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Name: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Address: 6610 Rockledge Drive MSC 6612 Bethesda Maryland 20892-6612 United States Telephone: 866 284 4107 Toll Free 301 496 5717 Fax: 301 402 3573 Website: www3.niaid.nih.gov
About National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - NIAID
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
NIAID supports basic and applied research on infectious and immune-mediated illnesses, including:
- HIV/AIDS
- allergies
- malaria
- autoimmune disorders
- asthma
- tuberculosis
NIAID research has led to advances that have improved the health of millions of people in the United States and worldwide.
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Journal Article
Shawn R Gaillard,
Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health
, Bethesda, Maryland,
USA
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Paula S Strickland,Division of Extramural Activities, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health
, Bethesda, Maryland,
USA
Correspondence: Paula S. Strickland, Division of Extramural Activities, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,, 5601 Fishers Ln, Bethesda, MD 20892-9824 ().
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Matthew J FentonDivision of Extramural Activities, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health
, Bethesda, Maryland,
USA
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Editorial decision:
16 May 2020
Corrected and typeset:
26 June 2020
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Shawn R Gaillard, Paula S Strickland, Matthew J Fenton, The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Scientific Societies Meeting on Research Training Efforts: Summary of Recommendations to Address Early-Stage Investigators, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 222, Issue 10, 15 November 2020, Pages 1589–1591, //doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaa282
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Abstract
A group of representatives from scientific societies and organizations met to discuss possible solutions for funding and retaining early-stage investigators in research that supports the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases research agenda. This article describes perspectives voiced during that meeting.
In December 2018, Dr Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and other NIAID leaders met with leaders from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) to discuss NIAID’s research training portfolio and IDSA’s concerns about meeting the training needs of early career physician-scientists. The IDSA leadership expressed a concern that success rates among recipients of NIAID research career development (K) awards have continually decreased over time and that funding increases in recent years were not enough to reverse this trend. At this meeting, NIAID staff presented data showing that pay lines and success rates for K award recipients had indeed decreased over the past decade, largely owing to an overall increase in the number of applications and mandatory increases in the costs of K award salaries and stipends over time. Subsequent review of our research training portfolio and budget led to a recent decision by NIAID to increase the research training budget by $15 million over the next 5 years.
After this initial meeting with the IDSA, the NIAID decided to host a follow-up meeting with IDSA and other leaders of scientific societies or associations to more broadly discuss research training efforts as well as ways to individually and collectively work to better support early-stage investigators. Multiple professional societies representing the bulk of NIAID’s mission areas met in Rockville, Maryland, on 20 September 2019. The mission of NIAID is to conduct and support basic and applied research to better understand, treat and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic and allergic diseases. For more than 60 years, NIAID research has led to new therapies, vaccines, diagnostic tests and other technologies that have improved the health of millions. A key aspect of NIAID’s mission is to train the next generation of scientists.
This brief article summarizes recommendations made during the meeting and related outcomes. Invited NIAID-relevant scientific societies and associations, 14 organizations in all, as shown in Table 1. We requested 2 leaders (at the president, president-elect, and/or vice president level) from each organization to attend this meeting. Not all of the invited leaders were able to attend; some provided comments in advance. Of the invited organizations, 12 (86%) sent at least 1 representative.
Table 1.
Invited NIAID-Relevant Scientific Organizations
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Medical Colleges
Association of Medical School
Microbiology & Immunology Chairsa
American Public Health Association
American Society of Microbiology
American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International AIDS Societya
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Society for Epidemiologic Research
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Medical Colleges
Association of Medical School Microbiology & Immunology Chairsa
American Public Health Association
American Society of Microbiology
American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International AIDS Societya
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Society for Epidemiologic Research
Abbreviation: NIAID, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
aThese organizations were unable to attend the meeting but provided comments in advance.
Table 1.
Invited NIAID-Relevant Scientific Organizations
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Medical Colleges
Association of Medical School Microbiology & Immunology Chairsa
American Public Health Association
American Society of Microbiology
American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International AIDS Societya
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Society for Epidemiologic Research
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Medical Colleges
Association of Medical School Microbiology & Immunology Chairsa
American Public Health
Association
American Society of Microbiology
American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International AIDS Societya
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Society for Epidemiologic Research
Abbreviation: NIAID, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
aThese organizations were unable to attend the meeting but provided comments in advance.
