May 27 (Monday), 2024: NIH Closed for the Federal Holiday
NIH (including help desks) will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2024 for the federal holiday (Memorial Day). If a grant application due date falls on a federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day. (Source: NIH Extramural Nexus)
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 26, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: Calendar General Source Type: funding
Exploring the Difference Between Exempt Human Subjects Research and Expedited IRB Review
We’ve heard that there is some confusion about exempt human subjects research and expedited IRB review. Expedited review is not the same as exempt research. Here are a few points to provide clarity.
For human subjects research, certain types may qualify for an exemption from the regulatory requirements in the Common Rule (45 CFR 46). This is commonly referred to as exempt research. Exempt research generally does not need to be reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). You can review details about the exemption types on our Definition of Human Subjects Research website or the Office for Human Research Protection...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 25, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: New Resources human subjects IRB Source Type: funding
New FAQs for Early Stage Investigators
Are you an Early Stage Investigator (ESI)? A new FAQ is available:
Does my ESI status or an extension to my ESI status impact the 4-year rule for other NIH grant activity codes (e.g., K99/R00)?
No. ESI policies and the “no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research experience” requirement for some of the NIH’s funding opportunities (e.g., K99/R00) are two separate policies and do not impact one another. Read the full FAQ for details.Planning to apply for a Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant? See the below new FAQs:
In a Katz application, is it permissible to cite data fr...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 25, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: New Resources Early Stage Investigator Source Type: funding
It ’s Springtime! Take a Walk With the NIH Through the NIH Grants Process
New to working with the NIH grants process and trying to get a better understanding of how it all works? If so, get ready to spring into action and register for a webinar designed just for you! The NIH Grants Process: A Brief Walk-Through for Beginners webinar will take place on May 15, 2024 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET. This event will answer many of the basic questions that NIH frequently hears from newcomers to the process, followed by a live Q&A with NIH experts who will be helping to answer additional questions submitted during the registration process and raised during the event. With over an hour dedicated to Q&am...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 25, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: Calendar Top Stories Grants policy Source Type: funding
Increases for National Research Service Award Stipends and Childcare Subsidies
We are committed to sustaining the vitality of the future biomedical research workforce, including providing appropriate support and addressing the many challenges faced by postdoctoral scholars in biomedicine. As part of this commitment, we are pleased to announce stipend and childcare subsidy increases for the over 17,000 early career scholars supported on NIH Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSAs) (NOT-OD-24-104). Stipends will be raised by 4% for predoctoral trainees and by 8% for postdoctoral scholars in fiscal year (FY) 2024 compared to last year), the most substantial year over year increase since FY 2...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 23, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike biomedical research workforce NRSA postdocs stipends Source Type: funding
Updated Analyses Suggest Continued Decline in Research Project Grant Funding Inequalities for NIH-Supported Investigators, but Organizational Inequalities Remain: FY 1998 to FY 2023
We previously showed in this January 2022 blog (based on this paper) that the inequalities in the distribution of Research Project Grant (RPG) funding to principal investigators increased, especially at the top end of funding, during the NIH budget doubling and the first few years after the 2013 budget sequestration. The degree of inequality appeared to fall, however, after NIH implemented the Next Generation Researchers Initiative (NGRI) near the end of FY2017. Here we present follow-up data that shows that the trends seen in recent years appear to be continuing in fiscal year (FY) 2023.
When reading this post, p...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 19, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike Funding data NGRI RPG scientific workforce diversity Source Type: funding
Announcing Revisions to the NIH Fellowship Review and Application Process
Noni Byrnes, Ph.D., Director of NIH Center for Scientific Review
This blog has been co-authored with Noni Byrnes, Ph.D., Director, Center for Scientific Review, NIH. This is also posted on the Review Matters blog.
We are pleased to announce the details of changes to the peer review process and application forms for fellowship applications, to be implemented for applications submitted for due dates on or after January 25th, 2025. (See NOT-OD-24-107.) As we have discussed on this blog before (see here, here, here, and here), these changes are meant to facilitate the identification of the most promising candidates a...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 18, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike applications fellowship Peer review postdocs Source Type: funding
Changes Coming to Applications and Peer Review in January 2025
NIH is implementing multiple changes that will impact the preparation and peer review of most grant applications submitted to NIH for due dates on or after January 25, 2025. Although each of these initiatives have specific goals, they are all meant to simplify, clarify, or ensure greater fairness.
