NIDA Research Center of Excellence Grant Program (P50) is sponsored by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) supports research Centers that conduct innovative, multidisciplinary, and thematically integrated drug abuse and addiction research.

Expired PAR-08-046: NIDA Research "Center of Excellence" Grant Program (P50) This notice has expired. Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. Department of Health and Human Services Participating Organizations Institutes of Health (NIH) ( http://www.

nih. gov/ ) Components of Participating Organizations Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) ( http://www. nida.

nih. gov/ ) Cancer Institute (NCI), ( http://www. nci.

nih. gov/ ) Research "Center of Excellence" Grant Program (P50) Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued: May 6, 2010 - This PAR has been reissued as (PAR-10-189). February 11, 2009 - See Notice (NOT-DA-09-007) Notice of Changes in Receipt Date and Council Date.

Looking ahead: As part 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 general information on this transition, please see the electronic submission website at http://era.

nih. gov/ElectronicReceipt/ and the transition timeline at http://era. nih.

gov/ElectronicReceipt/files/Electronic_Receipt_Timeline_Ext. pdf . 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-08-046 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s) Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): January 28, 2008; January 26, 2009; January 26, 2010 or Submission Date(s): February 26, 2008; February 26, 2009, December 1, 2009 (per NOT-DA-09-007 ), February AIDS Application Receipt Date(s): May 7, 2008; 2008; July, 2009; July 2010 Council Review Date(s): October, 2008, October, 2009; October, 2010 Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): December, 2008, December 2009; December 2010 Information To Be Available Date (Url Activation Date): Not applicable Expiration Date: New Date January 8, 2010 (per issuance of NOT-DA-09-007 ) Original Expiration Date: May 8, 2010 This FOA is to provide support for research centers that conduct drug abuse and addiction research that have outstanding innovative science and that are multidisciplinary, thematically integrated, synergistic, and are/will be serving as national resource(s) for the NIDA research fields.

This FOA uses the Research Center of Excellence Grant (P50) mechanism. There should be evidence that the presence of a center structure is essential for the accomplishment of the that a Center will transform knowledge in the sciences it is studying. Incremental work should not be the focus of Center activities; rather, new and creative directions are required.

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. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the numbers, quality, duration, and costs of the applications received. Research may occur in any area of NIDA's mission.

Each separate project should bear an essential relationship to the integrating theme. expected to support the education, training, and mentoring, of new investigators, who should be given meaningful roles to play in the center NIDA Centers are expected to share their findings, their data and their resources.

Eligible organizations include for-profit and non-profit organizations, public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories, units of state and local governments, eligible agencies of the federal government, domestic institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations.

Foreign institutions are not eligible to submit center applications; however, they are eligible as subcontractors of a domestic application.

Institutions/Organizations: Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education; Private Institution of Higher Education; Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education); Nonprofit without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education); Small Business; For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business); State Government; U.S. Territory or Possession; Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized); Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized); Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entity (Foreign Organization); Hispanic-serving Institution; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Regional Organization; Eligible agencies of the Federal government; Faith-based or community based organizations.

Investigators from foreign institutions are eligible as principal investigators of a Number of PDs/PIs. More than one PD/PI may be designated on the application as center director. However, individual cores/projects is expected to be headed by a single Renewals and Resubmissions.

Applications can be renewed by competing for additional project periods. Applicants may submit a resubmission application, but such application must include an Introduction addressing the previous peer review critique (Summary that are complete will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate scientific review group (SRG) convened by NIDA.

Applicants may submit more than one application, provided they are scientifically distinct and meet the percent effort requirements. However, an individual may not concurrently be the center director on more than one NIDA center grant. Telecommunications for the hearing impaired is available at: TTY 301-451-5936 Special Receipt Dates: February 26, 2008; February 26, 2009, February 26, 2010 II Full Text of Announcement I.

Funding Opportunity Description 1. Mechanism(s) of Support III. Eligibility Information 2.

Cost Sharing or Matching 3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria IV. Application and Submission Information 1.

Address to Request Application 2. Content and Form of Application 3. Submission Dates and Times A.

Receipt and Review and Sending an Application to the NIH C. Application Processing 4. Intergovernmental Review 6.

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

Additional Review Criteria D. Sharing Research Resources 3. Anticipated Announcement and Award VI.

Award Administration Information 2. Administrative and National Policy 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 NIDA provides support for three types of investigator initiated research centers: core center grants (P30), research center of excellence grants (P50), and comprehensive research center of excellence grants (P60). This FOA provides support for the P50 Research center of excellence. Please see other FOA issuances for the P30 and P60.

