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Writing Your First R01�Writing/Editing Your Biosketch

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�Review Criteria: Investigator�

Does the PD/PI have a consistent and current record of productivity and scientific impact commensurate with the applicant’s current career stage?
Is he/she clearly the intellectual driver of the proposed research program?
Has the PD/PI shown evidence of being creative and adaptable, able to recognize new opportunities and explore new areas of scientific inquiry, and open to the use of new systems and strategies?
Does the PD/PI have a record of conducting and reporting rigorous, reproducible, transparent, and cost-effective research?
Does the PD/PI have a record of significant service to the scientific community?

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Biographical Sketch

Up to 5 pages
Requires eRA Commons User Name
SciENCV is an electronic system that helps researchers assemble the professional information needed to participation in federally funded research
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.sciencv
NC State Libraries can help: https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/sciencv-for-biosketches
NIH has a tool that helps you save your citations from PubMed to share with others http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK5395/ (Creating a NCBI “gov” bibliography)
NIH Biosketch FAQs: https://grants.nih.gov/faqs#/biosketches.htm?anchor=alphaHeader4027
Sample Early Innovator Applications (including ESI biosketches: https://commondfund.nih.gov/newinnovatorawards/sample

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This is the template. Top is fill in the blank so to speak with your education and training starting with your BS.

Following education & training, you have three additional sections to complete.

Personal Statement

Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors

Contributions to Science

For Christy’s info:

If users want to create this list and link quickly, we advise them to do so through My Bibliography (see http://publicaccess.nih.gov/communications.htm for more information). People can add papers to My Bibliography through PubMed very quickly by using the send function. Please see http://publicaccess.nih.gov/my-bibliography-faq.htm#I.1.EnteringpublicationsintoMyBibliography and its associated links for more information. To generate the URL to share, please see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53595/#mybibliography.Sharing_My_Bibliography_a. �

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A. Personal Statement

Why are you well-suited for your role(s) in this project? Aspects might include: aspects of your training; previous experimental work on this specific topic; your technical expertise, your collaborations or scientific environment; and/or your past performance in this or related fields, including ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years that you want to draw attention to (previously captured in Section D).
You may cite up to 4 publications or research products that highlight your experience and qualifications for this project. Products may include, but are not limited to, audio or video products, conference proceedings such as meeting abstracts, posters, presentations; patents; data; databases; educational aids or curricula; instruments or equipment; models, protocols; and software or NetWare. NO HYPERLINKS or URLS for citations. You are allowed to cite interim research products.
Your story! Keep it concise, ~300 words is a good target. Avoid jargon.

Why are you well suited for your role in this project.

Focus on “II instead of “We” as much as possible. Its ok to boast, claim the I when possible. Play to strengths & weaknesses. If genetics is your strength, own it. On same hand don’t hide from weakness – demonstrate a back up plan.. For example if you know statistics is a weakness, but you need it to get project done, include statistical consultant. This shows you are self aware and know how to get the project done.

Who are you? (background, unique qualities or experiences that might be the source of your creativity or curiosity?) Maybe you worked in a core facility so you understand certain technology that others may not, you would want highlight that.

How did you prepare?

Why are you qualified.

You can cite cite up to 4 pubs or research projects (including products with different citation requirements) that highlight your experience and qualifications: Can cite 4 more recent to show your trajectory, or 4 with highest citation rates to highlight importance in field, or 4 citations that may be most descriptive of the type of expertise you are trying to highlight. For example, if you are trying got make a case for being interdisciplinary maybe cite pubs from relevant disciplines. You can even introduce why you list these in personal statement.

This is also where you can discuss any extenuating circumstances (leaves of absence, resume gaps, etc.)

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Add sample personal statement

Expertise Creativity Collaboration Leadership

--Think of this as the story of you as a researcher. Usually 1 paragraph or two short paragraphs, 300 words good target. Keep it at a high level, concise, avoid jargon. Focus on the I, not we.

--Circle “we”, underline ‘I” Are all the “we” defined? Should be mostly “I”.

Cant see details, I know. But more about colors.

Highlighting activity: I in red, WE in Black. (my lab, clear her lab at NC State).

-- (blue) Examples of productivity, scientific rigor, expertise (high quality science)

--(green) Examples of creativity, innovation

--(Purple) Examples of collaboration (how you fit in your community)

--(yellow) Examples of leadership, independence

Does the personal statement provide examples to convince reviewers that this is a strong investigator? Does it include both hard science and soft leadership skills?

--Do you have the full rainbow in your paragraph?

--Maybe add a sentence tying your personal statement back to the proposed project demonstrates you are not recycling. State how this reward will help with career development. Make clear this bio is directly related to grant you are submitting. These experiences “here” are really helpful for this R01.

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B. Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors

List in reverse chronological order all current positions and scientific appointments both domestic and foreign, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).

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C. Contributions to Science

Briefly describe up to 5 of your most significant contributions to science. The description of each contribution should be no longer than one half page, including citations.
For each contribution, you may cite up to 4 publications or research products that are relevant to the contribution. If you are not the author of the product, indication what your role or contribution was.
You are allowed to provide a hyperlinked URL to a full list of your published work if the URL is a federal government website. NIH recommends using My Bibliography (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53595/)

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C. Contributions to Science

Content for each contribution:

The historical background that frames the scientific problem
The central finding(s)
The influence of the findings on the progress of science or application of those findings to health or technology; and
Your specific role in the described work.

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Sample components

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Additional Info. Research Support

This will get wrapped into your personal statement now. Listing ongoing projects and you can list completed support, limited to last 3 years. Grant number, PI, project period, description of project & your role. Not your effort or dollar amount (not c&p).
If you are funded, NIH will ask for more info on current & pending, but they don’t want reviewers considering your available effort and such in the review.
Start up can be listed as ongoing support, but you don’t have to. Can you point out what you have done to support your research that is relevant for this project. Institutional letter of support should include start up so it should show up there. Biographical sketch would include what you did with it in terms of relevant scientific projects to this application.

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Closing Comments

Avoid the royal “we” – If you did something as part of a team, be clear about your role.
Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Play to your strengths, while having a back up plan for your weaknesses (mentors, core facilities, collaborators)
Indicate if you have a published or created research products under another name.
Figures, tables, graphics, not allowed in biosketch.
You are allowed to provide a hyperlinked URL to a full list of your published work if the URL is a federal government website. NIH recommends using My Bibliography (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53595/)
Contributions to science do not have to be related to the project proposed in the application.
Evidence of “soft skills” such as leadership important too.