Building Strong Research Proposals: From Hypothesis to Literature Review-Building Strong Research Proposals: From Hypothesis to Literature Review

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This webcast, moderated by Dr. Scott Balesta, focuses on building strong research proposals from hypothesis formulation to literature review. Speakers Dr. Judith Tate and Dr. Brian Varisco, experts in geriatrics and pediatrics research, discuss developing clinically relevant research ideas using NIH criteria such as significance, innovation, rigor, and feasibility. They emphasize starting with a comprehensive but not necessarily exhaustive literature review, utilizing diverse sources including scholarly articles, dissertations, conference proceedings, and government guidelines to identify knowledge gaps and refine hypotheses. The importance of understanding the funding landscape, establishing feasibility, rigor, and clear hypotheses aligned with one’s overall research program is highlighted. The presenters explain NIH scoring updates, considering factors like rigor and the investigator’s expertise. They discuss the balance between ambition and feasibility, ethical considerations, and communication strategies to articulate scientific questions effectively. Issues such as incremental versus paradigm-shifting research, the role of team support, and budget planning are addressed. In Q&A, they clarify that age is not a factor in grant success, but career stage and fit with funding mechanisms matter. Finally, they recommend engaging program officers, aligning proposals authentically with one’s expertise, and being strategic about funding opportunities for better success rates. The session provides essential guidance for clinician scientists developing competitive NIH and foundation research proposals.

Keywords

research proposals

hypothesis formulation

literature review

NIH criteria

clinical research

funding strategies

research rigor

grant writing

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