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Researchers refine R01 proposals, gain new funding backing in NIH workshop

A group photo of eleven people in a meeting room, with four women seated in the front row and seven individuals standing behind them against a large projection screen displaying remote video call participants.
In the back row from left to right: XJ Meng, James Weger, Netta Gurari (on the screen), Mengxi Zhang, Wei Sun, Palash Sashittal , Soumi Ghosh, Monet Roberts In the front row from left to right: Janet Webster, Karen Roberto, Kirsten Nielson, Eleanor Nelsen.

The second year of the Virginia Tech NIH R01 Proposal Development Workshop was wrapped up recently, with proposals from the 10 faculty in the program undergoing a mock review panel. 

The goal of the 10-week workshop, headed by Kirsten Nielsen, professor of microbiology and immunology in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and Karen Roberto, University Distinguished Professor and executive director of the Institute for Society, Culture and Environment, is to generate a robust draft of an R01 application for submission to the NIH. Its goal is also to enable faculty to both develop strong grant-writing skills and to identify points at which feedback is helpful in developing a robust grant application. 

At the beginning of the panel, Rob McCarley, executive director of the Fralin Life Sciences Institute and Professor of Chemistry, announced the Extramural Funding Accelerator Program (EFAP), which will award $5,000 to any workshop participant who submits an R01 proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As additional incentive, if the application is funded, the faculty member will receive an extra $15,000 to help with their research endeavors.

Over the workshop’s five sessions, participants developed and refined each section of their proposal (i.e., Specific Aims, Significance and Innovation, Approach) with guidance from faculty mentors, peers, and specialists in scientific writing. The final draft was reviewed in a mock study section composed of Virginia Tech faculty with successful NIH proposal preparation and study section experience. 

Participants expressed some of their perspectives and what they gained from the workshop. Some of the comments included:

  • “This is one of the most well-organized and thorough workshops I have done at VT. The comments and suggestions were incredibly helpful as I continue developing my proposal. I learned a great deal from both the discussion and the written feedback.”
  • “Thank you for hosting such a great training!  It is the best NIH training I have attended.”