Curriculum-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) under the MS-INBRE Developmental Research Project Program

Curriculum-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) under the MS-INBRE Developmental Research Project Program is sponsored by Mississippi IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (MS-INBRE). This funding opportunity aims to strengthen science education at Mississippi PUIs by supporting the enhancement of biomedical sciences curriculum that actively engages undergraduate students.

Expired PAR-08-150: IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) [P20] This notice has expired. Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. Department of Health and Human Services Health (NIH) ( http://www.

nih. gov/) Components of Participating Organizations Research Resources (NCRR) ( http://www. ncrr.

nih. gov/) Title: IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence This is a modification of Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued: June 12, 2012 - This PAR has been reissued as PAR-12-205. March 24, 2010 - See Notice NOT-RR-10-006 Notice of a Change in NCRR Policy on Accepting Appendix Material.

December 18, 2009 - This FOA has been updated to reflect the new requirements from NIH’s Enhancing Peer Review Initiative. The new requirements are effective for submissions intended for due dates January 25, 2010 and beyond. If submitting an application intended for a due date of January 25, 2010 and beyond, follow the guidance below and be sure to use the 06/2009 version of the PHS 398 application forms and instructions.

If applying for a due date before January 25, 2010, follow the guidance in the archived version of this FOA and be sure to use the 11/2007 version of the PHS 398 application forms and instructions. of the Department of Health and Human Services' implementation of e-Government the NIH will gradually transition each research grant mechanism to electronic submission through Grants.

gov and the use of the SF 424 Research and Related (R&R) forms. For more information and an initial timeline, see http://grants. nih.

gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-035. html . NIH will announce each grant mechanism change in the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts ( http://grants.

nih. gov/grants/guide/index. html ).

Program Announcement (PA) Number: PAR-08-150 Catalog of Federal Domestic Receipt Date(s): June 22, 2008, June 22, 2009 and Application Receipt Date(s): July 22, 2008, July 22, 2009, Peer Review Date(s): October/November 2008, October/November 2009 and October/November 2010 Council Review Date(s): January 2009, January 2010 and Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): May 2009, May 2010 and May 2011 Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation Date): Not Applicable Purpose .

The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invites applications for competing continuation of Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) grants to independent biomedical research institutes and/or biomedical research institutions that award doctoral degrees in the health sciences or sciences related to health within IDeA-eligible states.

INBRE applications must represent a collaborative effort to sponsor research with undergraduate institutions, community colleges, and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). The size, structure, and operational principles of the INBRE networks have been established during previous INBRE and the planning phase of INBRE project periods.

The competitive renewal application should describe progress and accomplishments made to achieve the goals of the statewide This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to provide an opportunity to build on the successes of the current INBRE to augment and strengthen the state's biomedical research capacity.

The objectives of INBRE program are to: 1) continue to build on the established multi-disciplinary research network with a scientific focus to strengthen the lead and partner institutions' biomedical research expertise and infrastructure; 2) build and increase the research base and capacity by providing support to faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students at the participating institutions; 3) provide research opportunities for students from undergraduate institutions, community colleges and TCUs and serve as a "pipeline" for these students to continue in health research careers within IDeA states; 4) enhance science and technology knowledge of the state's workforce.

of Support. This FOA will utilize the NIH exploratory grant mechanism (P20). Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards.

The NCRR intends to commit approximately $60 million in fiscal year (FY) 2009 to fund up to 18 competing continuation awards in response to this FOA. and Project Period. An applicant may request a project period of up to 5 years and may request a budget for direct costs of up to $2.

5 million per year, excluding facilities and administrative (F&A) costs on consortium arrangements. Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary.

Although the financial plans of the NCRR provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Eligible Institutions/Organizations. Institutions/organizations liste d in Section III, 1.

A. are eligible to apply. Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs).

I ndividuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

The Principal Investigator (PI) of the INBRE application must be an established biomedical or behavioral research scientist who has the administrative abilities to carry out effectively the objectives of the INBRE program. The PI must have strong of PDs/PIs. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed.

Number of Applications. Each eligible IDeA state may submit only one Resubmissions. Resubmission applications will be accepted.

Such applications must include an Introduction addressing the previous peer review critique (Summary Statement). may submit a renewal application for this FOA. Competing continuation applications will be accepted from institutions that currently hold an INBRE award; only those INBREs that will be in the final year of funding in FY 2008 should apply in response to July 2008 submission date.

Special Date(s). See Receipt, Review and Anticipated Start Dates See Section IV. 1 for application materials.

All applications, including resubmission, revision and renewal, submitted for due dates January 25, 2010 and beyond, must utilize the current forms and instructions. Impaired. Telecommunications for the hearing impaired are available at: TTY 301-451-5936 Part II Full Text of Announcement Section I.

Funding Opportunity Section II. Award Information 2. Cost Sharing or Matching 3.

Other - Special Eligibility Criteria IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address to Request Application Information 2.

Content and Form of Application Submission 3. Submission Dates and Times A. Receipt and Review and B.

Sending an Application to C. Application Processing 4. Intergovernmental Review 6.

Other Submission Requirements and Information V. Application Review Information 2. Review and Selection Process A.

Additional Review Criteria C. Resource Sharing Plan(s) Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates VI. Award Administration Information 2.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements 1. Scientific/Research Contact(s) 2. Peer Review Contact(s) 3.

Financial/ Grants Management Contact(s) VIII. Other Information - Required Federal Citations - Full Text of Announcement Section I.

Funding Opportunity Description The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invites applications for competing continuation of Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) grants to independent biomedical research institutes and/or biomedical research institutions that award doctoral degrees in the health sciences or sciences related to health within IDeA-eligible states.

INBRE applications must represent a collaborative effort to sponsor research with undergraduate institutions, community colleges and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to provide an opportunity to continue building on the successes of the INBRE program to further augment and strengthen the state's biomedical research capacity .

The objectives of INBRE program are to: 1) continue to build on the established multi-disciplinary research network with a scientific focus to strengthen the lead and partner institutions' biomedical research expertise and infrastructure; 2) build and increase the research base and capacity by providing support to faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students at the participating institutions; 3) provide research opportunities for students from undergraduate institutions, community colleges and TCUs and serve as a "pipeline" for these students to continue in health research careers within IDeA states; 4) enhance science and technology knowledge of the state's The INBRE program seeks to promote the development and expansion of unique, innovative, state-of-the-art biomedical and behavioral research at institutions in IDeA-eligible states, encompassing the full spectrum of basic, clinical and translational sciences.

The NIH recognizes that the contributions from the institutions in IDeA-eligible states are important and essential in fulfilling the promise of the NIH research agenda.

The intent of this FOA is to continue assisting these institutions to implement and use the technologies and other resources needed to conduct state-of-the-art biomedical and behavioral research and provide research experiences to students at baccalaureate institutions, community colleges, and continuation applications will be accepted from institutions that currently hold an INBRE award ( http://grants. nih.

gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-RR-03-008. html ). The size, structure, and operational principles of the INBRE networks have been established during previous INBRE and the planning phase of INBRE project periods.

The competitive renewal application should describe progress and accomplishments made to date to achieve the goals of the statewide research network.

Progress should include accomplishments in the following areas: Infrastructure as measured by improved research facilities and support services, including bioinformatics in the research network; acquisition and utilization of new and major instrumentation; Environment as evidenced by successful recruitment of science faculty from different disciplines at the institutions in the network; increased collaboration among researchers and institutions; science curriculum (courses and programs) offered at the network institutions; research laboratories and facilities in the network institutions; majoring in science and health-related fields; faculty participating in research activities; Productivity as measured by scientific publications in the peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific meetings and other conferences; applications from research intensive institutions for NIH and other research grants submitted and awarded; undergraduate students pursuing science and health-related careers; states workforce and economy.

For many years, the NIH has made a special effort to stimulate research at educational institutions that traditionally have not received significant levels of competitive research funding from the NIH.

