Stimulating Urology Interdisciplinary Team Opportunity Research (SUITOR)

Stimulating Urology Interdisciplinary Team Opportunity Research (SUITOR) is sponsored by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Promotes innovative, high-quality, interdisciplinary research in specific benign urologic conditions and diseases.

Expired PAS-22-074: Stimulating Urology Interdisciplinary Team Opportunity Research (SUITOR) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) This notice has expired. For NIH, in limited situations, applications may be accepted on a case-by-case basis for a short period after expiration to accommodate NIH late or continuous submission policies . Contact the eRA Service Desk for any submission issues.

Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. Department of Health and Human Services Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) Components of Participating Organizations National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases ( NIDDK ) Funding Opportunity Title Stimulating Urology Interdisciplinary Team Opportunity Research (SUITOR) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) R01 Research Project Grant May 9, 2025 - Notice to Applicants That the Simplified Review Framework Will be Applied to All Relevant Applications for August/October 2025 Councils.

See Notice NOT-OD-25-116 . March 31, 2025 - This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission.

April 04, 2024 - Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025.

See Notice NOT-OD-24-084 NOT-OD-23-012 Reminder: FORMS-H Grant Application Forms and Instructions Must be Used for Due Dates On or After January 25, 2023 - New Grant Application Instructions Now Available NOT-OD-22-190 - Adjustments to NIH and AHRQ Grant Application Due Dates Between September 22 and September 30, 2022 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 NOT-OD-21-181.

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 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number Companion Funding Opportunity See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility .

Assistance Listing Number(s) Funding Opportunity Purpose The Stimulating Urology Interdisciplinary Team Opportunity Research (SUITOR) program is intended to promote innovative, high quality, interdisciplinary research relevant to the mission of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

The NIDDK invites investigator-initiated research project grant applications (R01s) in specific areas of basic, translational, or clinical research in specific benign urologic conditions and diseases where needs and opportunities for progress are particularly timely. As such, research topics of interest will change over time to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

The research topic area previously supported by the SUITOR program, urinary incontinence, will now transition to neurourology, as described below. Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Letter of Intent Due Date(s) The following table includes NIH standard due dates marked with an asterisk. Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

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. 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 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 NIDDK supports research in benign urologic conditions and diseases through investigator-initiated applications and targeted Funding Opportunity Announcements that span the spectrum from fundamental basic science to clinical trials.

While these programs have been successful in stimulating interest in focused areas, there is a continued need to broaden the scope and rigor of benign urologic research by recruiting interdisciplinary teams to the investigator-initiated research portfolio.

In response to this need, the Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (KUH) of the NIDDK has developed the Stimulating Urology Interdisciplinary Team Opportunity Research (SUITOR) Program to motivate interdisciplinary research that will ultimately lead to improved outcomes for individuals with benign urologic diseases and conditions.

Interdisciplinary research involves the integration of perspectives, concepts, theories, and methods from two or more disciplines or fields to address a problem.

Applicants are encouraged to think broadly regarding scientific disciplines: basic (e.g. molecular and cellular biology, neuroscience, engineering), clinical and translational (preclinical models, genetics, imaging, biomarkers of disease), health (e.g. medicine, nursing, physical therapy) and social (e.g. psychology, sociology, anthropology, public health, economics).

Involvement of disciplines upstream (proximal) or downstream (distal) to the proposed research plan is strongly encouraged to ensure success of the research approach and inform successful translation or implementation of study findings. In general, the knowledge gaps and research opportunities addressed by the SUITOR program will include those that are defined and highlighted by NIDDK-sponsored workshops and other public meetings.

The general research theme supported by this SUITOR program announcement will now transition from urinary incontinence to neurourology . It is increasingly evident that neural and behavioral mechanisms underlie a range of benign urologic diseases and conditions.

This topic was selected for the SUITOR program following NIDDK-sponsored workshops that included Neurourology as a focus: Neuroscience in Urology Think Tank (May 2019; https://www. niddk. nih.

gov/news/meetings-workshops/2019/ neuroscience-in-urology-think-tank ) which addressed neural contributors to urological diseases and conditions by promoting interdisciplinary teams, encouraging better understanding of the normal cellular, molecular and physiological aspects of the urinary system, and supporting development of new animal models to enable studies of lower urinary tract in normal and disease states.

Advancing Basic and Translational Research for Genitourinary Conditions: Female Urethral Function and Failure (Sept-Nov 2020; https://www. niddk. nih.

gov/news/meetings-workshops/2020/advancing-basic-translational-research-benign-genitourinary-conditions-female-urethra ) addressed aspects of the emerging science of motor and sensory urethral function and its correlation with urologic disease.

