IRs are no stranger to competition, but when the goal is to obtain funding for one’s research, “competition” can quickly become a fight to the finish. Each year, SIR Foundation helps by awarding several seed grants at a range of levels for critical research in IR. Many of the recipients use the funding to not only begin their work but to secure additional funding from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Because these individuals have learned what it takes to beat out the competition, IRQ asked them to share their secrets and top tips for writing a successful grant application.
Jeff H. Geschwind, MD, FSIR, Dr. Ernest J. Ring Academic Development grant
Jeff H. Geschwind, MD, FSIR
1. Never send a “me too” type grant. The grant must be based on a novel research idea. It should not be a sort of rehash from previous research. It is the novelty and innovation that will result in successful funding.
2. Do not pursue the grant but rather pursue the research. This is a common mistake—researchers go after the grant for the sake of getting a grant, but they should instead focus on the novelty of their research ideas. If the research is good, it will eventually get funded.
3. Make sure the methodology is fully sorted out. The methods section of the grant is what can transform a fundable grant into an absolute disaster. The description of all methods to be used in the grant must be clear and free from holes.
4. Have some idea of the results before submitting the grant. In fact, some people say the grant must be done before you submit it to an agency for funding. This is especially true with NIH. The key is to not disclose too much in the grant application but let the reviewers know that you already know what to expect. This is why robust preliminary data is critical. Without it, there is virtually no chance of getting funded.
Timothy P. Murphy, MD, FSIR, Pilot Research grant
Timothy P. Murphy, MD, FSIR
1. Choose a topic of considerable public health importance and a question that can be answered with a reasonably sized clinical trial in a reasonable period of time (at reasonable cost).My tips apply to clinical trials—not lab or animal research:
2. Engage experts from all training backgrounds that treat the disease and incorporate their suggestions by consensus.
3. Use professional statisticians and a bona fide data coordinating center with a strong track record of NIH funding.
4. Have compelling preliminary data.
Reed A. Omary, MD, MS, FSIR, Clinical Fellowship Research Training Program grant
Reed A. Omary, MD, MS, FSIR
1. Apply early and often. Just like learning a new musical instrument or sport, grant writing takes lots of practice.
2. Listen well: use feedback from your mentors to improve your research and from reviewers to improve your resubmission.
3. Write clearly, with minimal jargon. Remember Mrs. Catron from high school English class who hammered you on the importance of writing? She was actually right.
Weibin Shi, MD, Pilot Research grant
Weibin Shi, MD
1. You need to write a research proposal that is capable of convincing experts in the field why your research is worth an investment and why you are best suited for this research.
2. The proposal must address an important problem or a critical barrier in the field (Significance), the proposed research must be highly novel in terms of concepts or methodologies (Innovation), and there must be well-thought and appropriate research strategy, methodology, and analyses to reach the goal (Approach).
3. You need to assemble an excellent team of investigators with experience and qualifications to carry out the project (Investigators) and a perfect environment to conduct the work (Environment).
4. Don’t give up if your application does not get funded. Keep trying!
James R. Stone, MD, Pilot Research grant
James R. Stone, MD
1. Try to view every grant proposal as an opportunity to educate those who will review the planned work. Many potentially impactful projects don’t receive funding because the take-home points of the proposed effort are buried under impenetrable layers of technical detail. Illustrations outlining major themes of the research can be very helpful to reviewers who may have only peripheral familiarity with science related to the proposed effort.
2. Try to understand the target audience. Each funding entity has specific priorities and it’s important to ensure the planned effort is aligned and written toward those goals. Program officers or foundation representatives are often open to dialogue prior to the proposal submission process and can provide key guidance on whether a planned effort would be of interest to their funding portfolio.
3. Capitalize on available local expertise to provide feedback at both early and later stages of the experimental design and proposal writing effort. Seek out individuals with prior success in receiving funding, those who may be familiar with your research, and individuals who may work in another unrelated field. Reviewers often come from varied backgrounds and a proposal must be accessible to those without prior knowledge of your field while being sufficiently technically detailed to provide a comprehensive blueprint of the proposed work.
Clifford R. Weiss, MD, Dr. Ernest J. Ring Academic Development grant
Clifford R. Weiss, MD
1. The Specific Aims page is the most important single page of a grant application. It sets the timbre of your grant and gives reviewers their first insight into your thought process. Be sure to keep your introductory paragraphs clear and keep your aims well organized, concise and hypothesis driven (if possible). Feel free to use subaims if needed, but do not overreach the scope of the grant.
2. Aspects of any given grant are celebrated by some reviewers and less appreciated by others. Under no circumstances give the grant reviewers a reason to throw your grant out on technical review. Adhere to word/page limits, margin requirements, figure limits, deadlines, etc.
3. Brevity (and clarity) is the soul of wit. Your grant is merely one in a stack that each reviewer has to examine, score and critique. Make the reviewers’ job easy and your score will improve. Write clearly, use flow charts and figures liberally, and present preliminary data in a concise and effective fashion. If English is not your first language, have your grant edited by a language editor.
4. Your team of research collaborators is essential both to the success of your grant and your research. Include co-investigators that have the experience and skill set you lack. This will allow reviewers to “forgive” some gaps in the grant application and will balance out your relative inexperience. Most importantly, engage your team in the grant writing process. Ask collaborators to edit and re-edit your Specific Aims page early in the writing process, as well as review the Scientific Plan section of the grant near completion.
Xiaoming Yang, MD, PhD, FSIR, Pilot Research Grant
1. Make scientific research an essential part of your career: Pay attention to major contemporary health issues that need significant improvement; follow trends in the development of new ideas and innovative techniques; believe that, as an IR, you can make unique contributions to clinical translation.
2. Build a track record: Start as a collaborator on others’ research projects; learn effective strategies from experienced researchers; network with the goal of building a multidisciplinary team for your own projects; understand the research process, including institutional support and common roadblocks; publish articles and become a trusted source in your particular field.
3. Gather primary data and craft a research proposal: Initiate pilot projects on a particular topic with seed funding, such as from SIR or RSNA. The goal is to gather primary data and get it published in one of the field’s top journals. Write your major research proposal in a way that demonstrates a logical strategy using concise language. Clinical translational proposals tend to be more competitive. Writing requires a major investment of time and energy, but you can be successful by maintaining optimism and persistence. And don’t be afraid to ask for assistance from others.