The IDeA Program was established for the purpose of broadening the geographic distribution of NIH funding for biomedical and behavioral research by enhancing the competitiveness for research funding of institutions located in states in which the aggregate success rate for grant applications to the NIH historically has been low.

Disparate funding distributions may stem in part from having relatively few competitively supported biomedical and behavioral investigators in IDeA states.

Statewide IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) supported through this FOA are intended to develop the research resources and modern laboratories needed to attract established investigators, and to develop and enhance the research skills of talented investigators and promising students within each state. The INBRE program began in 2001 by providing planning grants for three years.

These programs were re-competed in 2004 to establish inclusive statewide multidisciplinary research networks with scientific foci to promote the development, coordination, and sharing of research resources and expertise that will expand the research opportunities and increase the number of competitive investigators in the IDeA-eligible states.

INBREs also were intended to enhance the caliber of scientific faculty at research institutions and undergraduate schools, thereby attracting more promising students to these organizations.

The purpose of INBRE program is to: research capacity of institutions through collaborative partnerships, the development of areas of potential research, staff development, and access to research resources, so they can participate more fully in the competition for NIH awards; and provide undergraduate faculty and students research support to serve as pipeline to health research careers and to provide hands-on research experience to students at undergraduate institutions, community colleges, and TCUs.

The FOA is intended to strengthen the basic science departments of undergraduate institutions and TCUs.

This Program provides opportunities for undergraduate institutions, community colleges, and TCUs to support and retain current productive faculty and recruit outstanding faculty who conduct research in the specific proposed thematic areas and can attract promising students to health-related science through both didactic training and research experiences.

Students who are well trained in science and technology can enhance the quality of the workforce, which in turn can attract biotechnology industries and enhance the economies within IDeA states. With better employment opportunities, more students may choose to stay within the state.

The undergraduate institutions also serve as an important pipeline to the science departments of graduate schools within IDeA states for students to pursue graduate education.

With access to promising, biomedically-trained students, the graduate schools in the IDeA states can more readily build a critical mass of investigators to conduct biomedical research by recruiting competitive investigators from other institutions as well as recruiting some of The application must include a scientific focus in one or more thematic areas, such as neuroscience, cancer, genomics, proteomics, developmental biology and genetics, toxicology or any of the biomedical and behavioral scientific areas relevant to the mission of NIH, and may include basic, clinical, and/or translational research approaches to attain the goals of the proposed network.

The broad thematic areas will encourage and facilitate interactions and cross-collaborations among INBRE, COBRE and RCMI investigators and programs; and will promote data and resource sharing within the statewide network and the region.

It is also anticipated that, in some instances, support through this FOA will facilitate the development of new disease-specific research networks or augment the capability of existing applicant institutions may have faculty who hold significant peer-reviewed funding from either Federal or private sector sources to conduct research.

Those faculty members may be included as mentors, collaborators, and scientific members of a multidisciplinary steering committee.

The focus of the planned research network will determine the need for core research facilities and Scientific leadership provided by one or more established biomedical research faculty members is critical to the success of the INBRE initiative, especially for the mentoring of promising investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and students.

The network is intended to support investigators from several complementary disciplines at the grantee and partner graduate and undergraduate institutions, community colleges and TCUs. Faculty at participating institutions will receive support to establish or enhance existing research laboratories, acquire specialized equipment, and hire postdoctoral fellows, students and technical assistants.

The NIH is committed to working toward elimination of health disparities among racial and ethnic minority populations. Investigators proposing research that involves human subjects are strongly encouraged to include representation from the unique and diverse populations within the IDeA states for valid analyses of factors that may influence health disparities.

INBRE PIs are encouraged to interface and collaborate with other appropriate programs in this regard such as the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program to address health disparities and health issues in Since the NIH is also very concerned about the under-representation of minorities in biomedical and behavioral research, the inclusion of investigators and institutions that serve these populations within the INBRE is strongly encouraged.

this FOA, INBRE PIs are strongly encouraged to collaborate and interface with K-12/pre-college level programs such as Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), for developing a continuous pipeline of students to provide for the INBRE program to train future generation of biomedical research workforce.