We just released a guide notice (NOT-OD-24-084), what we are referring to as an “uber” notice, that provides an overview of each change to help the community contextualize them as details are released over the next few months. We developed this video (25 min) to provide you with an overview of the following changes:
...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 4, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike applications Grants policy Peer review Source Type: funding
Preparing for Funding Opportunities Using the Simplified Review Framework
Noni Byrnes, Ph.D., Director of NIH Center for Scientific Review
Last October, we announced that NIH was implementing a simplified review framework for most research project grants (RPGs). As a reminder, in the simplified review framework NIH aims to better facilitate the mission of scientific peer review – identification of the strongest, highest-impact research. The changes are intended to:
Enable peer reviewers to better focus on answering the key questions necessary to assess the scientific and technical merit of proposed research projects: Can and should the proposed research project be conducted?
Mitigate ...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 4, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike funding opportunities Peer review Source Type: funding
What Happens If a Due Date Falls on a Weekend?
When an application due date falls on a weekend (or Federal holiday, or Washington, DC area Federal office closure) the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day. For example, the May 25, 2024 standard due date for some of our programs falls on a Saturday, which means it slides to Monday, May 27, 2024.
Note that January 25, 2025, the effective due date for many upcoming application and/or peer review changes, also falls on a Saturday and would slide to Monday, January 27, 2025 (see FAQ).
Learn more on our Submission Policies page. (Source: NIH Extramural Nexus)
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 3, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: You Ask, We Answer applications Grants policy Source Type: funding
Why Do I Sometimes Get Different RePORTER Results when Using Advanced Search vs. Quick Search?
Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) is an electronic tool that allows users to search a repository of both intramural and extramural NIH-funded research projects and publications and patents resulting from NIH funding. Users can query the system in two distinct ways, either via “Advanced Search” or “Quick Search.” But its worth noting there can be a difference in the query results depending on which approach is used.
As we first explained on this NIH Open Mike blog post, Quick Search is helpful for performing simple queries. Advanced Search allows you to use precisely de...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - April 3, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: You Ask, We Answer Funding data RePORT RePORTER Source Type: funding
How Grant Success Rates Do (Or Do Not) Track With the NIH Budget: A Model of Funding Dynamics
From 2014 to 2018, the NIH budget increased every year, and yet, the Research Project Grant (RPG) success rate remained relatively constant at ~20%. From 2003 to 2006 the NIH budget remained relatively flat, yet the success rate decreased dramatically from 30% to 20%. Why don’t success rates neatly track the NIH budget? While inflation plays a role, there are more fundamental forces at play.
Here I present a series of budget and success rate scenarios that are largely based on a Service Science publication by Larson, Ghaffarzadegan, and Diaz. The bottom-line up front: NIH funding dynamics are strongly affected by obli...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - March 25, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike Budget Funding data Source Type: funding
Webinar – NIH Simplified Review Framework for Research Project Grants (RPGs): Implementation and Impact on Funding Opportunities
You may have heard that NIH is simplifying the framework for the peer review of most Research Project Grant (RPG) applications, effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2025. Make plans to hear the latest updates, timelines, and how these changes will impact existing and new funding opportunities at the April 17 webinar on the simplified review framework for RPGs.
This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and prepare for the upcoming changes! A Q&A with NIH experts will follow the presentation to address additional questions. (Source: NIH Extramural Nexus)
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - March 22, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: Calendar Top Stories Source Type: funding
New Location for NIH Public Access Policy Content & Resources
As of March 12, 2024, the NIH Public Access Policy content and resources have been consolidated into the NIH Sharing Site.
Information about the NIH Public Access Policy now appears in a new tab on the NIH Scientific Data Sharing website:
There are no policy changes associated with this migration.
In addition, resources for each sharing policy have been consolidated within the tab for that individual policy:
We have implemented redirects from the previous Public Access website to the new Public Access Policy tab of the Scientific Data Sharing website. The redirects will be in place for one year....
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - March 13, 2024 Category: Research Authors: NIH Staff Tags: New Resources applications Grants policy Source Type: funding
How Implementing a 2022 Law is Helping Us Ensure Safe and Respectful Workplaces
Nearly two years ago, we implemented a provision in a law (Section 239 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022). The law requires NIH grant recipients to notify us when their senior key personnel on awards are removed from their position or are otherwise disciplined due to concerns about harassment, bullying, retaliation, or hostile working conditions. This step represented an important milestone to help ensure safe and respectful workplaces, free from harassment and discrimination. Here we provide an update on the implementation of Section 239.
Table 1 shows how many harassment self-disclosures we received in ca...
Source: NIH Extramural Nexus - March 13, 2024 Category: Research Authors: Mike Lauer Tags: blog Open Mike Compliance harassment Source Type: funding
