- Lessons Learned While Building a Career: Grants
I’ve written lots of grants. Some of them even got funded! Here are some things I learned in my journey from foundation grants to K08 to R01.
Grants beget grants
I was fortunate to have a T32 fellowship during my post-doc, after my clinical training. This helped me gain add...
- A Recipe Gone Haywire (ARGH)
I don’t have a lot of time to cook, so I am always looking for new sources of easy and at least somewhat healthy recipes. Recently, I bought a cookbook titled Mediterranean Every Day (MED) by Sheela Prakash. This cookbook is great because the recipes usually have a short list of ...
- Let’s Talk About Sex as a Biological Variable
I just finished an NIH study section and noted that more than half of the applications discussed did not adequately address sex as a biological variable (SABV). This is a relatively new (for some grant types) component of your grant, and while it may seem relatively minor, it is ...
- Crafting the RCR Section in Application & Progress Report
Let’s talk about Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) – you know, that one-page, required piece of an NIH grant application that could use a little attention. NIH released new guidance (effective September 25, 2022) that does not substantially change prior guide...
- Build-a-Grant, Section by Section
In this round-up are building blocks for key grant sections gathered from Edge for Scholars blogs. Some sections are specific to NIH, while others generalize to many sponsors.
A Blueprint for Execution: Like any builder, you’ll benefit from a solid plan. Check out this overvie...
- Know Thy Study Section Members
The top 20% of grants in any given cycle at any study section are largely impossible to rank in terms of objective quality. Assuming paylines won't allow all to get funded—which they won't—funding individual grants in that 20% becomes a lottery, with subjective criteria often...
- Specific Aims Part III – the Hypothesis (part 1)
As Mary Poppins says, let’s start at the very beginning. What is your hypothesis? Since the entire grant revolves around this one statement, it’s important that put some thought into generating a good one. What is a good hypothesis? One that is clear, testable, provable, and supp...
- More Friendly Advice: When Rejection Isn’t Really Rejection
When rejection isn’t really rejection – more friendly advice from your NIH grant reviewer
I know you’ve heard it, too – “Not Discussed” means you should toss that idea in the black hole of bad research ideas never to be spoken of again. But how many clever, impactful, inno...
- Fighting Rejection, Reggae-Style: Three Little Reviewers
Thought I’d start this one off with a nod to Bob Marley, since a little reggae always soothes my FL girl soul. When I had my first baby, I realized I knew very few lullabies. So “Three Little Birds” it was. Baby loved it, and so did I.
Fighting Rejection Lesson #1: Don’t worry...
- Friendly Advice from Your NIH Grant Reviewer
Dear PI,
I am your NIH grant reviewer. Many feel that reviewers are the enemy. But actually, for the next few weeks I want to be your friend. You should want to be mine too. I’m going to explain why.
To get funded you need me to defend your proposal to the review committe...