A better understanding of the neural and behavioral aspects of benign urology could have a transformational effect on the field, enabling the development of more rigorous strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Through interdisciplinary investigator-initiated studies under the broad umbrella of Neurourology, the NIDDK intends to stimulate new insights that will enhance understanding of the burden, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and/or treatment of benign urologic diseases and conditions. Basic, translational, clinical and/or epidemiological research projects are all appropriate.

Examples of applications that would be of interest include, but are not limited to, studies that seek to: Elucidate how patterns of normal or abnormal innervation of the bladder, urethra, ureters, prostate, erectile tissue and/or other pelvic structures contribute to normal function or susceptibility to benign urological diseases or conditions Define how interplay between neural components and their targets, such as smooth muscle or vasculature, contribute to normal organ function or susceptibility to benign urological diseases or conditions Explore how altered central, peripheral, or autonomic neural function may contribute to pain, dysfunction and/or cross-sensitization affecting urologic organs Examine the role of neuroimmunological processes on the maintenance or development of urologic function or dysfunction Expand knowledge of the mechanisms of spinal cord injury-associated genitourinary dysfunction that may contribute to the development of novel therapies Address the role of interoceptive networks in genitourinary function or dysfunction Develop novel use of technologies that define or alter nervous system structure or function (such as fMRI, quantitative sensory testing, neuromodulation) as diagnostic or therapeutic tools Address how neural or behavioral factors contribute to subphenotypes of benign urological diseases or conditions, or how such factors can be targeted to improve therapy Determine effects of mental health conditions or their treatment on benign urological diseases or conditions To position the benign urologic research community for success, this funding opportunity requires formation of interdisciplinary research teams, preferably through multi-PI grants, to develop innovative studies leading to development of a robust NIDDK portfolio of investigator-initiated research studies.

Applications Not Responsive to this FOA Applications proposing the following are not responsive to this FOA and will not be reviewed: Studies addressing malignant (i.e., cancerous) urologic diseases Studies of biological changes primarily affecting the kidney in the absence of strong relevance to the urological system or urological disorders Applications that include investigators who do not bring substantive intellectual contribution to the planning and implementation of the research, such as individuals whose role is limited to provision of human samples or recruitment of participants Applications with a major emphasis outside of the mission of the NIDDK Inquiries to DKUH Program staff prior to submission of an application to this FOA are strongly encouraged to discuss programmatic relevance and potential timetables for funding (see below, Section VII.

Agency Contacts). Multi PI applications are encouraged. Early-stage investigators (ESI) should review NIH Funding Policy specific to ESI located at https://grants.

nih. gov/policy/early-investigators/faqs. htm#5347 and contact NIDDK program officer with any questions.

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.

Optional: Accepting applications that either propose or do not propose clinical trial(s). Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial? Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards NIDDK intends to fund approximately 3 awards beyond its normal R01 funding policies each year.

The total set-aside funds for Fiscal Years 2023 through 2025 is $1,125,000 per year for competing grants. Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period.

The maximum project period is 5 years. 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 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) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government 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 Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are 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.

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. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)- A UEI is issued as part of the SAM. gov registration process.

SAM registrations prior to fall 2021 were updated to include a UEI. For applications due on or after January 25, 2022, the UEI must be provided on the application forms (e.g., FORMS-G); the same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Organization registrations prior to April 2022 require applicants to obtain a DUNS prior to registering in SAM.

By April 2022, the federal government will stop using the DUNS number as an entity identifier and will transition to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued by SAM. Prior to April 2022, 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.

eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier (DUNS prior to April 2022; UEI after April 2022) is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants. gov registrations; 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 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 underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities 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.

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, per 2. 3. 7.

4 Submission of Resubmission Application . 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 2. 3. 9.

4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications ). 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 may be delayed or not accepted for review. All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan will be attached in the Other Plan(s) attachment in FORMS-H and subsequent application forms packages.

For due dates on or before January 24, 2023, the Data Sharing Plan and Genomic Data Sharing Plan GDS) will continue to be attached in the Resource Sharing Plan attachment in FORMS-G application forms packages. 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. All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed. SF424(R&R) Other Project Information All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed. SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed. All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed. PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Management and Sharing Plan will be attached in the Other Plan(s) attachment in FORMS-H and subsequent application forms packages. For due dates on or before January 24, 2023, the Data Sharing Plan and Genomic Data Sharing Plan GDS) will continue to be attached in the Resource Sharing Plan attachment in FORMS-G application forms packages.

All applicants planning research (funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH) that results in the generation of scientific data are required to comply with the instructions for the Data Management and Sharing Plan. All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, must address a Data Management and Sharing Plan.

