Post Workshop Peer Review Panels

Post Workshop Peer-Review Panels

The TIGRR peer-review panels are run in the manner of an NIH study section. Mentees have the opportunity to have their application reviewed, and to serve as a peer-reviewer on another application. Being a peer-reviewer is a tremendously valuable learning experience, as is hearing the perspective of other reviewers. All mentees serving as peer-reviewers will be able to read the Specific Aims pages for the applications being discussed during the panel session.

Prior to the panel meeting:

Peer-applicants submit their full proposal, including budget and Human Subjects section about 3 weeks in advance of the scheduled panel session. Mentees who are serving as peer-reviewers complete a reviewer preference poll, where they have an opportunity to indicate the applications they feel most qualified to review. They score all sections of their assigned applications using the most appropriate NIH critique template for the grant mechanism (not all proposals will be to NIH; e.g. application could be to the VA). All reviewers complete a confidentiality agreement similar to what NIH review panel members fill out.

During the panel meeting:

A mentee who is not having an application reviewed during the panel serves as Reviewer 1. A mentees whose application is being reviewed during the panel serves as Reviewer 2 on an application other than their own. The TIGRR mentor assigned to the mentee whose application is being reviewed serves as Reviewer 3. The applicant’s institutional mentor also has the opportunity to participate in the review. The panel meeting is held via Zoom videoconference. The reviewers provide their critique of the application, and then discuss the application. The peer-applicant has the opportunity to participate in this discussion to ask clarifying questions.

Following the panel meeting:

All critiques as well as a recording of the review/discussion is made available to the peer-applicant after the meeting. As a learning experience, for each application, the TIGRR mentor (R3) will offer comments to R1 and R2 about their written review. All reviewers are obligated to destroy materials associated with the review.