NIAID Research Education Program Advancing the Careers of a Diverse Research Workforce (R25, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Supports educational activities that complement or enhance the training of a diverse biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce.

Expired PAR-20-289: NIAID Research Education Program (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) This notice has expired. Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) Components of Participating Organizations National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) Funding Opportunity Title NIAID Research Education Program (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) March 14, 2022 - This PAR has been reissued as PAR-22-134 .

October 28, 2021 - Reminder: FORMS-G Grant Application Forms & Instructions Must be Used for Due Dates On or After January 25, 2022 - New Grant Application Instructions Now Available. See Notice NOT-OD-22-018 . September 13, 2021 - Updates to the Non-Discrimination Legal Requirements for NIH Recipients.

See Notice August 5, 2021 - New NIH "FORMS-G" Grant Application Forms and Instructions Coming for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2022. See Notice NOT-OD-21-169 . August 5, 2021 - Update: Notification of Upcoming Change in Federal-wide Unique Entity Identifier Requirements.

See Notice NOT-OD-21-170 April 20, 2021 - Expanding Requirement for eRA Commons IDs to All Senior/Key Personnel. See Notice NOT-OD-21-109 January 21, 2021 - Notice of Change in Key Dates for PAR-20-289. See Notice NOT-AI-21-014 .

July 22, 2019 - Requirement for ORCID iDs for Individuals Supported by Research Training, Fellowship, Research Education, and Career Development Awards Beginning in FY 2020. See Notice NOT-OD-19-109 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number Companion Funding Opportunity See Section III. 3.

Additional Information on Eligibility . Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s) Funding Opportunity Purpose The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH.

The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities related to NIAID's mission areas with a primary focus on: Courses for Skills Development Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Letter of Intent Due Date(s) 30 days before application due date December 7, 2020; May 25, 2021; and May 25, 2022 All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

All types of non-AIDS applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on the listed date(s). Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

AIDS Application Due Date(s) December 7, 2020; September 7, 2021; and September 7, 2022 All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of AIDS and AIDS-related applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on the listed date(s).

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date. April 2021; November 2021; November 2022 May 2021; January 2022; January 2023 July 2021; March 2022; March 2023 New Date March 15, 2022 per issuance of PAR-22-134 .

(Original Expiration Date: September 08, 2022 ) Required Application Instructions It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide ,except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced.

Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV . When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Part 1. Overview Information Part 2. Full Text of Announcement Section I.

Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Other Award Budget Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV.

Application and Submission Information Section V. Application Review Information Section VI. Award Administration Information Section VII.

Agency Contacts Section VIII. Other Information Part 2. Full Text of Announcement Section I.

Funding Opportunity Description The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research educational activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH Institutes and Centers.

The overarching goals of the NIH R25 program are to: (1) complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs; (2) encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research; (3) help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds to research careers in biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences; and (4) foster a better understanding of biomedical, behavioral and clinical research and its implications.

The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.

The mission of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is to conduct and support basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases. In addition, NIAID has a unique mandate which requires the Institute to respond to emerging public health threats.

Furthermore, the mission includes educational activities that complement the training of the next generation of scientists in NIAID-related research areas To accomplish the stated over-arching goal of this R25 program, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on: Courses for Skills Development: It is expected that the course(s) for skills development provide innovative, state-of-the-art, evidence-based education that relates to the mission of NIAID, and is derived from biomedical, behavioral or clinical research findings.

For example, advanced courses in a specific discipline or research area, clinical procedures for research, specialized research techniques, or research methodology. The courses may include elements that promote research skills and career skills of the participants. The format of the courses may involve a traditional in-person approach, online activities, a hybrid of both approaches, or other methods.

Research Experiences: It is expected that the research experiences supported by this FOA are relevant to the trainees area of science, yet sufficiently different such that it expands or extends their skills. The expanded experience has to meet the needs and career level of participants. Research experiences must also be designed to address some area of NIAID extramurally supported research.

For example, for graduate and health professional students: to provide research experiences and related training not available through formal NIH training mechanisms; to provide hands-on authentic research experiences that reflect ownership of a project and provide opportunity for meaningful contribution to the research in question, and stimulate their interest to consider further education and training for future research related to the NIAID mission; for postdoctorates and junior faculty: to extend their skills, experiences, and knowledge base and prepare them for a NIAID-related career research.

Mentoring Activities: Within the context of a mentoring network activities may include, but are not limited to, dedicated efforts at providing technical expertise, advice, insight, and professional career skills that advance the broad career goals of graduate students, postdoctorates and/or early-career faculty; facilitating scholarly writing and grantsmanship; promoting successful transitions from one career stage to another; providing leadership development; helping to identify potential collaborators; helping to establish interdisciplinary or translational collaborations in order to foster a career trajectory towards independent NIAID-related research.

Applications Not Responsive to this FOA Applications lacking plans to include all three activities described above (courses for skills development, research experiences, and mentoring activities) will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed. The emphasis on each activity need not be equal, however each one must be included.

NIAID recognizes that some eligible institutions may not have sufficient numbers of active researchers with extramural funding to support on-campus research experiences.