INBRE Network Characteristics: The statewide network is to be composed of baccalaureate, master's level degree-granting institutions, non-profit research institutes, community colleges and/or TCUs that will provide the sites for the conduct of thematic, multidisciplinary, biomedical and behavioral research.

An INBRE scientific network must include a doctoral degree-granting institution or research institute as the applicant institution in the eligible IDeA states and ideally six to eight baccalaureate, master's level degree-granting institutions and community colleges or TCUs participating in the thematic research activity.

One or two additional biomedical research-intensive institutions may participate in the network and share in the portion of the budget dedicated to the lead institution. New undergraduate institutions that have not been a part of the network previously but contribute to the thematic research effort may be included, if appropriate, in the proposed scientific network.

The states that elect to do so or states that do not have appropriate eligible undergraduate/graduate institutions with focus on the scientific area relevant to the thematic focus proposed in the application may include partner institutions from other IDeA states. The inclusion of minority-serving institutions is encouraged as well as diversity among faculty and students included in the INBRE.

Inclusion of minority-serving institutions is an effective means of developing a diverse scientific and academic workforce. The six to eight baccalaureate, master's level degree-granting institutions, community colleges or TCUs that participate in the thematic multidisciplinary research activity can serve as a pipeline for future independent biomedical investigators.

Principally undergraduate institutions are also eligible if they are a component of a university that includes a graduate school that confers doctoral degrees in one or more sciences, but are not research intensive or do not conduct biomedical research as a principal activity.

Faculty at the undergraduate colleges of research-intensive institutions who do not have appointments in the graduate school may also receive research support via this initiative.

Further, new undergraduate institutions and community colleges or TCUs that have not been a part of the original network but could contribute to the proposed thematic research and/or efforts to address the health needs of the community may be included in the scientific network.

The network may extend to appropriate institutions in other IDeA states if the applicants state has no other appropriate institutions to include within its boundaries.

Collaborations between or among IDeA eligible states as well as collaborations with institutions in other states is allowable, but no IDeA grant funds awarded to an IDeA-eligible institution may be transferred via subcontract to a consortium partner institution in a non-IDeA state.

However, IDeA funds may be used in other IDeA and non-IDeA states for fee-for-service type of activities that include activities associated with collaborative projects, research education and training, sample and data analysis, workshops, etc. It is the responsibility of INBRE leadership to define an effective statewide partnership and collaboration.

The network is to include undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, undergraduate and graduate science department faculty and faculty and students from community colleges and TCUs if these institutions are part of the statewide network. Special efforts must be undertaken to enhance the recruitment and career development of participating students, fellows and faculty.

Collaborations with investigators from outside an IDeA state are permissible, but must be agreed upon by the INBRE Steering Committee.

This FOA strongly encourages forging interactions and cross-collaborations among INBRE and COBRE programs to enhance communication among programs, leverage resources where appropriate, and provide students a broad continuum of research Principal Investigator(s): The goals of this program are accomplished through the direction provided by a Principal Investigator (PI), who provides leadership to investigators and has the primary responsibility for administering the program and for overseeing the scientific network and its associated core facilities.

The PI of the INBRE application must be an established biomedical or behavioral research scientist with expertise directly related to the research theme(s) of the grant proposal. The PI will ensure that high-quality research is performed and has the experience to administer effectively and integrate all components of the program.

The PI must have the requisite administrative experience and leadership skills to direct this multi-faceted The PI at the lead institution will serve as the director of the INBRE and will coordinate its activities. This person must devote a minimum time commitment for mentoring and administrative oversight of the INBRE of 3. 6 person months per year, however up to 6.

0 person months will be supported. The PI will also direct the Administrative Core and will establish an administrative structure that will ensure efficient utilization of the scientific facilities and investigators within the network. The PI is responsible for management, staffing and resource allocation, and for administering the award in accordance with NIH policies.

The PI will, in consultation with the Steering Committee, select the core directors. Support will be provided at 3. 6 - 6.

0 person months annually for an additional faculty member within the INBRE network to serve as a Program Coordinator (PC). The PC will complement the administrative efforts of the PI and act as a liaison between the lead institution and the partner institutions in the network.