The objectives of this day-long meeting were as follows: (1) to present NIAID’s research career K development programs and award data; (2) to explore ideas for retaining and increasing the interest in and development of early-stage clinical and basic investigators in NIAID’s research mission; (3) to identify opportunities where scientific societies, funders, and NIAID could work collectively to close research training gaps, and increase diversity in the scientific workforce; (4) to identify opportunities for societies to develop their own independent supportive programs that can complement support provided by NIAID; and (5) to obtain recommendations for how NIAID and societies could work together to develop high-performing researchers and scientific leaders.
NIAID staff presented details of our research training portfolio. In fiscal year 2019, NIAID spent $107 million on institutional research training (T awards), individual research fellowships (F awards), and individual research career (K) development programs, a 5.3% increase over the fiscal year 2018 expenditure. The Institute currently supports the following research career K development programs: K01, K08, K22, K23, K24, K25, and K99s (for details visit the NIAID Web site [1]). NIAID staff also presented details (eg, funding trends and success rates) during the meeting for each of these individual K mechanisms. The overall purpose of these mentored awards is to provide support and “protected time” (2–5 years) for intensive, supervised career development experience in the biomedical, behavioral, and/or clinical sciences, leading to research independence.
The effectiveness of several cohorts of former NIAID K awardees in reaching research independence was recognized (as evidenced by attainment of a National Institutes of Health R01 grant) was recognized (see [2] for more details). In this analysis, we determined that NIAID K awardees were almost twice as likely as those who did not receive a NIAID K award to apply for and receive their initial R01 grant, even though many of them were similarly competitive (eg, received impact scores just beyond the pay line).
Next, through various large-group panel discussions and small-group breakout sessions held during the meeting, ideas were explored for retaining and increasing the interest in and development of early-stage investigators in NIAID’s research mission. Meeting participants also identified various opportunities for collaboration between the scientific societies and NIAID to meet various scientific workforce needs, specifically to bolster the number of physician-scientists and increase diversity of the scientific workforce in terms of women and individuals from underrepresented minority groups. The recommendations made to NIAID staff by the panel of leaders from NIAID-relevant scientific organizations are shown in Table 2.
Table 2.
Key Panelist Recommendations
| Increase the number of K awardees and support more NIAID K applicants who received competitive, yet unfunded, scores | NIAID should partner with professional scientific societies/organizations for the societies to provide small grants to NIAID K grant applicants who scored just beyond the NIAID pay line (NIAID staff should inform unfunded K applicants to contact scientific societies for funding consideration) |
| Help ESIs remain in research by senior PI providing succession plans that includes a junior PI | Include requirements in NIAID large multiproject initiatives to include roles for ESIs |
| Address concerns with reviewers of K applications | NIAID (not the Center for Scientific Review) is responsible for reviews of all K applications assigned to NIAID; it should ensure that K applications are not evaluated like “small R01s” and should better educate reviewers that the training potential is the most critical feature in a K submission |
| Focus on diversity | Provide more funding opportunities for ESIs from underrepresented groups; expand NIAID’s Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplement Program to include K awardees as eligible individuals; provide a supplement to NIAID K awardees who are primary caregivers (eg, for childbirth or ailing parents) to include a technician to help them with their research pursuits |
| Increase funding for research training at NIAID | Find ways to support more trainees with K, F and T grants rather than students and postdoctoral researchers who are supported from their mentor’s R01 award |
| Engage the NIAID research training community | Following recent training precedent, NIAID should continue to hold workshops for K and F grantees, as well as meetings for T32 program directors on a routine basis |
| Increase the number of K awardees and support more NIAID K applicants who received competitive, yet unfunded, scores | NIAID should partner with professional scientific societies/organizations for the societies to provide small grants to NIAID K grant applicants who scored just beyond the NIAID pay line (NIAID staff should inform unfunded K applicants to contact scientific societies for funding consideration) |
| Help ESIs remain in research by senior PI providing succession plans that includes a junior PI | Include requirements in NIAID large multiproject initiatives to include roles for ESIs |
| Address concerns with reviewers of K applications | NIAID (not the Center for Scientific Review) is responsible for reviews of all K applications assigned to NIAID; it should ensure that K applications are not evaluated like “small R01s” and should better educate reviewers that the training potential is the most critical feature in a K submission |
| Focus on diversity | Provide more funding opportunities for ESIs from underrepresented groups; expand NIAID’s Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplement Program to include K awardees as eligible individuals; provide a supplement to NIAID K awardees who are primary caregivers (eg, for childbirth or ailing parents) to include a technician to help them with their research pursuits |
| Increase funding for research training at NIAID | Find ways to support more trainees with K, F and T grants rather than students and postdoctoral researchers who are supported from their mentor’s R01 award |
| Engage the NIAID research training community | Following recent training precedent, NIAID should continue to hold workshops for K and F grantees, as well as meetings for T32 program directors on a routine basis |
Abbreviation: ESIs, early-stage investigators; NIAID, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; PI, principal investigator.
