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NIH Grant Opportunities2021-07-02T11:11:46-04:00

To better track research funding opportunities from the NIH you can follow the links below for the most current listing of NIH grants. The list is updated every Friday afternoon:

For NIBIB-specific research funding opportunities follow the link below:

NIH Announcements:

NIH plans to invest $25M over five years in a new initiative to spur innovative research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a rapidly progressive and virtually always fatal neurological disease that weakens and eventually paralyzes voluntary muscles. No effective therapeutics exist, primarily because of a lack of understanding of the complex biology underlying the disease.

The Accelerating Leading-edge Science in ALS (ALS2) will be part of the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award in the Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. The award mechanism is particularly well-suited to interdisciplinary teams of scientists looking to combine their expertise and pursue new ideas with the potential to transform ALS research.

ALS2 will take a three-pronged approach to improving understanding of ALS:

  • Adapt emerging tools and technologies from neuroscience and cell biology to identify what causes ALS and how the disease progresses, leading to new therapeutic strategies.
  • Attract new talent from a range of scientific disciplines, including cell biology, bioengineering, chemistry, biophysics, genomics, environmental health sciences, and computational science.
  • Examine biological similarities between ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Kennedy’s disease, spinal muscular atrophy, primary lateral sclerosis, and aging-induced neuromuscular degeneration.

A Notice of Special Interest for ALS2 has been released to accompany the Transformative Research Award funding opportunity announcement (RFA RM-20-013).

Learn more about ALS2  on the Transformative Research Award website and from the NIH press release.

The High-Risk High-Reward Research Program and other Common Fund programs are managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the NIH Office of the Director, in partnership with the component NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. The NIH Common Fund encourages collaboration and supports a series of exceptionally high impact, trans-NIH programs.

NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Progam (DP2-Clinical Trial Option)

NIH Common Fund will hold pre-application interactive Q&A webinars for funding opportunities for the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. NIH program and review staff will discuss the funding opportunities and answer questions from prospective applicants. Participation in the webinars is optional.

Pre-registration for the webinars is required, and participants should email their questions ahead of time. Questions submitted during the webinar will be answered as time permits. The webinars will be recorded and posted on the website following the events.

Webinar information:

The High-Risk High-Reward Research Program and other Common Fund programs are managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the NIH Office of the Director, in partnership with the component NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. The NIH Common Fund encourages collaboration and supports a series of exceptionally high impact, trans-NIH programs.

NIH RFI on Contact Tracing: 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) put out a request for information regarding digital health solutions for COVID-19. The NIH is seeking recommendations on how to create digital tools to collect data on COVID-19, while also ensuring privacy protections. The request from NIH is seeking to connect with possible industry partners that could create a contact tracing tool to monitor the health of people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, link people to clinical trials for therapeutics or preventative medicines, assess if individuals are ready to return to work, and calculate the risk of infection. (via Bloomberg subscription required)

From the NIH announcement:

“The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) require services to develop digital health solutions to address the COVID-19 pandemic and enable new research into using digital health technologies to advance the public health response. The digital health solutions will facilitate approaches that leverage multiple data sources, privacy-preserving technologies, and computational tools for managing population health and individuals’ lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such management could include, for example, assessing the readiness of individuals to return to work, calculating the risk of possible SARS-CoV-2 infection, identifying and tracing contacts of COVID-19 cases, monitoring the health status of infected individuals, or linking individuals to clinical trials of therapies or preventative interventions for COVID-19. Particular focus includes digital health solutions for traditionally underrepresented populations as well as those with diminished access to healthcare resources.”

The NIH Common Fund:

  • Common Fund Grant Opportunity – Acute Chronic Pain Signature ProgramThe NIH Common Fund announces FY2021 funding opportunities for the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award in the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. The program provides unique opportunities for exceptionally creative scientists to pursue highly innovative approaches to address major challenges in biomedical or behavioral research. Applications are welcome that propose any research topic relevant to the broad mission of NIH and from any eligible institution. NIH especially encourages applications from women and members of groups that are underrepresented in NIH-funded research.

    The Early Independence Award has separate funding opportunities available for COVID-19-related research to be supported by Emergency funds through the CARES Act. Applicants should apply to the appropriate funding opportunity based on their research topic. Applications submitted to the Emergency and non-Emergency funding opportunities will be reviewed together at the same time using the same process.

    FY2021 NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5 – Clinical Trial Optional): RFA RM-20-014

    Supports outstanding junior scientists with the intellect, scientific creativity, drive, and maturity to bypass the traditional postdoctoral training period and launch an independent research career. Applicants must have recently completed or will soon complete her/his doctoral degree or clinical training and have the support and guarantee of an independent research position from a host institution.

    • Complete doctoral degree or clinical training between June 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021
    • In non-independent position at time of application
    • Cannot have served in a postdoctoral position more than 12 months following a previous, non-terminal degree
    • Single-PI applications only
    • Requires significant institutional commitment
    • Limited to two applications per institution
    • No preliminary data required
    • Up to $250,000 direct costs per year for up to 5 years
    • See website for more information and FAQs
    • Application deadline: September 4, 2020

     

    FY2021 NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5 – Clinical Trial Optional): COVID-19 Proposals RFA RM-20-021

    Supports outstanding junior scientists with the intellect, scientific creativity, drive, and maturity bypass the traditional postdoctoral training period and launch an independent research career. Applicants must have recently completed or will soon complete her/his doctoral degree or clinical training and have the support and guarantee of an independent research position from a host institution.

