Those involved in research, teaching,academia,etc may be interested in this:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 08:17:13 -0500
From: Rodrigues, Dennis <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: NIH release-New Initiative in Clinical Research Training and Care er Development

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Office of the Director

FOR RELEASE
Friday, March 6, 1998
5:00 PM Eastern Time

Wendy Baldwin, Ph.D.
Deputy Director for Extramural
301-496-1096

New Initiative in Clinical Research Training and Career
Development

NIH today announced three new types of career development
awards that are aimed at increasing the participation of
clinical researchers in medical research and enriching the
pipeline of people properly trained to do clinical
research. The new awards, which NIH expects to begin
funding in Fiscal Year 1999, will support young
investigators who have just completed specialty training
and mid-career investigators; institutional curriculum
awards will be offered to help teach the essentials of
clinical research to young trainees and junior faculty.
"These awards, which incorporate the recommendations of the
NIH Director's Clinical Research Panel* , will address a
clear and pressing need in clinical research training and
career development," said Harold Varmus, Director of NIH.


The Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development
Award (K23) was developed for investigators
just after specialty training-a critical juncture for
developing investigators. The award is focused on providing
both didactic training and mentored research experience to
individuals, such as medical doctors, for up to five years.
Also eligible are dentists, osteopaths, chiropractors,
optometrists and others certified to perform clinical
duties. Investigators will commit at least 75 percent of
their time to the program. NIH estimates that there will be
80 new K23s each year.


The Mid-Career Investigator in Patient-Oriented Research
Award (K24), was developed for mid-career clinical
scientists. Because of the demands placed on their time,
the opportunity for these investigators to have dedicated
research time and to be mentors to other investigators is
scarce. Such opportunities are vital to the future of
clinical research and medicine. To address these concerns,
the K24 relieves investigators from patient care and
administrative responsibilities. Investigators will receive
support for up to five years, with the possibility of a
one-time renewal. NIH estimates that 50 to 80 awards will
be made each year.

The Institutional Curriculum Award (K30) is designed for
institutions with a substantial clinical research portfolio
and a critical mass of individuals in clinical research
training and career development. It is meant to stimulate
the inclusion of high quality, comprehensive courses in the
fundamentals of clinical research-for example,
biostatistics, epidemiology, study designs, bioethics,
legal and regulatory issues-as part of the career
development of clinical investigators. The maximum award
for a program, which may not exceed five years, will be
$200,000 per year. NIH expects to fund about 20 such
programs in the first year.


Background

In recent years, medical researchers have seen tremendous
progress in their ability to understand the fundamental
biological processes that underlie diseases. Clinical
investigators serve as the bridge that joins such
fundamental research to patients and, ultimately, to
improved public health. For some time, there has been
widespread concern about the shortage of clinical
investigators who can design, conduct, and report such
patient-oriented studies. The new career development
awards, part of a class known as K awards, were developed
after NIH conducted an intensive analysis of existing grant
opportunities and unmet needs, and listened to various
outside advisors.

These core awards will be used by every NIH Institute. They
will serve as important additions to the NIH's strategies
to enhance and expand clinical research training and career
development. "NIH is committed to addressing this need, and
fully expects that the future of medical research can be
changed by the programs we are initiating in the near
future," said Harold Varmus.

Details will be available in the April 6, 1998, NIH Guide
Notice. On that date, more information will also be
available from the web site of the Office of Extramural
Research at (http://www.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm).

*The full text of the NIH Director's Panel on Clinical
Research report is available via the Internet at
(http://www.nih.gov/news/crp/97report/index.htm).
-------------------------
Robert Marshall, MD
Kirkpatrick Clinic
Longview, WA


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