New investigators are the innovators of the future - they bring fresh ideas and technologies to existing biomedical research problems, and they pioneer new areas of investigation. Entry of new investigators into the ranks of independent, NIH-funded researchers is essential to the health of this country's biomedical research enterprise. NIH’s interest in the training and research funding of new investigators is unders tandably deep and longstanding.

The NIH Pathways to Independence Program employs multiple strategies to facilitate receiving an R01 award earlier in an investigator's research career. These involve: