 per year.

 

Award Project Period: The project period is limited to 5 years.

Cost Sharing: Not required.

 

Eligibility

• Multi-PD/PI required: One recognized and established research investigator in CEH (Director), and an expert (referred to as Deputy Director) with a track record in health communication with translation of science to lay audience, scientific community and public health and or medical professionals.
• Active Scientists. Applicants must have active scientists working in children’s environmental health that is within the scientific mission of NIEHS. Active CEH scientists must hold their primary affiliation with applicant institution or other institutions and this position (tenured or nontenured) must be permanent; Applicants need to have a strong record in scientific publications and competitiveness for peer-reviewed external funding for research within the science mission of NIEHS in CEH. Active scientists must meet the following criteria:
  • (1) PD/PIs must have externally-funded active CEH grants or contracts within the three most recently completed fiscal years: 2017, 2018, 2019. Grant awarded in FY 2020 may be included. Federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.
  • (2) PD/PIs must have strong CEH research publications in peer-reviewed journals during the three most recently completed Federal fiscal years, including FY2019.

 

Program Overview

 

For purposes of this FOA, translational research encompasses the evolution of an idea as it moves through the various phases of research with the goal of creating an impact on human health. The NIEHS Translational Research Framework (TRF) describes five major translational research categories: fundamental questions, integration and synthesis, application and adjustment, practice, and impact. Potential applicants are invited to read more about this concept of translational research and familiarize themselves with the various activities conducted in each translational research category at www.niehs.nih.gov/translation.

 

The objective of this FOA is to create and nurture a national network of Children’s Environmental Health Research Translation Centers (CEHRT Centers) that will (1) provide the scientific community and stakeholders (broadly defined) access to state-of -the art collateral expertise in CEH as well as expertise in health communication, environmental health literacy and dissemination and implementation science  to enhance and accelerate the reach and adoption of CEH knowledge and science, (2) promote external collaborations with the children’s environmental health community of researchers and stakeholders, and (3) provide assistance in response to national, regional, state or local CEH issues or emergencies.  To achieve this, the CEHRT center program will adopt dissemination and implementation strategies that can evolve quickly with the state of the science as well as create actionable steps to best implement, disseminate and sustain CEH knowledge, intervention and programs in the most vulnerable communities.

 

Program Goals:

1. 1. Support collaborations among recognized children’s environmental health scientists along with partners from scientific fields not traditionally associated with environmental health science (EHS) research. These fields might include health and risk communication, dissemination and implementation science, behavioral and social sciences, engineering, economics, medicine, policy, computer science, and more.  These partners will be expected to provide new ideas, strategies, and approaches for moving the CEH science into applied public health and clinical practice in order to expand the impact of CEH research findings.
2. Synthesize and use existing CEH research findings to create new messages, tools, methods/approaches, risk management strategies, public health interventions and practices, curriculums and other educational activities, clinical guidelines, policies and products that translate CEH research findings to applied products and impacts. These products can then be used and/or adapted by stakeholders, at-risk populations, affected communities, and the clinical or public health community to improve children’s health.
3. 3. Establish two distinct pilot programs.  Within the Translation Core, the pilot project program will test, implement, adapt and evaluate new CEH research translational products (curriculum, messages, tools, methods, practices, etc.). In the Developmental Core, the catalyst program will consist of small pilot projects that can address time sensitive environmental health concerns in children or test new emerging areas concepts, tools or approaches in CEH science.
4. Nurture and mentor early stage investigators in CEH research with an emphasis on translation research strategies and approaches.

 

 

Core Components (See NIH solicitation for complete descriptions)

 

Specific Areas of Research Interest:

The theme or vision of the center program must be within the scientific mission of NIEHS with a focus on Children’s Environmental Health to be responsive to this initiative.  NIEHS is interested in research that focuses on environmental exposures, which influence the healthy development of children from early conception through adolescence and young adulthood.

 

Organization of a Collaborative Center CEHRT in the Context of this FOA:

The CEHRT center is to provide researchers, stakeholder and community organizations access to specialized expertise and resources not typically available through their departments, institutions, and/or professional associations.  This includes access to cutting-edge technologies and approaches that are particularly timely for understanding CEH outcomes or exposures.  The emphasis of the Centers infrastructure should be on developing approaches to facilitate the movement of CEH research findings into practice through a concerted program of didactic, interactive and mentored collaborative interaction.  Applicants should propose a cogent program of outreach, research resources, and mentored collaborative opportunities in the specific content area through the following core activities:

 

Workforce Diversity: While not a specific core activity, the NIH continues to encourage institutions to increase the participation of individuals currently underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences; this includes: individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research.  For more information on NIH’s interest in diversity, see “NOT-OD-20-031.”Within the context of the P2C application, applicants should describe how they will identify and facilitate approaches that would encourage the participation of underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women.

 

Administrative Core: The core will be responsible for documentation of overall-effectiveness and impact of the center. In addition, the center will be expected to collaborate with other funded translation centers in the network as appropriate to eliminate duplicate efforts and leverage efforts among common themes.

 

Developmental Core: The Developmental Core (DC) supports a catalyst program of translational research projects directed at emerging and time-sensitive issues relevant to CEH. These projects could generate preliminary data, and develop, test, implement and evaluate new intervention/prevention/communication strategies.

 

Translation Core: The Translation Core (TC) is the focal point for these centers. Effective translation of research findings must draw on the collective expertise from communication, education and dissemination and implementation sciences to achieve this aim.

 

Coordinating Center (optional): In addition to proposing a CEHRT Center, the applicant may propose to take on the additional role of serving as the coordinating center across all the RFA-funded CEHRT Centers. Responsibilities for the coordinating center include: developing and maintaining a central web portal, coordinating the promotion of the overall infrastructure program to the research community in various settings, coordinating trans-center activities, hosting and archiving periodic teleconferences and web-based interactions among the infrastructure PIs and senior staff, and documenting overall infrastructure outcome data with respect to how the centers are advancing the goals of this program. Up to $100,000 per year (direct costs) may be requested to take on the additional responsibility of serving as the Coordinating Center.

Additional Information

Full Solicitation: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-20-001.html

 

A special interactive webinar will be scheduled and later archived for potential applicants. In addition, a webpage of frequently asked questions (FAQs) will be posted. Updates on both the webinar and the FAQs will be available at: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/centers/prevention/index.cfm

 

For additional information, please contact the Limited Submissions Team with questions at Limited_Submissions@unc.edu.

 

 

 

Limited Submissions Team

Office of Research Development

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

308 Bynum Hall

Chapel Hill, NC 27599

(919) 962-7503