Applicants interested in the P20 mechanism should consult current RFA listings. Overall Characteristics of all NIDA Centers NIDA provides support for research center grants to foster an innovative, synergistic and thematically coherent approach to drug abuse and addiction research and to enable studies that would not occur without the climate, facilities and research resources that a research center can uniquely provide.

NIDA encourages the application of multiple scientific perspectives and approaches to the problem of addiction. NIDA's research centers program is intended to support the highest quality, multidisciplinary programs of NIDA centers are expected to have three essential and defining qualities. First, they are expected to be scientifically innovative.

Centers are expected to provide the next generation of ideas and approaches. Incremental work, though valuable, should not be the focus of Center activities. Rather, new and creative directions are required, and it is expected that a Center will transform knowledge in the sciences it is studying.

Second, each NIDA center is expected to be thematically coherent and is expected to demonstrate the highest caliber of multidisciplinary scientific work. The uniqueness of each center emerges from the confluence of thematic integration, and multidisciplinary involvement. The third quality of a NIDA center is synergy.

Taken as a whole, a NIDA center is expected to enable a level of achievement that exceeds that expected on the basis of "the sum of its parts." Research supported at a NIDA research center is expected to reflect an inter-dependence of the individual research projects that would not occur simply from the collection of the individual components. Center support should be essential to the achievement of the proposed work.

In addition, NIDA research centers are expected to serve as national research resources in the drug abuse research field. They are expected to attract established and promising investigators into drug abuse research. The P50 and P60 center applications are expected to provide opportunities for research training, career development, and mentoring, as well as for effective dissemination of research findings.

Through the Centers program, NIDA seeks to encourage outstanding scientists to bring a full range of expertise, approaches, technologies, and creativity to the study of problems related to drug abuse and addiction.

Investigative efforts are expected to be broadly based and to encompass a variety of areas, including biological, biomedical, social, behavioral, and/or clinical sciences as well as dissemination sciences to address critical research issues.

provides support for a broadly based, multidisciplinary, innovative research program consisting of related research endeavors and associated core infrastructure to ensure their effective and synergistic functioning. The activities included in the supported research is expected to be innovative, thematically integrated, multidisciplinary, and synergistic.

It is important that the research supported not be simply a collection of independent research projects that are only loosely related. Each individual research component is expected to be systematically related both to some other components and to the core infrastructure.

Training and mentoring to enhance junior researchers' or other researchers' skills should be conducted in the context of the research, but funds may not be used for training stipends or training not required to Essential Organizational and Administrative Characteristics The application needs to justify the configuration and numbers of components proposed and to demonstrate that the proposed center infrastructure would facilitate effectively the achievement of the desired level of integration and synergy.

The center mechanism is not appropriate to support a set of complex unitary investigations that would be best supported as All NIDA centers are expected to clearly demonstrate the occurrence of innovative, rigorous, thematically focused, and productive research that emerges from interdependent components of the research program and that would not emerge from the mere collection of those individual components.

Applicants should explicitly discuss the integration of work in the center in the introductory section of the application. Further, it is expected to be demonstrated that the use of the research center mechanism is essential to accomplishing the scientific aims set forth in the application. In addition to narrative, evidence of components' interdependency should be summarized in a table.

Organizational structure should be summarized in a diagram. Three characteristics are necessary for meeting this set of 1) Innovation -- There must be evidence of scientific innovation. Centers must be at the cutting edge of the science.

Centers are expected to provide the next generation of ideas and approaches. Incremental work, though valuable, should not be the focus of Center activities. Rather, new and creative directions are required, and it is expected that a Center will transform knowledge in the sciences it is studying.

2) Thematic integration and multidisciplinary involvement -- There must be an overarching theme that integrates and focuses the center. Further, there must be an essential relationship of each component part to the overall theme of the center and to the other components. Interdependency and integration of the projects should be clearly evident, so that the center does not appear to be a collection of independent research projects.

These linkages may be conceptual, spatial, and/or temporal. The type of integration proposed may be different for different genres of science. Some types may emphasize conceptual integration and focus, while others may emphasize sharing of data, instruments, and other resources.

Linkages should encourage cross-fertilization of ideas and interactions among investigators that are relevant to the theme. There must be multidisciplinary involvement. That is, there must be research activity across a variety of disciplines or sub-disciplines such that multiple scientific perspectives and approaches are brought to bear on an area or question.

There must be evidence that significant multidisciplinary collaborations will occur and contribute to thematic integration as described Interdependency of the scientific projects may allow for a variety of arrangements including, for example, sharing a common subject pool managed through the core which the center’s other components draw from or, for example, the core may provide a common imaging protocol to allow for comparability of data across research projects.