The PC must have demonstrated ability to organize, administer, and stimulate collaborative initiatives in the planned While the PI and PC positions are considered important for carrying out the INBRE mission, support for other scientific or staff positions can also be requested as long as their role in the program is Developmental Research Projects and Each INBRE program should include multidisciplinary, collaborative, developmental mentored research projects that stand alone, but share common scientific themes.

A single investigator at the awardee or network institutions should supervise each research project. Each investigator is responsible for ensuring that the project's specific aims are met. The research excellence of these projects will be enhanced by effectively using the scientific and technical strengths of collaborating investigators and/or mentors.

Promising investigators who are resident at institutions in IDeA states but are not a part of the scientific network of the INBRE may receive research support through an adjunct appointment at one of the partner institutions or as collaborators on research projects. The award of a Research Project Grant or a major grant award to an investigator from lead or primarily undergraduate institutions should be viewed as a milestone.

Investigators who have completed a research project should not be excluded from Network activities. These investigators should be allowed access to core facilities and should be encouraged to participate in collaborative research efforts. If appropriate, an investigator who has acquired independent research support may direct a core facility or serve as a mentor to other investigators and students.

It is emphasized that INBRE support cannot be provided in instances where an investigator receives a new award and that award overlaps or is significantly similar to that described in the INBRE application.

However, if the specific aims of the investigator's grant application are significantly different from the project described in the INBRE, then the investigator should complete his/her INBRE project and provide research experiences to the students.

In this latter case, continued support for personnel (e.g., postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students, technicians, etc.) associated with the INBRE An investigator who leaves the Network may be replaced by a new investigator. Replacement investigators and new research projects may be substituted following review by the PI and the External Advisory Committee (EAC).

The PI must communicate the EAC's recommendation along with the research project to the NCRR for Programmatic Review. In some instances, an investigator may be placed on probation or considered for removal from the INBRE program if a review by the EAC indicates a failure by the investigator to make significant progress toward achieving the specific aims of his/her project and/or achieving the goals and objectives of the INBRE program.

Attaining R01 support is not a criterion for evaluation of investigators located at primarily undergraduate institutions. Some research support may be attained by investigators at primarily undergraduate institutions, community colleges or TCU, i.e., Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA, R15) grants, R03s, even R01s but that is not a requirement of this program.

Mentors should have research expertise relevant to the scientific area(s) to be developed within the INBRE. The mentor may be a collaborator on the faculty investigator's research project. Mentors will help oversee the proposed training and career development of promising investigators.

Each project investigator should be assigned at least one mentor. The mentor is an established faculty member who has demonstrated the ability to advise others through the acquisition of external support and the maintenance of an independent research laboratory.

In some instances a suitable mentor may not be available within the investigator's institution; therefore it is acceptable to enlist appropriate mentors from outside institutions. Mentors may request up to 2. 4 person months and should be listed in the Administrative Core's budget section of the application and not in the individual projects' budget sections.

The faculty investigators should clearly designate in the text the identity of their mentors and describe the qualifications, both scientific and advisory, that make them appropriate to assist in the oversight of the project. In some cases, Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) investigators, where appropriate, may serve as mentors to INBRE investigators and/or students.

Letters of commitment from mentors should be included in the Each network must have an Administrative Core and a Bioinformatics Core. Training and mentoring aspects of the program are to be included under the Administrative Core. Applications may include additional cores developed during previous INBRE or planning phase of INBRE project periods, such as centralized research facility and instrumentation cores.

Several research projects may need access to one or more technologies included in such research core facilities, so each core facility is to include professional technical expertise to optimize use of the available technology. The mandatory Administrative Core will be directed by the PI of the INBRE and will provide the logistical support for the network.

Systematic communication among investigators within the research network is essential. The Administrative Core will also develop programs to meet the training and mentoring needs of the research faculty, fellows, and graduate, undergraduate, community and TCUs students. For example, special training may be designed for students, fellows and faculty to hone their investigative skills.

