Susan Newcomer, NICHD

1. Leaping the Hurdles and
Navigating the Maze:
Understanding the NIH
Susan Newcomer, NICHD
JHU November 5, 2014

2. NICHD Mission
• Ensure that every person is born healthy
and wanted
• Women suffer no harmful effects from
reproductive processes
• All children have the chance to achieve
their full potential for healthy and
productive lives, free from disease or
disability
• Ensure the health, productivity,
independence, and well-being of all
people through optimal rehabilitation.
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3. 3
The Population Dynamics Branch
is always interested in research on:
-- Fertility & contraception
-- Mortality, morbidity & health
-- Migration & population distribution
-- Family & household structure and
processes
-- Marriage and cohabitation
-- Demographic methods
-- Economic demography
-- Behavioral research on HIV and STIs
-- Fatherhood
-- Population & environment
-- Child care

4. Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch
[used to be PAMA]
• The MPIDB’s original mission was to support and conduct domestic
and international research related to the epidemiology, diagnosis,
clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, transmission, treatment, and
prevention of HIV infection and its complications in infants, children,
adolescents, and women (pregnant and non-pregnant). As the HIV
epidemic has evolved in the United States and globally, the branch’s
research reflects these changes and addresses important research
opportunities and gaps as they arise. The branch now also funds
research related to other infectious pathogens in HIV-infected and -
uninfected populations. The branch supports and conducts research
into the epidemiology, natural history, pathogenesis, transmission,
treatment, and prevention of other important infectious diseases,
including congenital infections such as cytomegalovirus and
toxoplasmosis; tropical diseases specifically affecting children and
pregnant women; and vaccine-preventable disease in infants, children,
adolescents, and women. These include research training programs,
clinical trials and investigator initiated research on these issues.

5. MPID Current Initiatives
RFA-HD-15-017: Increasing Access and Uptake of HIV Testing and Counseling (HTC) and Appropriate HIV-
related Services for Adolescents in Low and Middle-income Countries (R01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-15-017.html
PAR -13-349: Sustained Release of Antivirals for Treatment or Prevention of HIV (SRATP) (R01)
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-349.html
RFA-AI-14-008: Sustained Release for Antiretroviral Treatment or Prevention (SRATP) of HIV Infection
(UM1)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-14-008.html
NOT-HD-14-017 for PAR-13-055: Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R01)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HD-14-017.html
NOT-HD-14-018 for PAR-13-056: Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R03)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HD-14-018.html
NOT-HD-14-019 for PAR-13-054: Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21)
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-HD-14-019.html

6. SBIR/STTR Purpose and Goals
• Stimulate technological innovation
• Use small business to meet Federal R&D
needs
• Foster and encourage participation by
minorities and disadvantaged persons in
technological innovation
• Increase private-sector commercialization
innovations derived from Federal R&D
• http://sbir.nih.gov/

7. Becoming a reviewer
• The Center for Scientific Review, which organizes the
peer review system, is always looking for junior people
to be on panels – to learn how to review– it is very
helpful.
• See this website to apply:
• http://public.csr.nih.gov/ReviewerResources/Become
AReviewer/Pages/default.aspx
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8. Funding Information
• Office of Extramural Research
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm
• NIH grants tutorial:
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/
• Youtube 15 minute explanation of review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNwsg_PR90w&feature=youtu.
be
• Tips on preparing applications
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/grant_tips.htm
• Reviewing
http://public.csr.nih.gov/ReviewerResources/BecomeAReviewer/Pa
ges/Overview-of-ECR-program.aspx
-- Small business grant information
http://sbir.nih.gov/