3) Synergy -- Synergy is evidenced by creative thinking, a novel approach, innovations, and highly significant findings. The degree of coordination, interaction, and collaboration should foster original and creative contributions to scientific understanding over and above that which would be obtained if each component existed independently.

Synergy refers to the intense interaction among participating components that results in greater depth, breadth, quality of research and productivity. The intellectual interdependency and linkage among the components and core(s) must result in levels of productivity, quality, and progress that will exceed those expected from combining the individual components in an additive fashion.

The center must demonstrate that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. NIDA P50 research centers are expected to serve as national research resources in the drug abuse research field. They are expected to attract established and promising investigators into drug abuse research.

The center applications are expected to provide opportunities for research training, career development, and mentoring, as well as for effective dissemination of research findings. NIDA's centers should support research activities of the highest and most innovative caliber. Research may occur in any area of NIDA's mission.

Each separate project should bear an essential relationship to the integrating theme and efficiently use and contribute to center resources. Centers should enable highly innovative and important studies, whether they are developmental activities and pilot projects or more mature, complex investigations.

The center should also support the education, training, and mentoring of new investigators, who should be given meaningful roles to play in the center projects. Further, there should be evidence that the presence of a center structure is essential for the accomplishment of the research activities.

Although center support is not intended to support direct research activities in P50s, there should be evidence that the support of the core activities enable the more efficient implementation of associated research and that this research is innovative and of the highest caliber, as well as consistent with the overall purposes of the NIDA Centers program.

The NIH policies regarding human subjects protection, data safety and monitoring, and inclusion of women, minorities and children must be followed for research proposed involving human subjects.

Data Safety and Monitoring plans must be included for all clinical trials, and Data and Safety Monitoring Board plans must be included for phase I, II and III pharmaceutical trials, and stage 1, 2 and 3 behavioral studies, multi-site clinical trials, and to prevention health services and other interventions, when appropriate or required.

(See Section VIII Required Federal Citations for more information; and NIDA Guidelines for Data and Safety Monitoring plans and Data and Safety Monitoring Board plans at http://www. nida. nih.

gov/Funding/DSMBSOP. html and http://www. nida.

nih. gov/Funding/GuideDSMB. html , The NIH policies regarding use of animals in research must be followed for research proposed involving live vertebrate animals.

See section of PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals ( http://grants. nih. gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.

pdf ) as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 ( http://grants. nih. gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.

htm ), and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations ( http://www. nal. usda.

gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1. htm ) As part of serving as a national resource, a NIDA P50 center is expected to provide educational and outreach activities to drug abuse research communities, educational organizations, the general public, and policy makers. Training activities are also expected to recruit and nurture future generations of scientists to engage in drug abuse and addiction research.

The center is strongly encouraged to provide programs to develop careers of researchers of ethnic minorities in drug addiction research and to develop programs to eliminate health disparities.

Data, Findings, & Resource Sharing NIDA's P50 research centers are expected to collect unique and important data, to develop innovative research assessments and methodologies, and to make critical research discoveries which lead their research fields to the next generation of ideas and approaches.

These NIDA centers are supported both for their expected crucial scientific accomplishments and for their role as vital resources to the research community. In order to maximize the impact of their work, they are expected to make their data, their methodologies and their findings available in a timely manner to other researchers and those who have a legitimate purpose for the access.

In most instances, the data sharing will extend beyond that of one's own center to the research community. This sharing can be accomplished in many ways, including posting findings in the center's website or using archival services. Data sharing plans must be provided (See Section VII Required Federal Citations and http://grants.

nih. gov/grants/policy/data_sharing/ for more information.) A plan for development and dissemination of assessments and methodologies and a general publication plan are also expected.

The extent to which a NIDA center is a resource to the field by developing and sharing data, methodologies and findings is a major factor in the potential value of a center and is therefore an important criterion in the evaluation and funding of a center application.

Research Environment and Facilities Each center is expected to provide an environment that promotes the conduct of the highest quality, state-of-the-art research, innovation, and leadership in its areas of investigation. Applicants are expected to demonstrate that the center is, or would serve as, a significant national scientific research resource soon after its establishment.

For resubmissions, the application is expected to demonstrate how the Center continues to serve as a national resource and its success in doing so. There must be appropriate and adequate facilities dedicated to the conduct of administrative, shared resource, and research activities.

While all members of the center need not be located physically in facilities controlled exclusively by the center, there must be a clearly identifiable physical location for the center which insures adequate administrative oversight for the center and the associated core units providing shared Much of the shared research environment and many facilities will be located in or funded through the core components.

