236 lines
8.9 KiB
TeX
236 lines
8.9 KiB
TeX
% NIH Specific Aims Page Template
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% THE MOST CRITICAL PAGE OF YOUR NIH PROPOSAL
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% 1 page maximum - strictly enforced
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% Last updated: 2024
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\documentclass[11pt,letterpaper]{article}
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% Formatting
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\usepackage[margin=0.5in]{geometry} % 0.5 inch minimum margins
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\usepackage{helvet} % Arial-like font
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\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}
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\usepackage{setspace}
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\usepackage{color}
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\usepackage{soul} % For highlighting (remove in final version)
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% Remove page numbers (optional)
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\pagestyle{empty}
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\begin{document}
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% Optional: Highlight template text to remind yourself to replace
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% Remove \hl{} and color in final version
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\definecolor{highlight}{RGB}{255,255,200}
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\sethlcolor{highlight}
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% ====================
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% SPECIFIC AIMS PAGE
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% ====================
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\begin{center}
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\textbf{\large Your Project Title Here: Concise and Descriptive}
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\end{center}
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\vspace{0.3cm}
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% OPENING PARAGRAPH: The Hook and Gap
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% 2-3 sentences establishing significance and the knowledge gap
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\textbf{[Disease/condition]} affects \textbf{[number]} people worldwide and results in \textbf{[burden: mortality, morbidity, cost]}. \textbf{[Current treatment/understanding]} has improved outcomes, but \textbf{[limitation/gap]} remains a critical barrier to \textbf{[desired outcome]}. Understanding \textbf{[specific mechanism/relationship]} is essential for \textbf{[future advance: therapy, prevention, diagnosis]}.
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\vspace{0.2cm}
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% LONG-TERM GOAL
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% 1 sentence on your overarching research vision
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Our \textbf{long-term goal} is to \textbf{[overarching vision: develop cure, understand mechanism, improve treatment]} for \textbf{[disease/population]}.
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\vspace{0.2cm}
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% OBJECTIVE AND CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS
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% 1-2 sentences on what THIS proposal will accomplish
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The \textbf{objective} of this proposal is to \textbf{[specific objective for this project]}. Our \textbf{central hypothesis} is that \textbf{[clearly stated, testable hypothesis]}.
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\vspace{0.2cm}
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% RATIONALE
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% 2-3 sentences explaining WHY you expect success (preliminary data!)
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This hypothesis is based on our \textbf{preliminary data} showing that \textbf{[key preliminary finding 1]} and \textbf{[key preliminary finding 2]}. These findings suggest that \textbf{[mechanistic explanation or expected outcome]}.
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\vspace{0.2cm}
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% TRANSITION TO AIMS
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% 1 sentence introducing the specific aims
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To test this hypothesis and achieve our objective, we will pursue the following \textbf{Specific Aims}:
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\vspace{0.3cm}
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% ====================
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% SPECIFIC AIM 1
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% ====================
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\noindent\textbf{Specific Aim 1: [Concise, active verb title describing what you'll do].}
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\textit{Working Hypothesis:} \hl{State testable hypothesis for this aim.}
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We will \textbf{[approach/method]} to determine \textbf{[what you'll learn]}. We will use \textbf{[model system/approach]} to test whether \textbf{[specific prediction]}.
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\textbf{Expected Outcome:} We expect to find that \textbf{[predicted result]}. This outcome will demonstrate that \textbf{[significance of finding]} and will be \textbf{[positive/negative/innovative/transformative]} because \textbf{[why it matters]}.
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\vspace{0.3cm}
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% ====================
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% SPECIFIC AIM 2
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% ====================
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\noindent\textbf{Specific Aim 2: [Title of second aim].}
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\textit{Working Hypothesis:} \hl{Testable hypothesis for Aim 2.}
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Building on Aim 1, we will \textbf{[approach]} to \textbf{[objective]}. We will employ \textbf{[method/technique]} in \textbf{[model/population]} to test the hypothesis that \textbf{[specific prediction]}.
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\textbf{Expected Outcome:} These studies will reveal \textbf{[predicted finding]}. This is significant because \textbf{[impact on field/understanding]}.
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\vspace{0.3cm}
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% ====================
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% SPECIFIC AIM 3 (OPTIONAL)
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% ====================
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\noindent\textbf{Specific Aim 3: [Title of third aim].}
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\textit{Working Hypothesis:} \hl{Testable hypothesis for Aim 3.}
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To translate findings from Aims 1-2, we will \textbf{[approach]} to determine \textbf{[translational objective]}. We will \textbf{[method]} using \textbf{[clinically relevant model/patient samples]} to test whether \textbf{[translational prediction]}.
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\textbf{Expected Outcome:} We anticipate that \textbf{[result]}, which will provide \textbf{[proof-of-concept/validation/mechanism]} for \textbf{[therapeutic/diagnostic/preventive strategy]}.
