This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chollette, V. Y. Articles by Crowley, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chollette, V. Y. Articles by Crowley, K. Related Collections Behavioral Science Behavioral Science: Health Policy

National Cancer Institute's Small Grants Program for Behavioral Research in Cancer Control Boosts Careers for New Investigators and Fulfills NIH Research Priorities

¹ Applied Cancer Screening Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland and ² Research and Technical Assistance Services, Circle Solutions, Inc., McLean, Virginia

Requests for reprints: Kathleen M. Crowley, Research and Technical Assistance Services, Circle Solutions, Inc., 8280 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300, McLean, VA 22102. Phone: 703-902-1273; Fax: 703-821-3247. E-mail: kcrowley{at}circlesolutions.com

Background: In 1998, the NIH's National Cancer Institute created the Behavioral Research Program (BRP) within the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. A primary goal of the BRP is to stimulate and expand the field of behavioral research in cancer prevention and control. To help achieve this end, BRP created the Small Grants Program. This study examines the effect of the program on the careers of new investigators in cancer prevention and control.

Methods: A mixed-method analysis was conducted on data from a grantee survey and publication and post-award activity records.

Results: A majority of grantees (n = 197) submitted additional research grant applications, and of these grantees, 37% (n = 73) were awarded funding from the NIH and 20% (n = 40) received funding at the R01 level. Grantees published research results in journals or presented at professional conferences. Of the 47 grantees who provided their curriculum vitae, 72% (n = 34) published or had in press at least one article resulting from their small grant (R03) and 40% (n = 19/47) published at least one article as lead author. These articles were cited a total of 134 times in 85 journals.

Conclusions: By supporting investigators' initial behavioral research applications, the Small Grants Program seems to open the door to additional "independent" research opportunities and fulfills the NIH's goals of supporting early career investigators and stimulating promising new areas of cancer research. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(11):2459–63)