Each core component should contribute toward cost-effectiveness and quality control in resource utilization. Data analytic capacities, database facilities, and data resources should be specified as needed. Provisions for shared laboratory resources and the quality of laboratory space should be indicated.

Similar information should be provided for clinical facilities. Center Director (Program Director/Principal Investigator Each center is expected to have a scientifically and administratively qualified center director with responsibility for the scientific, administrative, budgetary, and operational aspects of the center.

The center director should be a productive, senior (as documented by publications, patents, honors, and similar indices of stature) and outstanding researcher. The center director is responsible for overall coordination and for the development of the center. An individual cannot serve as director of more than one NIDA research center grant.

In addition, it is expected that the center director will make a substantial commitment of time and effort to the center.

Although the average center director will commit more time to the center and associated activities than the minimum, it is expected that the center director will commit at least 20 percent effort to center administration including administrative core and 15 percent effort to any other core and/or on research component directly supported by the center grant.

Multiple center directors are allowed; however, very strong justification for the need of such arrangement is expected to be provided.

Also, a Leadership Plan is expected to be provided Scientific Project Director Each project is expected to have a scientifically and administratively qualified investigator with responsibility for the scientific, administrative, budgetary, and operational aspects of the project and for coordination with the Center Director and other project/core directors.

The project directors should be productive, outstanding researchers and leaders of the field. The project director is responsible for overall coordination and for the development of the core. It is expected that the project director will make a substantial commitment of time and effort to the center, at least 25 percent effort to research-related activities directly supported by the center grant.

This section does not apply to administrative core since the center director must be the director of the administrative core. Each core is expected to have a scientifically and administratively qualified investigator with responsibility for the scientific, administrative, budgetary, and operational aspects of the core and for coordination with the Center Director and other core/project directors.

The core directors should be productive, outstanding researchers and leaders of the field. The core director is responsible for overall coordination and for the development of the core.

It is expected that the core director will make a substantial commitment of time and effort to the center, at least 25 percent effort to administrative and research-related activities directly supported by A cadre of experienced, independent and productive investigators should be present with active collaborations in place or planned.

These investigators should evidence productivity, stature and leadership, or a potentially strong leadership role, in their respective fields. A broad range of expertise relevant to the center's goals should be present. Investigative efforts may encompass researchers with primary appointments at the applicant institution as well as to other collaborating sites.

Investigators is expected to commit to data sharing and ongoing communications with other investigators Administrative and Organizational Structure The center is expected to have appropriate and effective administrative and organizational capabilities to conduct multidisciplinary research, to foster synergy, and to plan and evaluate center activities.

There should be clear and convincing evidence of the applicant institution's commitment to the center. Administrative and organizational arrangements should promote joint planning and evaluation activities as well as collaborations and interactions within, between and among programmatic elements of the center.

This should include: (a) an overall programmatic structure that effectively promotes scientific interactions, provides for internal quality control of research, publications, and generation of future grant applications, and also takes maximum advantage of the center's drug abuse research capability (the description of these attributes is particularly important when there are multiple participating institutions in the center); (b) an administrative organization that has clear lines of authority, is managed efficiently and cost effectively, and enables effective use and leverage of resources; (c) the use of a standing outside advisory structure that is charged to provide appropriate and objective advice and evaluation, as needed, to the center director; (d) internal advisory, decision-making, and priority setting processes appropriately charged to conduct the activities of the center; and (e) appropriate criteria and processes for determining and sustaining individual participation in the center based on productivity, research direction, and overall contribution.

Administrative support might also include plans for recruitment, training, and supervision of staff. The center is expected to have both research projects and supporting core units that provide support to the research projects of the center. The center should have an administrative core that provides general administration, coordination, and oversight of the center activities.

Specialized core units should not provide service to only one project. Core activities is expected to be clearly described. Allowable Budgetary Items and Supportable Activities Allowable costs in NIH grants are governed by rules set forth in the Public Health Service Grants Policy Statement and the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, unless otherwise stated on the Notice of Grant Award.

Under these rules, the center director may exercise flexibility to meet unexpected center requirements by re-budgeting or requesting approval to re-budget among budget categories within the total direct cost budget of the center (as shown on the Notice of Grant Award).

In developing the budget for core center activities, applicants should take into account funds currently available through existing collaborating grants and explain how these funds might be reconfigured to maximize efficient resource utilization.

The center is intended to provide reasonable support for activities clearly related to the specialized research needs of the center, as noted below: Salaries and support may be provided for a limited number of administrative and clerical personnel.

However, salary and support for central administrative personnel, usually paid from institutional overhead charges, such as budget officers, grants assistants, and building personnel, are not Administrative support services, including supplies, duplicating equipment, telephone, or maintenance contracts for equipment, when not covered by institutional overhead charges, are permitted.

