Slots: 1
Deadlines
Internal Deadline: Closed.
External Deadline: November 15, 2023
Award Information
Award Type: Cooperative Agreement
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 responsive to programmatic needs.
Award Budget:
Although the size of award may vary with the scope of the research education program proposed and there are no specific budget limitations, average award size is expected to be $250,000 in direct costs per year. The requested direct costs must be reasonable, well documented, fully justified and commensurate with the scope of the proposed program.
Award budgets should reflect the fact that the number of MOSAIC scholars is expected to grow through time. Each UE5 recipient will be assigned a cohort of approximately five MOSAIC scholars each year. The scholars are expected to participate in the UE5 activities for the entirety of their K99 and R00 awards. Thus, it is expected that each UE5 will grow to support 25 scholars by the fifth year of the award.
Link to Award: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-21-277.html
Who May Serve as PI: PD(s)/PI(s) are expected to be full-time employees of the applicant organization. The PD(s)/PI(s) should have appropriate professional experience in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and be capable of providing both administrative and training 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.
NIH encourages multiple PDs/PIs, particularly when each brings a unique perspective and skill set that will enhance the research education program. The PD/PI team should consider including individuals with experience in areas such as biomedical research, program evaluation, mentoring, and career development and advancement for early-career scientists.
While a faculty member who is a full-time employee of an academic institution cannot serve as a PD/PI, this individual can serve as a member of key personnel (e.g., co-investigator or collaborator).
Process for Limited Submissions
PIs must submit their application as a Limited Submission through the Office of Research Application Portal: https://rii.usc.edu/oor-portal/.
Materials to submit include:
- (1) Single Page Proposal Summary (0.5” margins; single-spaced; font type: Arial, Helvetica, or Georgia typeface; font size: 11 pt). Page limit includes references and illustrations. Pages that exceed the 1-page limit will be excluded from review.
- (2) CV – (5 pages maximum)
Note: The portal requires information about the PIs and Co-PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#, Gender, and Ethnicity. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
Purpose
The overarching goal of the MOSAIC UE5 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, for example those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences, to pursue independent, tenure-track or equivalent, research-intensive faculty positions.
To accomplish the stated overarching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on Courses for Skills Development and Mentoring Activities (as described below). The program provides support for well-designed courses for skills development and mentoring activities to prepare cohorts of postdoctoral and early-career faculty scholars supported by MOSAIC K99/R00 awards to transition into, succeed, and advance in independent, tenure-track or equivalent, research-intensive faculty careers.
- Courses for Skills Development: For example, courses focused on skills related to the career advancement of cohorts of MOSAIC K99/R00 scholars. Support for short courses designed to enhance skills appropriate to transition into and advance within independent academic research careers, e.g., academic job search strategies, communication skills, grant proposal preparation, scientific publishing, laboratory management, budgeting, hiring, mentoring, managing career challenges and expectations, academic advancement, and balancing teaching, research, and service, and life-work balance. These courses could be in-person or provided electronically.
- Mentoring Activities: For example, formation of cohesive and mutually supportive cohorts of MOSAIC K99/R00 scholars that span the K99 to R00 award phases. One-on-one and group mentoring in scientific, professional and career development skills and strategies for the cohorts of MOSAIC K99/R00 scholars. Activities to enhance the mentoring networks of MOSAIC scholars and prepare participants with a working knowledge of the challenges and opportunities associated with an independent, tenure-track research-intensive faculty career and to improve their skills to meet these challenges and opportunities (e.g. navigating an academic research career as a scientist from an underrepresented background). Additionally, this FOA encourages activities to enhance the caliber of mentoring and institutional support of MOSAIC K99/R00 scholars, including convening regular meetings with appropriate leaders at the institutions where MOSAIC scholars conduct research (e.g., postdoctoral research advisors or postdoctoral affairs deans during the mentored phase; department chairs, deans, or provosts during the independent phase) to exchange ideas, and employ evidence-informed approaches to improve mentoring relationships, promote inclusion and equity in the biomedical research enterprise (e.g., addressing structural racism and discrimination, and sexual harassment), and enhance diversity. It is expected that enhancements made in the mentoring of and support for the MOSAIC K99/R00 scholars will be disseminated throughout the participating institutions and will benefit their trainees and faculty.
Visit our Institutionally Limited Submission webpage for more updates and other announcements.