Table 2.
Key Panelist Recommendations
| Increase the number of K awardees and support more NIAID K applicants who received competitive, yet unfunded, scores | NIAID should partner with professional scientific societies/organizations for the societies to provide small grants to NIAID K grant applicants who scored just beyond the NIAID pay line (NIAID staff should inform unfunded K applicants to contact scientific societies for funding consideration) |
| Help ESIs remain in research by senior PI providing succession plans that includes a junior PI | Include requirements in NIAID large multiproject initiatives to include roles for ESIs |
| Address concerns with reviewers of K applications | NIAID (not the Center for Scientific Review) is responsible for reviews of all K applications assigned to NIAID; it should ensure that K applications are not evaluated like “small R01s” and should better educate reviewers that the training potential is the most critical feature in a K submission |
| Focus on diversity | Provide more funding opportunities for ESIs from underrepresented groups; expand NIAID’s Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplement Program to include K awardees as eligible individuals; provide a supplement to NIAID K awardees who are primary caregivers (eg, for childbirth or ailing parents) to include a technician to help them with their research pursuits |
| Increase funding for research training at NIAID | Find ways to support more trainees with K, F and T grants rather than students and postdoctoral researchers who are supported from their mentor’s R01 award |
| Engage the NIAID research training community | Following recent training precedent, NIAID should continue to hold workshops for K and F grantees, as well as meetings for T32 program directors on a routine basis |
| Increase the number of K awardees and support more NIAID K applicants who received competitive, yet unfunded, scores | NIAID should partner with professional scientific societies/organizations for the societies to provide small grants to NIAID K grant applicants who scored just beyond the NIAID pay line (NIAID staff should inform unfunded K applicants to contact scientific societies for funding consideration) |
| Help ESIs remain in research by senior PI providing succession plans that includes a junior PI | Include requirements in NIAID large multiproject initiatives to include roles for ESIs |
| Address concerns with reviewers of K applications | NIAID (not the Center for Scientific Review) is responsible for reviews of all K applications assigned to NIAID; it should ensure that K applications are not evaluated like “small R01s” and should better educate reviewers that the training potential is the most critical feature in a K submission |
| Focus on diversity | Provide more funding opportunities for ESIs from underrepresented groups; expand NIAID’s Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplement Program to include K awardees as eligible individuals; provide a supplement to NIAID K awardees who are primary caregivers (eg, for childbirth or ailing parents) to include a technician to help them with their research pursuits |
| Increase funding for research training at NIAID | Find ways to support more trainees with K, F and T grants rather than students and postdoctoral researchers who are supported from their mentor’s R01 award |
| Engage the NIAID research training community | Following recent training precedent, NIAID should continue to hold workshops for K and F grantees, as well as meetings for T32 program directors on a routine basis |
Abbreviation: ESIs, early-stage investigators; NIAID, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; PI, principal investigator.
NIAID is currently considering those recommendations, based on need and priority, time frame for implementation, and budget. It should be noted that in fiscal year 2019, NIAID increased its training budget by $5 million resulting in more fellowship and career development awards. Current plans are to increase the training budget by an additional $10 million dollars over the next 4 years. The Institute plans to continue to hold workshops for our K and F grantees, as well as our T32 Program Directors, on a rotating annual basis. NIAID is deeply committed to strengthening the research pipeline for early-stage investigators and align our efforts with those scientific societies and associations to collectively ensure there is a robust biomedical, clinical and behavioral research workforce in NIAID mission areas now and in the future.
Notes
Financial support. This work was supported by the research management budget of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.
References
Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2020.
This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.
Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2020.
Topic:
- hypersensitivity
- communicable diseases
- societies, scientific
- agenda
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