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Bench-to-Bedside and Back Program (BtB)

Program Guidelines

Criteria for Proposal

Proposals can fall into one or more of the following categories based on the requested funding sources. Please note that any application with Rare Diseases category will be considered for funding by BtB program funds.

• AIDS (OAR)
• Behavioral and social sciences (OBSSR)
• Dietary supplements (ODS)
• Minority health (NIMHD)
• Women's health (ORWH)
• General (Program funds)

Peer Review of Applications

A review team with subject matter expertise will review and rank the proposals. The team includes both intramural and extramural basic and clinical scientists representing multiple institutes and centers. Applications with an extramural component will be subject to further review prior to funding to ensure scientific alignment with the parent grant. Considerations for review will include:

• Uses NIH CSR scoring system
• High quality of science (to be evaluated as described in the NIH Enhanced Review Criteria for Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements) with the potential to result in understanding an important disease process or lead to new therapeutic intervention;
• Strong translational science*, with the bedside and bench components clearly related; one should lead logically to the next, and both should be strongly developed;
• The proposed translational work has the promise to evolve into an active clinical protocol with patient involvement in the future*
• Strong collaborative team which can be exclusively among intramural investigators or collaborations between intramural and extramural investigators.
• Should be truly new initiatives and not funding requests for work in progress.

*Translational component section: Translational science section: Applicants will be required to explain how their proposed project will involve clinical work with direct patient contact, OR how the results of their proposal will lead to the next steps involving clinical work (ultimately with direct patient contact). Recruitment of patients to the Clinical Center is a preference but not a requirement.