New software system saves time in compiling data tables for NIH training grants

NIH training grants, the T32 and others, fund research training for individuals who are pursuing careers in areas of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research. One of the requirements for applying to and reporting the outcomes of these grants is the compilation of up to eight data tables that summarize faculty and trainee information and how the training has benefited new researchers’ careers. Stanford University annually receives more than 50 of these awards, and they play a critical role in the support of its trainees.

To help reduce the burden of preparing these tables, Hanlee Ji, MD, associate professor of medicine (oncology), and Jack Zeng, PhD, director of information systems led a joint programming and grant administration team to develop an inhouse software application that automates the data collection and formatting of this information. This software significantly reduces both errors and the time required to assemble these data tables. Ji initiated this effort based on his own role as a principal investigator on a T32 application.

“The vast majority of academic institutions in the United States use manual processes to generate tables for T32 grants. This process clearly needed improvement,” said Ji on his motivation for starting the project.

The system works by pulling faculty and trainee data from a number of internal and external databases, including the Student Integrated Reporting and Information System (SIRIS), the PubMed database of biomedical literature, the Stanford Electronic Research Administration System (SeRA), and the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). After the data undergoes a rigorous formatting process, the software system provides a secure, integrated database with web-based tools for generating tables.

This software system was recently used in accelerating and partially automating two T32 grant applications originating from the Department of Medicine. Stanford faculty members interested in using the grant table app can contact Hanlee Ji at hanleeji@stanford.edu. The Dean’s office staff has also made plans to develop a similar software system that will be implemented across the medical school in the near future.