To those interested in NIH funding-

What kind of work and how much/little work should a researcher expect will be funded by NIH using the R01 mechanism?

Has anyone out there heard of an atypical R01 being awarded from an unsolicited application?   i.e. 1-2 year project period (proposed)?  Very junior PI?  Little prelim data?

Background-
We generally view an R01 as funding for 3-5 years of work to a principal investigator who has acheived independence.  Every NIH institute uses the R01 mechanism and will fund both unsolicited proposals and those submitted in response to a specific program announcement or RFA.

However, there are no specific guidelines for unsolicted R01 applications other than the PHS398 instructions and the "Guide for Assigned Reviewers' Preliminary Comments on Research Grant Applications (R01)" [http://www.csr.nih.gov/guidelines/r01.htm]  True?
Aside from the general understanding that proving feasibility requires some preliminary data, shouldn't any health-related work of any length be eligible and potentially competitive?

Thus, if an investigator has a proposal that might look like a small grant (R03) or exploratory/developmental grant (R21) because of its short project period or cutting edge nature, and there is no R03/R21 PA or RFA to respond to (as is typically required for these mechanisms), why should this investigator not assume that the work could be funded as an R01?

Of course, one answer will be that program officers may dissuade the researcher from attempting this given his/her understanding of how certain review groups think and act.

Ideas?

Charlie

From 1997-2000, about 12-15% of NIH "competing research project awards" had project periods of less than 3 years. See:
http://silk.nih.gov/public/xxxxxx@WWW.TRENDS00.AVGLEN.DSNCC
I believe this includes R01 grants AND other mechanisms (R03,15,21,33,55,P42,U19).  If anyone knows of a breakdown by mechanism, please let me know.

**************************************
Charles B. Hathaway, Ph.D., Director
Office of Grant Support
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461-1975
Phone: 718 430-3642     Fax: 718 430-8822
email: xxxxxx@aecom.yu.edu
http://www.aecom.yu.edu/ogs

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