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\vspace{0.3cm}
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% ====================
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% PAYOFF PARAGRAPH
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% ====================
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% 2-3 sentences on IMPACT, INNOVATION, and FUTURE DIRECTIONS
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\textbf{Impact and Innovation:} This project is \textbf{innovative} because it \textbf{[novel aspect: new concept, method, approach, application]}. The proposed research is \textbf{significant} because it will \textbf{[advance the field by...]} and will ultimately lead to \textbf{[long-term impact: improved treatment, new therapeutic target, diagnostic tool]}. Upon completion of these studies, we will be positioned to \textbf{[next steps: clinical trial, mechanistic studies, therapeutic development]}.
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\vspace{0.5cm}
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% ====================
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% ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURE (if preferred)
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% ====================
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% Some successful Specific Aims pages use this alternative structure:
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% - Open with hook (same as above)
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% - State long-term goal and objective (same)
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% - Present central hypothesis with 2-3 supporting pieces of preliminary data
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% - Then state: "We will test this hypothesis through three Specific Aims:"
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% - List aims more concisely (1-2 sentences each, plus expected outcome)
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% - Conclude with payoff paragraph emphasizing innovation, significance, impact
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\end{document}
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% ====================
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% TIPS FOR WRITING SPECIFIC AIMS
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% ====================
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% 1. START WITH A HOOK
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% - Open with the big picture: disease burden, societal cost, mortality
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% - Use compelling statistics
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% - Make it clear why anyone should care
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% 2. IDENTIFY THE GAP
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% - What's currently known?
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% - What's the critical barrier or unknown?
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% - Why does it matter?
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% 3. STATE YOUR HYPOTHESIS EXPLICITLY
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% - Clear, testable hypothesis
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% - Not "We hypothesize that we will study..." (that's not a hypothesis!)
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% - "We hypothesize that [mechanism] causes [outcome]"
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% 4. SHOW PRELIMINARY DATA
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% - Demonstrate feasibility
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% - Prove you're not starting from scratch
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% - Build confidence in your approach
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% 5. THREE AIMS (TYPICALLY)
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% - Can be 2 or 4, but 3 is most common
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% - Aims should be related but somewhat independent
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% - Failure of one aim shouldn't sink the whole project
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% - Aims can build on each other (Aim 1 → Aim 2 → Aim 3)
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% 6. EACH AIM SHOULD HAVE:
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% - Clear title (active verb)
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% - Working hypothesis
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% - Approach/method
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% - Expected outcome
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% - Significance/impact
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% 7. END WITH PAYOFF
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% - Innovation: What's new/different?
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% - Significance: Why does it matter?
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% - Impact: What will change?
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% - Future: Where does this lead?
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% 8. COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
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% - Too much background (this is not a mini-review)
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% - Vague hypotheses or objectives
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% - Missing expected outcomes
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% - No preliminary data mentioned
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% - Too ambitious (can't do it all in 5 years)
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% - Not addressing innovation and significance
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% - Poor logical flow between aims
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% - Exceeding 1 page (auto-reject!)
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% 9. FORMATTING RULES (STRICTLY ENFORCED)
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% - 1 page maximum (including all text, no figures typically)
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% - Arial 11pt minimum (or equivalent)
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% - 0.5 inch margins minimum
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% - Any spacing (single, 1.5, double acceptable)
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% - No smaller fonts allowed (even for superscripts/subscripts)
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% 10. REVISION STRATEGY
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% - Write, get feedback, revise 10+ times
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% - Every word must earn its place
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% - Test on non-specialist colleagues
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% - Read aloud to check flow
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% - Have it reviewed by successful R01 holders
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% - Mock study section review
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% ====================
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% EXAMPLES OF STRONG OPENING SENTENCES
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% ====================
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% DISEASE BURDEN APPROACH:
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% "Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects 6.7 million Americans and will cost $345 billion in 2023,
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% yet no disease-modifying therapies exist."
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% MECHANISTIC GAP APPROACH:
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% "Despite decades of research, the molecular mechanisms driving metastasis remain poorly understood,
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% limiting our ability to develop effective therapies for the 90% of cancer deaths caused by metastatic disease."
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% TRANSLATIONAL APPROACH:
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% "Current immunotherapies fail in 70% of patients with melanoma, largely because we cannot predict
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% who will respond, highlighting an urgent need for biomarkers of treatment response."
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% ====================
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% REMEMBER
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% ====================
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% The Specific Aims page is often the ONLY page reviewers read carefully before
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% forming their initial opinion. A weak Specific Aims page can doom an otherwise
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% excellent proposal. Invest the time to make it compelling, clear, and concise.
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% Get feedback from:
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% - Successful R01 awardees in your field
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% - Grant writing office at your institution
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% - Colleagues who've served on NIH study sections
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% - Non-specialists (if they can't understand it, reviewers may struggle too)
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