The National Brain Tumor Society's research grant application review is a two-step process built on standards set by the National Institutes of Health. Letters of Intent (LOI) are submitted electronically and immediately undergo an administrative review to insure that application guidelines are met (i.e., project constitutes basic scientific or translational research, research will be conducted within geographical boundaries, etc.). LOI’s are organized in the following specialty areas: molecular biology, immunology, cancer genetics, experimental therapeutics/chemotherapy, signal transduction, gene therapy, stem cell biology, and other category for projects not fitting into the listed areas.

From the leading researchers of the NBTS Scientific Advisory Council (SAC), one Category Chair is assigned to each specialty area to oversee the review of LOI’s in that category. Category Chairs are selected by the SAC Chair and the NBTS Board of Directors’ Research Grant Committee. Category Chairs are nominated based on scientific expertise and research experience in that specialty area. Each Category Chair is responsible for assigning primary and secondary reviewers to LOI’s in their category, as well as facilitating the discussion of the applications during the teleconference. Careful consideration is made to prevent conflict of interest between the reviewers and the applicants.

Final reviewer assignments are presented to the SAC Chair for approval. Upon approval, all LOI’s are distributed to reviewers electronically with a list detailing primary and secondary reviewer assignments. Reviewers are responsible for scoring the research and, if needed, presenting the project during the review teleconferences. A mean of the primary and secondary reviewer scores is calculated for each LOI. Scores are organized from highest (1.0) to lowest (5.0) and extreme aberrations (primary and secondary scores differing by 1 point or more) are highlighted. A list of preliminary scores is forwarded to all reviewers in preparation of the LOI review teleconference.

This review conference is comprised of all members of the SAC, key members of the Research Grant Committee, the NBTS Executive Director and the NBTS Director of Research. The teleconference begins with the SAC Chair officially announcing the LOI’s to be discussed; discussion addresses the top scoring LOI’s and LOI’s with primary and secondary scores differing by 1 point or more). Category Chairs facilitate project presentations (made by the reviewers) and the ensuing discussion among SAC members.

During this review, those reviewers who are recognized as having a conflict of interest with the applicant and/or the project are asked to disconnect from the call. They do not participate in the discussion, nor are they permitted to submit a score. At the end of the discussion, all SAC members (who do not have a recognized conflict of interest) assign the LOI a collective, final score.

The next step of the teleconference invites reviewers to discuss LOI’s that received preliminary and secondary scores that differ by 1 point or more. Finally, reviewers are invited to present any LOI’s that did not receive high preliminary scores, but which reviewers believe merit further consideration. If deemed appropriate, reviewers will discuss and score these additional LOI’s.

When discussion concludes, the final scores are reviewed. With these scores, the SAC determines the LOI’s that are invited to submit a full application. Full applications are reviewed by the primary and secondary reviewers who evaluated the original LOI. The scoring and discussion process (during a second teleconference) of full applications follows the phases of the LOI review. Based on the full application’s final scores, the SAC recommends projects that should receive a NBTS Research Grant Award.

The Research Grant Committee of the NBTS Board of Directors then reviews the SAC recommendations, discusses the financial considerations of each, and determines if the research furthers the overall NBTS research mission. The Research Grant Committee then presents their findings to the full NBTS Board of Directors for the final vote. Selected Research Grant Awards are formally announced and distributed in the fall of each year.