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions: Research Strategy: Describe how the proposed research integrates perspectives, concepts, theories, and methods from two or more disciplines detailing the distinct value the PD(s)/PI(s) and co-investigators bring to the research proposal including substantive intellectual contribution to planning and implementation of research and commitment to research excellence.

Provision of human samples or participant recruitment is insufficient contribution. Describe scientific gap(s) in basic, clinical, or translational neurourology and how the research proposed will move the field forward and improve understanding of neural contributors to benign urologic diseases and conditions.

Letters of Support: Please provide institutional documentation of release of clinical time for research activities as appropriate. Resource Sharing Plan : Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The following modifications also apply: All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, should address a Data Sharing Plan. Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

No publications or other material, with the exception of blank questionnaires or blank surveys, may be included in the Appendix.

PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following additional instructions: If you answered Yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved?

on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record. Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start). All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed. PHS Assignment Request Form All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) See Part 1. Section III.

1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants. gov 4. Submission Dates and Times Part I.

Overview Information contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday , the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to Grants. gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons , NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

NIH and Grants. gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.

gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Policy on Late Application Submission.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission. Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. 5.

Intergovernmental Review (E. O. 12372) This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement . Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement . 7.

Other Submission Requirements and Information Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted. Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date.

Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration. For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply Application Guide .

If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII . All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential fieldof the Senior/Key Person Profile form .

Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH. See Section III of this FOA for information on registration requirements.

The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier (DUNS number or UEI as required) provided on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations , NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

Requests of $500,000 or more for direct costs in any year Applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year (excluding consortium F&A) must contact a Scientific/ Research Contact at least 6 weeks before submitting the application and follow the Policy on the Acceptance for Review of Unsolicited Applications that Request $500,000 or More in Direct Costs as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Use of Common Data Elements in NIH-funded Research Many NIH ICs encourage the use of common data elements (CDEs) in basic, clinical, and applied research, patient registries, and other human subject research to facilitate broader and more effective use of data and advance research across studies. CDEs are data elements that have been identified and defined for use in multiple data sets across different studies.

Use of CDEs can facilitate data sharing and standardization to improve data quality and enable data integration from multiple studies and sources, including electronic health records.

NIH ICs have identified CDEs for many clinical domains (e.g., neurological disease), types of studies (e.g. genome-wide association studies (GWAS)), types of outcomes (e.g., patient-reported outcomes), and patient registries (e.g., the Global Rare Diseases Patient Registry and Data Repository). NIH has established a Common Data Element (CDE) Resource Portal" ( https://cde. nlm.

nih. gov/home ) to assist investigators in identifying NIH-supported CDEs when developing protocols, case report forms, and other instruments for data collection. The Portal provides guidance about and access to NIH-supported CDE initiatives and other tools and resources for the appropriate use of CDEs and data standards in NIH-funded research.

Investigators are encouraged to consult the Portal and describe in their applications any use they will make of NIH-supported CDEs in their projects. Post Submission Materials Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy . Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy.

Section V. Application Review Information Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Sharing Plan and Genomic Data Sharing Plan (GDS) as part of the Resource Sharing Plan will not be evaluated at time of review. Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system. In addition, for applications involving clinical trials: A proposed Clinical Trial application may include study design, methods, and intervention that are not by themselves innovative but address important questions or unmet needs.

Additionally, the results of the clinical trial may indicate that further clinical development of the intervention is unwarranted or lead to new avenues of scientific investigation.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? Is the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project rigorous? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved?

How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials Are the scientific rationale and need for a clinical trial to test the proposed hypothesis or intervention well supported by preliminary data, clinical and/or preclinical studies, or information in the literature or knowledge of biological mechanisms?

For trials focusing on clinical or public health endpoints, is this clinical trial necessary for testing the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention that could lead to a change in clinical practice, community behaviors or health care policy? For trials focusing on mechanistic, behavioral, physiological, biochemical, or other biomedical endpoints, is this trial needed to advance scientific understanding?

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or those in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)?

If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials With regard to the proposed leadership for the project, do the PD/PI(s) and key personnel have the expertise, experience, and ability to organize, manage and implement the proposed clinical trial and meet milestones and timelines? Do they have appropriate expertise in study coordination, data management and statistics?

For a multicenter trial, is the organizational structure appropriate and does the application identify a core of potential center investigators and staffing for a coordinating center? Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions?

Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

In addition, for applications involving clinical trials Does the design/research plan include innovative elements, as appropriate, that enhance its sensitivity, potential for information or potential to advance scientific knowledge or clinical practice? Are the