They tackle broad questions beyond the scope of individual labs. How scientists apply for grants and how funds are disbursed also have to change to be flexible enough to keep pace with technological advances, according to Hammond. In fields where technology changes quickly, scientists particularly feel the impact of funding gaps. Researchers sometimes lose their technical advantage and momentum when they are forced to wait a grant cycle or more before bringing a promising line of work to the next level. Small businesses, in particular, can't wait 9 or more months between the first and second phase of funding, explains Hammond.
Researchers seeking phased awards submit two applications at once.
If researchers meet agreed-upon milestones, the second application is approved through staff review, allowing the program to proceed uninterrupted. NCI has awarded these grants to support the development of innovative technologies for molecular analysis of cancer. The council has always discussed new research priorities in public sessions, but the information often didn't move into the scientific community until the requests for applications were published. He has started regular coordinating sessions for extramural staff, and he wants to streamline grant evaluation so that it is less burdensome and time consuming for reviewers. He sees extramural staff and reviewers as a team working together to identify and support the best research.