The Next Generation of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers Breaking Through (2018) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: Responses to Recommendations in Previous Reports on Biomedical and Behavioral Researchers
Appendix B: Responses to Recommendations in Previous Reports on Biomedical and Behavioral Researchers
Pages 109-144
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From page 109... ...
Indeed, over the past few decades, a number of groups have issued high-profile reports examining concerns about the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise and the investigators trained to carry out that research. These reports each contained recommendations that targeted various institutions, career stages, and scientific research organizations, and all were aimed at securing and supporting our nation's biomedical and behavioral research scientists.
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From page 110... ...
1. RECOMMENDATIONS ON POSTDOCTORAL PRACTICES Postdoctoral training has become a nearly de facto requirement for an independent research career in the biomedical and behavioral sciences in the United States. While most U.S.-trained biomedical Ph.D.'s spend fewer than 5 years in postdoctoral training, significant numbers remain in postdoctoral positions between 5 and 8 years.2 The postdoctoral experience is nominally considered an opportunity to build skills and experiences to prepare for research independence.
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From page 111... ...
. The NRSA legislation specifies that total support for postdoctoral researchers may not exceed 3 years, but waivers are allowed for good cause.5 NIH enforces this limit, with any period of additional support on NRSA training grants or fellowships requiring approval from the awarding institute that supports the training grant or fellowship.6 In 2014, NIH reduced the eligibility for Pathway to Independence Award Program (K99/R00)
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From page 112... ...
Nevertheless, it is not clear whether universities instituted these policies before or after the report's recommendations, and it is not clear whether these policies reflect the extent of training that postdoctoral researchers receive.11,12 However, all postdoctoral researchers supported by NIH NRSA funds via training grants or fellowships are said to be in training. For individuals supported on research grants, the grantee institutions assign the title, and institutions or principal investigators (PIs)
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From page 113... ...
In 2014, NIH issued a notice to indicate that NIH annual progress reports received on or after October 1, 2014, must include a section describing how IDPs are used to identify and promote the career goals of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers associated with NIH awards. This is required for research project grants supporting graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and for all T, F, K, R25, D43, and other awards or award components designed to provide training and professional development opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.14,15 NIH also launched the K99/R00 Pathway to Independence awards in 2006 in response to the Bridges to Independence report and specified a mentoring component and training plan relating to the candidate's career goals.16 1.4 NIH should increase the proportion of postdoctoral researchers supported by training grants and fellowships.
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From page 114... ...
published a response on behalf of its leaders through the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) detailing its opposition to the Biomedical Research Workforce report recommendation.22 In its response, the AMGDB leaders opposed increasing the number of postdoctoral fellows supported through training grants, asserting that postdoctoral salary support though R01 grants is a historically effective mechanism to easily and efficiently accommodate productivity and achievement.
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From page 115... ...
1.5 NIH should shift the balance in NRSA postdoctoral training for physicians so that greater proportions are supported through individual fellowships, rather than institutional training grants. Physician-Scientist Workforce Working Group Report (2014)
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From page 116... ...
. Nearly 300 physician-scientists a year receive support to develop their research careers through institutional career development awards associated with CTSAs.27 Other mechanisms, such as institutional K12 awards provided by multiple Institutes and that support both physicians and basic scien 26 See https://report.nih.gov/success_rates/index.aspx, "Postdoctoral fellowships (F32s)
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From page 117... ...
. In 2013, prior to the FASEB report release, NIH launched the "Strengthening the Biomedical Research Workforce" program through the Common Fund as one component of a trans-NIH strategy to enhance training opportunities for early-career scientists that would prepare them for a variety of research-related 28 For example: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-16-103.html; https://grants.nih.gov/ grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-16-189.html; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-17-016.
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From page 118... ...
Awarded NRSA training and fellowship positions by pre-doctoral and postdoctoral status between 1998 and 2016.
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From page 119... ...
career options.30 The core component of this program is the NIH Director's Biomedical Research Workforce Innovation Award to enhance biomedical research training, more commonly called the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) awards.
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From page 120... ...
While the recommended stipend levels from the three reports differ, NIH increased NRSA stipends for starting level postdoctoral trainees and fellows between FY2014 and FY2017. As of 2017, NIH postdoctoral stipend levels have reached the minimum level recommended by the Biomedical Research Workforce report but not the minimum recommended by the Postdoctoral Research Experi ence report.
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From page 121... ...
SOURCE: NIH NRSA notices, BLS Inflation Tool for CPI adjustment. The Department of Labor proposed a rule that updated overtime regulations by expanding eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
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From page 122... ...
1.10 ostdoctoral researchers supported on NIH research grants P should receive comparable benefits to other employees at the institution. Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group Report (2012)
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From page 123... ...
Postdoctoral Researchers" to discuss optimization of benefits provided to postdoctoral trainees and fellows supported on NRSA awards. NIH reports that the group provided recommendations to address the issue and will contribute to an implementation plan in 2017.42 NIH also issued a notice to clarify that recipients of NRSA awards are eligible for 8 weeks of paid family leave.43 1.11 Provide new postdoctoral independent research awards at NIH that would complement NRSA.
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From page 124... ...
The T90 component supports postdoctoral researchers through institutional NRSA awards and does not provide individual independent research awards to postdoctoral researchers.47 1.12 The citizenship requirement for NRSAs should be modified to provide equal opportunities for non-U.S. citizens.
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From page 125... ...
These results led to a recommendation from the Advisory Committee to the NIH Director (ACD) working group that studied the biomedical research workforce to increase the number of K99/R00 awards beginning in FY2014.55 In 2011, NIH released an independently authored report on an evaluation of outcomes of the NIH Individual Mentored Career Development Award Programs 49 See https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/66.103 (accessed December 11, 2017)
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From page 126... ...