Support also may be provided for attending national scientific meetings and workshops to interact with the scientific leaders in the field and learn about the most current research advances in the field. Salary support will be provided for mentors, based on their level of effort for mentoring promising students and investigators. Salary support may be provided for an administrative assistant if required and justified.

The Administrative Core will serve to oversee ongoing research activities, any clinical studies, analysis of research results, other funding sources, and other information relevant to the thematic scientific focus that is being investigated within the Network.

The Administrative Core may provide electronic networking to inform investigators both within and outside the network of the availability of and access to modern technologies at research core facilities both within the network and located at other NIH-supported sites around the country.

Additionally, regional scientific grantsmanship and scientific presentation workshops, seminar and lecture series, and visiting faculty programs can be organized as a part of the Administrative Core's scope of training and mentoring activities. The Administrative Core may include a number of role-modeling and related training activities for four-year undergraduate institutions, junior/community colleges, and TCUs.

INBRE programs are encouraged to develop mentoring/training activities designed to increase the number and quality of graduate program applications submitted by students. Activities to these institutions through mechanisms such as (but not limited to) seminars, lectures, workshops or short courses are encouraged.

Activities could also include sponsorship of graduate school workshops and networking activities, career counseling, and laboratory/research experiences at active network research laboratories or field sites (e.g., community sites). The PI and PC should budget for an annual meeting in Bethesda, Maryland with NCRR staff.

These meetings will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, information and address their concerns, needs and problems that arise. In addition, NIH staff will provide updates on policies and regulations that relate to the conduct of research, including discussions of NIH Electronic Research Administration, ethics, and protection of human subjects to strengthen the program and the network.

Applicants are to include in their requested budgets the cost of attending these meetings in the Bethesda area. Required Committees under Administrative Core: The PI will serve as Chairperson of the Steering Committee (SC), one of two required INBRE committees. The PI, PC and research network institutional representatives must agree to participate as members of the Network's SC, which will consist of no more than 20 members.

The SC will include up to two members from each network partner institution; these members should include a senior administrative person and someone with scientific expertise and background. The Vice President for Research of the awardee institution, or their surrogate, must participate as a member of the SC. The members of the SC will establish the policies and operating procedures of both itself and the INBRE.

The SC will meet at least three times during the first year of the award and at least semi-annually thereafter. The SC will develop strategies as to how it will interact with the External Advisory Committee, the other mandatory committee described below. The members of the SC will oversee the development of relevant workshops, lecture series, etc., and will regularly review the progress of student-mentor teams.

The Administrative Core will provide logistical support to the SC. The PC, in conjunction with SC, will design an Evaluation Plan to determine the impact of their program on the development of the participating institutions and investigators' development. External Advisory Committee: Each INBRE application must include an External Advisory Committee (EAC).

The Steering Committee (SC) should establish rules governing the composition of the EAC and the tenure of the Chairperson. The composition of the EAC is to include at least three to five members with appropriate scientific expertise in the thematic focus area (s), who can provide advice to the SC for scientific, administrative, and other matters. The members can monitor the progress of INBRE development.

The Administrative Core will provide logistical support to the EAC. Expenses of the EAC, including honoraria, are to be included in the budget request. The EAC must meet at least twice per year.

The EAC critiques the scientific progress of the INBRE and also offers advice on scientific matters to the INBRE PI. The EAC activities include developing and planning concepts and programs, encouraging and assisting faculty development and mentoring, identifying resources, evaluating the development of the network, and evaluating the progress of the individual research projects.

The PI will share the advice and critiques provided by the EAC with other INBRE investigators and the Steering Committee of the network. The EAC also will review and recommend candidate investigators for replacement/substitute projects, as required, before such requests are forwarded to the NCRR for Programmatic Review.

Video-, teleconferencing or other means may be used in situations where it would be difficult to hold an in-person meeting. A summary of the issues discussed at each EAC meeting, recommendations made, and actions taken must be included in the yearly progress reports submitted to the NCRR. Bioinformatics Core (Mandatory): Bioinformatics includes organization and analysis of biological and related