The University of Toledo

3. COS Funding Opportunities has a new interface

4. Become a panelist or peer reviewer for NEH

5. The Table Of Contents Of The November 7, 2008 NIH Guide

Adobe released the latest version of their Adobe Reader software (8.1.3). Grants.gov is currently testing the Adobe Reader version 8.1.3 for compatibility with Adobe application packages. Until testing is completed, Grants.gov still requires the use of Adobe Reader version 9.0, 8.1.2 or 8.1.1 until further notice. Adobe Reader 9.0 and 8.1.2 are available to download for free on the Grants.gov website.

As a subset of new investigator status, NIH created an early-stage investigator (ESI) category for applicants who have completed one of the following within the past 10 years, whichever was later:

• Afinal research degree.
• Discipline-specific training required to become a researcher.

Once you apply for and receive a major NIH grant as listed at Are You "New"?, you no longer qualify as an ESI or as a new investigator.

Reviewers will take both groups into consideration when reviewing applications. For example, they may expect fewer preliminary data, resources, and publications than they do for more established researchers.

To be considered for ESI in the future, NIH will add fields to your Commons profile so you will be able to include the pertinent dates. NIH will use Commons data to identify ESI and will eliminate the new investigator checkbox from the application.

We don't yet know how implementing this change will affect peer review or funding. NIH is still working out some of the processes. We will keep you informed and update our Web pages as more details emerge.

COS Funding Opportunities has a new interface designed to make your funding search more efficient. Improvements to the Advanced Search, Search Results and Record pages include:

• Compact presentation for more information at a glance
• Faceted search results for one-click refinement
• Mouse-over pop-ups for instant access to key information
• Return of the Search Exclusion feature

All data and your personal settings remain unchanged. Take a few minutes to try the new Advanced Search interface right now!

Applications submitted to NEH are evaluated by peer review. Add your name to PRISM, NEH's database of potential panelists and peer reviewers.

The previous static listings for browsing published NIH Guide announcements have been replaced with real-time database query listings that retrieve only active Requests for Applications ( RFAs ) and Program Announcements ( PAs ), based on the expiration dates stated in those announcements. The new listing for NIH Guide Notices displays Notices published over the last two years, by default, since expiration dates are not currently assigned to these announcements. Links to these new resources are available from the main NIH Guide Funding Opportunities and Notices page ( http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html ).

All announcements (active plus inactive) in each category may also be viewed by using selections in the drop-down box at the top of each listing page. Clicking on header links allows re-sorting of lists. In addition, a new Ad Hoc NIH Guide Database Search page http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/search_guide.htm is available, which allows for individualized queries with various selection criteria.

If you have any difficulty obtaining the information you need from the Guide, contact Rick Francis, rick.francis@utoledo.edu, at MC extension 6193.

NIH Guide For Week Ending November 7, 2008

[Use The Link Below To Access Table of Contents of Guide]

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/WeeklyIndex.cfm?WeekEnding=11-07-2008