Such institutions could establish collaborative arrangements with research-intensive institutions that have a significant number of faculty mentors with NIH or other extramural research support to have their participants benefit from off-campus research experiences, especially during the summer.

Research education programs may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those training and education programs currently receiving Federal support. R25 programs may augment institutional research training programs (e.g., T32, T90) but cannot be used to replace or circumvent Ruth L.

Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) programs. See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity. Application Types Allowed The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Only those application types listed here are allowed for this FOA. Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trial(s). Note: Appointed participants are permitted to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial? Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Application budgets need to reflect the needs of the proposed project and are limited to $325,000 direct costs per year.

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is five years. Other Award Budget Information Individuals designing, directing, and implementing the research education program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the person months devoted to the program.

Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions and may not exceed the congressionally mandated cap. (If mentoring interactions and other activities with participants are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then any costs associated with the mentoring and other interactions with participants are not allowable costs from grant funds).

Participants may be paid if specifically required for the proposed research education program and sufficiently justified. Participant costs must be itemized in the proposed budget. Allowable participant costs depend on the educational level/career status of the individuals to be selected to participate in the program.

While generally not an allowable cost, with strong justification, participants in the research education program may receive per diem unless such costs are furnished as part of the registration fee. Participants may also receive funds to defray partial tuition and other education-related expenses. Expenses for foreign travel must be exceptionally well justified.

Individuals supported by NIH training and career development mechanisms (K, T, or F awards) may receive, and indeed are encouraged to receive, educational experiences supported by an R25 program, as participants, but may not receive salary or stipend supplementation from a research education program.

Because the R25 program is not intended as a substitute for an NRSA institutional training program (e.g.,T32), costs to support full-time participants (supported for 40 hours/week for a continuous, 12-month period) are not allowable. Other Program-Related Expenses Consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses may be included in the proposed budget.

These expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution. In addition, limited program evaluation costs are allowed up to a maximum of $3,000 for the 5-year project period.

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees and expenditures for equipment), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement. NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this FOA. Section III.

Eligibility Information Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education: Hispanic-serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) U.S. Territory or Possession Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith-based or Community-based Organizations The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program.

Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program. Institutions with existing Ruth L.

Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) institutional training grants (e.g., T32) or other Federally funded training programs may apply for a research education grant provided that the proposed educational experiences are distinct from those training programs receiving federal support.

In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are not allowed.

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible.

The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations.

The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application. System for Award Management (SAM) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration.

SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code. NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM. eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number to register in eRA Commons.

Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants. gov registration, but all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.

Grants. gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants. gov registration.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role.

Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks. Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator) Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.

Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The PD/PI should be an established investigator in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required. This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement .

3. Additional Information on Eligibility Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct. The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time.

This means that the NIH will not accept: A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application. A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.

An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101 ) Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as preceptors/mentors. Mentors should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program.

Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the mentee’s participation in this award. Unless strongly justified on the basis of exceptional relevance to NIH, research education programs should be used primarily for the education of U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Participants are limited to the following individuals: Graduate/health professional (e.g., medical) students, medical residents, postdoctoral fellows, and/or early-career faculty. For this program "early career faculty" must be within the first 8 years of their first faculty appointment. Participants may be from a single career stage, or programs may propose to bridge several career stages of participants.

Participants may be early career researchers that are moving into new research areas relevant to the NIAID research. Note that high school and undergraduate students, postbaccalaureate fellows, and masters level graduate students may not be supported as participants under this FOA. Section IV.

Application and Submission Information 1. Requesting an Application Package The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants. gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution.

Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants. gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this FOA. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced.

Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions will not be reviewed. Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review. By the date listed in Part 1.

Overview Information , prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information: Descriptive title of proposed activity Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s) Names of other key personnel Participating institution(s) Number and title of this funding opportunity The letter of intent should be sent to: Brenda Lange-Gustafson, Ph. D.

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed. Instructions for Application Submission The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this FOA. Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. SF424(R&R) Other Project Information Component Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional modifications: Facilities & Other Resources.

Describe the educational environment, including the facilities, laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other resources to be used in the development and implementation of the proposed program. List all thematically related sources of support for research training and education following the format for Current and Pending Support.

An Advisory Committee is not a required component of a Research Education program. However, if an Advisory Committee is intended, provide a plan for the appointment of an Advisory Committee to monitor progress of the research education program. The composition, roles, responsibilities, and desired expertise of committee members, frequency of committee meetings, and other relevant information should be included.

Describe how the Advisory Committee will evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. Proposed Advisory Committee members should be named in the application if they have been invited to participate at the time the application is submitted. Please name your file Advisory_Committee.

pdf . The filename provided for each Other Attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons. SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional modifications: Include all personnel other than the PD(s)/PI(s) in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff. Use the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs to include all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the program.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions: Research Strategy section must be used to upload the Research Education Program Plan , which must include the following components described below: Proposed Research Education Program Program Director/Principal Investigator Institutional Environment and Commitment Diversity Recruitment Plan Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research Research Education Program Plan Proposed Research Education Program.