To address findings in a series of NIH studies on the diversity of the biomedical workforce, including minority underrepresentation in biomedical and behavioral research,58 NIH director Francis Collins charged the ACD in 2011 to form a Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce. This working group was asked to examine and develop effective strategies to increase diversity.59 In 2013, NIH created a Scientific Workforce Diversity Office under the Office of the Director and recruited a Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce 56 See https://researchtraining.nih.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/K_Awards_Evaluation_FinalReport_ 20110901.pdf# (accessed December 11, 2017)
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From page 127... ...
While the CEC has been established, the results of its work have not been finalized and made public. In 2016, the Scientific Workforce Diversity Officer in the Office for Extra mural Programs and a trans-NIH working group developed and launched a website that consolidates information and opportunities available to indi iduals v from underrepresented backgrounds interested in biomedical careers.63 The Reports and Data section of the website provides links to data repositories and reports that capture trends in diversity, the scientific workforce, and U.S.
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From page 128... ...
Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce (2012) NIH established the Scientific Workforce Diversity Office (SWD)
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From page 129... ...
-- to bring highly qualified diverse talent to the NIH campus during the fall NIH Research Festival.71 NIH expects this to be an annual conference. Additionally, the NIH SWD group developed implicit-bias education modules for presentations and workshops that explain the concept of implicit bias and present scientific evidence of how such bias may affect judgments and decision-making in scientific contexts.72 2.7 PGs funding graduate student and postdoctoral researcher R training should be required to provide information on efforts to increase diversity, as training grants currently do.
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From page 130... ...
. 78 In 2015, NIH released a series of new data tables for institutions receiving NIH training grants to complete in conjunction with their applications and progress reports.
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• Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group Report: Institutions re ceiving NIH funding should collect information on the career outcomes of both their graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and provide
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From page 132... ...
Using the eRA Commons ID and Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) , NIH started tracking postdoctoral researchers participating in NIHfunded grants in 2009 and graduate students participating in NIH-funded grants in 2013.80,81 NIH has also automated the tabulation of the subsequent institutions and grants of trainees on training grants, degree completion and dates, career out 79 See https://orcid.org/ (accessed December 11, 2017)
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From page 133... ...
NIH established DBRW in 2013 to collect and analyze biomedical research workforce data. DBRW works with the Office of Director through the Office of Extramural Research.87 4. RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT EARLY-CAREER INVESTIGATORS The success of the biomedical research enterprise depends on the uninterrupted entry of well-trained, skilled, and motivated scientists.
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From page 134... ...
awards, which fund doctoral-level researchers directly entering independent research careers without a postdoctoral training period, grew from 10 in 2011 to 16 in 2016, which is an increase but not a doubling.91 4.3 IH should establish a program to promote innovative re N search by scientists transitioning into their first independent positions. These grants would replace the K22 awards, and NIH should make 200 grants annually of $500,000 each, pay able over 5 years.
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From page 135... ...
SOURCE: NIH Data Book. FIGURE B-9 Number of investigators supported on competing research project grants, by career stage of investigator.
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From page 136... ...
The total funding dedicated to these awards is $80 million for 33 awards in FY2017,95 a funding level that has changed over time -- for example, $106 million funded 45 awards in 2015, and $132 million funded 56 awards in 2016.96 As of 2009, NIH reviews R01 equivalent grant applications from new or early-stage investigators separately from grant applications from established investigators. NIH advises reviewers to expect less preliminary data from new investigators than they do from more experienced PIs.97,98 92 See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DC-15-002; http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/ pa-files/PAR-16-140.html; http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-16-220.html; http://grants.
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From page 137... ...
and shorten eligibility for applying from five years to three years of postdoctoral experience. Biomedical Research Workforce Working Group Report (2012)
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From page 138... ...
The R56 award also provides interim funding of up to 2 years and includes support for gathering data to reapply for NIH research grants. In 2004, the year before report release, NIH funded 10 R56 awards at a total award amount 105 See https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-037.html; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/ guide/pa-files/PA-10-061.html; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-047.html; https:// grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-16-206.html; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/ NOT-DK-17-005.html (accessed December 11, 2017)
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From page 139... ...
Lower success rates lead faculty researchers to devote more of their time to writing proposals, which in turn leads to more time and effort expended in the grant procurement process instead of research. 5.1 NIH should consider a long-term approach to reduce the percent age of funds from NIH sources used for faculty salary support.
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From page 140... ...
The NIH salary cap is set by appropriations law at Executive Level II of the Federal Executive pay scale. The NIH Executive Level II salary cap was increased from $183,300 to $185,100 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, effective January 10, 2016, and to $187,000 effective January 8, 2017.
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From page 141... ...
On November 4, 2016, NIH announced a pilot program to fund the salary and some travel expenses of 50 to 60 staff scientists over 18 months using the R50 "research specialist" award.119 In 2015, NIH examined research grant progress reports and determined that NIH research grants do support a substantial number of staff scientists. NIH examined the 50,885 grant projects funded in FY2009 and identified 23,329 individuals, out of the 247,457 total individuals on grants, with the title staff scientist.120 7. RECOMMENDATIONS ON GRANT REVIEW Since 1946, the expert review by scientific peers has guided NIH funding of scientists in biomedical research.
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From page 142... ...
7.1 IH should establish a new Working Group of the ACD com N posed of experts in behavioral and social sciences and studies of diversity with a special focus on determining and combating real or perceived biases in the NIH peer review system. Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce (2012)
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From page 143... ...
In addi ion, CSR created two challenges to maximize fairness in peer review of t grant applications (see section 7-2)
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