    • Proposal must be relevant to COVID-19 prevention, preparation, or response
    • Complete doctoral degree or clinical training between June 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021
    • In non-independent position at time of application
    • Cannot have served in a postdoctoral position more than 12 months following a previous, non-terminal degree
    • Single-PI applications only
    • Requires significant institutional commitment
    • Limited to two applications per institution
    • No preliminary data required
    • Up to $250,000 direct costs per year for up to 5 years
    • See website for more information and FAQs
    • Application deadline: September 4, 2020

    The High-Risk High-Reward Research Program and other Common Fund programs are managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the NIH Office of the Director, in partnership with the component NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. The NIH Common Fund encourages collaboration and supports a series of exceptionally high impact, trans-NIH programs

Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) NIH POCTRN
Fast-Track Program for COVID-19 Test Development and Distribution and Innovative Technologies to Increase U.S. Capacity for COVID-19 Testing
NIH is now accepting proposals for support on a rolling basis until further notice:

OVERVIEW: The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) is urgently soliciting proposals and can provide up to $500M across multiple projects to rapidly produce innovative SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests that will assist the public’s safe return to normal activities. Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx), is a fast-track technology development program that leverages the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Point-of-Care Technology Research Network (POCTRN). RADx will support novel solutions that build the U.S. capacity for SARS-CoV-2 testing up to 100-fold above what is achievable with standard approaches. RADx is structured to deliver innovative testing strategies to the public as soon as late summer 2020 and is an accelerated and comprehensive multi-pronged effort by NIH to make SARS-CoV-2 testing readily available to every American.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.poctrn.org/radx

NIH COVID-19 Resources:

NIH COVID-19 resource for applicants and grantees including guidance for various aspects of research and grant application processes, as well as FAQs and COVID-19 funding opportunities.
COVID-19 “Updates History” webpage that details relevant updates for applicants and grantees by date.
FAQ document on COVID-19 flexibilities related to policies and programs affecting the grants process.
HHS COVID-19 awards tracking website including data on awards made by all HHS awarding agencies with supplemental appropriations provided through the first three COVID-19 supplemental packages (Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020; Families First Coronavirus Response Act; and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security [CARES] Act).

How to Become a Member of an R01 NIH Study Section:

An important provision within the Academy’s Strategic Plan is a desire to increase the number of imaging researchers on study sections and advisory councils through nomination and otherwise. To consider taking on this very valued and important service, here is information on how the process works and what steps you can take to participate. This information was obtained from speaking with several program officers in different institutes at NIH regarding study section nomination and appointment in order to insure that this is the most up to date information and web links.

Study sections are determined by the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) and not by the individual institutes and centers (ICs). (See more detail below). This doesn’t mean that the ICs have no role in the process. It is helpful to you to reflect your interest in being a reviewer to an institute and center as CSR does reach out to ICs for suggestions of individuals to consider.

CSR welcomes individuals volunteering to be reviewers rather than having to seek reviewers out through the system of grants and relationships garnered over the years. Most NIH reviewers have a PhD or MD or advanced degree equivalent. CSR seeks individuals who have substantial and independent research experience, have received major peer-reviewed grants (RO1 or equivalent) but please note Early Career Reviewer Program (info below), understand the importance of the review process (current peer reviewed funding or experience managing research projects is preferred but not required), and are dedicated to high quality, fair review.

CSR Scientific Review Officers use a number of sources to identify potential study section members, including:

Authors of recent publications in the area covered by the study section
Speakers at scientific meetings
Scientists who have obtained NIH grants in the area of the study section
Scientists recommended by present and former study section members
Scientists recommended by NIH program staff
Recommendations from professional societies and university research deans that have nominated volunteer reviewers whose names are added to a CSR database.

Three ways to approach becoming a reviewer:

1. Contact a CSR Scientific Review Officer (SRO): If you are an established investigator, send your CV to a CSR Scientific Review Officer (List of Regular Standing Study Sections and Review Officer) you know from having your applications reviewed or from having served as a reviewer in the past. CSR, however, suggests contacting your professional society or research dean first, letting them know you are interested in being a reviewer and asking them to add your name to CSR’s list of recommended reviewers.

2. Early Career Reviewer Program: If you are an emerging researcher with an active, independent research program and you don’t have a major grant, consider applying for our Early Career Reviewer Program. This program may help jumpstart your career and prepare you to become an NIH reviewer.

3. Let CSR find a good Review Group for you: Send your CV to csrvolunteer@mail.nih.gov, and CSR will explore options for pairing you with an appropriate review group.

In addition, in seeking to put before you as much useful information as possible, attached is an additional resource to guide you in your decisions – How to be a member of an RO1 Study Section from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). HHMI has also put together a book on “Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty.”

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