While the proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support.

When research training programs are on-going in the same department, the applicant organization should clearly distinguish between the activities in the proposed research education program and the research training supported by the training program.

Describe planned processes for: (a) conducting and monitoring recruitment and selection of participants, (b) planning research and educational activities and selecting mentors for participants, (c) evaluating participant progress, (d) coordinating among existing training or research activities available at the site and (e) assessing the quality and effectiveness of the overall research education program.

The success of any funded program will be based largely on participant outcomes. Progress towards achieving participant outcomes may be tracked through achieving sequential milestones in research (i.e., short-term outcomes) and advancing the science and practice of an area of research (i.e., intermediate outcomes).

Describe the approach that will be used to develop and implement the Research Educational Program, including: The overall goal(s) and specific measurable objectives (including anticipated milestones, defined as anticipated intermediate steps toward the objectives) that the institution expects to accomplish within the NIAID R25 program.

A brief rationale for, and a detailed description of, all three educational activities in meeting the goal(s) of the proposed program: research experiences, mentoring activities and courses for skills development. Also describe the role of the faculty/personnel involved.

Describe how the proposed program content will address the training needs of the research workforce for biomedical, behavioral and clinical research that support NIAID mission areas. Briefly outline the proposed schedule/timeline of activities.

Discuss any perceived impediments to implementing the proposed activities and alternative strategies to achieve the specific objectives Applications proposing research experiences should demonstrate that participants will have meaningful experiences in the laboratories or research groups of investigators who are actively engaged in biomedical research. This hands-on exposure to research can be during the academic year and/or summer.

Program Director/Principal Investigator. Describe arrangements for administration of the program. Provide evidence that the Program Director/Principal Investigator is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to the mission of NIH, and can organize, administer, monitor, and evaluate the research education program.

For programs proposing multiple PDs/PIs, describe the complementary and integrated expertise of the PDs/PIs, their leadership approach, and governance appropriate for the planned project. Program Faculty. Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as program faculty.

Faculty should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program and demonstrate a history of, or the potential for, their intended roles. Describe the criteria for the selection of participating faculty. Program Participants.

Applications must describe the intended participants, and the eligibility criteria and/or specific educational background characteristics that are essential for participation in the proposed research education program. Identify the career levels for which the proposed program is planned. Outline participant selection qualifications for the program.

Institutional Environment and Commitment. Describe the institutional environment, reiterating the availability of facilities and educational resources (described separately under Facilities & Other Resources ), that can contribute to the planned Research Education Program. Evidence of institutional commitment to the research educational program is required.

A letter of institutional commitment must be attached as part of Letters of Support (see below). Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program.

Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity ( NOT-OD-20-031 ): Every facet of the United States scientific research enterprise from basic laboratory research to clinical and translational research to policy formation requires superior intellect, creativity and a wide range of skill sets and viewpoints .

NIH’s ability to help ensure that the nation remains a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation is dependent upon a pool of highly talented scientists from diverse backgrounds who will help to further NIH's mission. Research shows that diverse teams working together and capitalizing on innovative ideas and distinct perspectives outperform homogenous teams.

Scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems.

There are many benefits that flow from a diverse NIH-supported scientific workforce, including: fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of the research, advancing the likelihood that underserved or health disparity populations participate in, and benefit from health research, and enhancing public trust.

Underrepresented Populations in the U.S. Biomedical, Clinical, Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Enterprise In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, educational and research opportunities are not equally available to all.

NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, such as: A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www. nsf.

gov/statistics/showpub. cfm? TopID=2&SubID=27 ) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering ).

The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program .

For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see the OMB Revisions to the Standards for Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity ( https://www. govinfo. gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-10-30/html/97-28653.

htm ). B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended .

See NSF data at, https://www. nsf. gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/static/data/tab7-5.

pdf . C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following criteria: 1.

Were or currently are homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Definition: https://nche. ed. gov/mckinney-vento/ ); 2.

Were or currently are in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children and Families (Definition: https://www. acf. hhs.

gov/cb/focus-areas/foster-care ); 3. Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years (Definition: https://www. fns.

usda. gov/school-meals/income-eligibility-guidelines ); 4. Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree (see https://nces.

ed. gov/pubs2018/2018009. pdf ); 5.

Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants (Definition: https://www2. ed. gov/programs/fpg/eligibility.

html ); 6. Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as a parent or child (Definition: https://www. fns.

usda. gov/wic/wic-eligibility-requirements ). 7.

Grew up in one of the following areas: a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer ( https://data. hrsa. gov/tools/rural-health ), or b) a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas (qualifying zipcodes are included in the file).

Only one of the two possibilities in #7 can be used as a criterion for the disadvantaged background definition. Students from low socioeconomic (SES) status backgrounds have been shown to obtain bachelor’s and advanced degrees at significantly lower rates than students from middle and high SES groups (see https://nces. ed.

gov/programs/coe/indicator_tva. asp ), and are subsequently less likely to be represented in biomedical research. For background see Department of Education data at, https://nces.

ed. gov/ ; https://nces. ed.

gov/programs/coe/indicator_tva. asp ;