Salary and support for administrative activities such as public relations, fund-raising, or educational services unrelated to the research are not allowable.

Shared Resources and Services Shared resources and services intended to provide access to technology that enhances the research productivity of the center and provides foci for scientific interaction and consultation, as well as access to services that facilitate the research and strengthen the administrative and organizational cohesion of the center may be requested.

Costs associated with sharing data and methodologies with the scientific community and training colleagues in the use of such methodologies may also be requested.

Planning and Assessment of Progress Costs for the use of ad hoc scientific and technical consultants when appropriate and for the conduct of seminar series designed to promote interdisciplinary interaction, education, and center cohesiveness may Costs of center planning and evaluation, including the costs of an external advisory committee, may also be requested.

Travel of the center director and other investigators to scientific meetings justified as essential to the conduct of research under the Travel of technical staff for training justified as essential to enhancing the quality of the research projects may be supported. A project previously funded as P20 or P30 NIH grant may be submitted as a P50 Center by application through this announcement.

In order to help the review committee to assess the significance of this transition, the applicant is encouraged to provide information on previous specific aims and highlighting scientific accomplishment, and the importance and innovativeness of the findings.

This section can be incorporated in the Overall Center for Revisions (formally competitive supplements) to center grants will be supported only under the most exceptional circumstances.

Applications for such revision to center grants are expected to meet all criteria for a NIDA center listed above and is expected to contribute to the overall theme of the center and be clearly linked to other ongoing center projects in a synergistic of Center Grant Directors promote information sharing, to facilitate collaboration, and to address issues of common concern among NIDA research centers, NIDA may ask Center Directors to participate in meetings on an as-needed basis.

The resubmission (formally revision) application should include the usual NIH required three pages Introduction to the resubmission describing the changes in the entire application.

In each of the cores/projects, three pages are allowed to describe, changes/responses in the Counseling and Testing Policy for the National Institute on Drug Abuse: In light of recent significant advances in rapid testing for HIV and in effective treatments for HIV, NIDA has revised its 2001 policy on HIV counseling and testing.

NIDA-funded researchers are strongly encouraged to provide and/or refer research subjects to HIV risk reduction education and education about the benefits of HIV treatment, counseling and testing, and to provide referral to treatment, and other appropriate interventions to prevent acquisition and transmission of HIV. This policy applies to all NIDA funded research conducted domestically or internationally.

For more information see http://grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-DA-07-013.

html National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA) recognizes the importance of research involving the administration of drugs with abuse potential, and dependence or addiction liability, to human subjects. Potential applicants are encouraged to obtain and review these recommendations of Council before submitting an application that will administer compounds to human subjects.

The guidelines are available on NIDA's Web site at http://www. nida. nih.

gov/about/organization/nacda/CouncilStatement. html . VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations , for policies related 1.

Mechanism(s) of Support funding opportunity announcement will use the P50 award mechanism. applicant is solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the opportunity uses the just-in-time budget concepts. It also uses the non-modular budget format described in the PHS 398 application instructions (see http://grants.

nih. gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398. html ).

A detailed categorical budget for the "Initial Budget Period" and the "Entire Proposed Period of Support" is to be submitted with the application . mechanism supports an administrative core and one or more other research support cores and scientific projects. Applicants may apply for up to five years of support, whether as new or competing renewal applications.

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 IC(s) 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 administrative costs requested by consortium participants are not included in the direct cost limitation, see NOT-OD-05-004 . III. Eligibility Information 1.

A.

Eligible Institutions Applications may be submitted Public/State Controlled Institution of Private Institution of Higher Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education) Nonprofit without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education) For-Profit Organization (Other than U.S. Territory or Possession Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribally Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entity Hispanic-serving Institution Historically Black Colleges and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible agencies of the Federal Faith-based or community based A single individual may not concurrently be the center director on more than one NIDA center grant.

Because of the role of the centers as national resources, foreign applicants are not eligible as center directors but can serve as project or core directors and otherwise participate in center Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with his/her institution 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. Investigators from foreign institutions are eligible as component directors of a project or core. More than one principal investigator may be designated on the application as center director.

Additional information on the implementation plans and policies and procedures to formally allow more than one PD/PI on an application is available at http://grants. nih. gov/grants/multi_pi.

All PDs/PIs must be registered in the NIH eRA Commons prior to the submission of the application (see http://era. nih. gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.

htm for instructions). The decision to apply for a single PD/PI or multiple PD/PI grant is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for multiple PD/PI grants will require additional information, as outlined