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 understandably deep and longstanding. Over the years, special programs to assist new investigators in obtaining independent research funding have been created - for example the New Investigator Research Award (NIRA or R23), in 1977, and the First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST or R29) Award, which superceded the NIRA in 1986. Both of these special programs were discontinued because neither was able to significantly and positively affect the overall ability of new investigators to obtain independent research support (see Report of the Working Group on New Investigators). In spite of these and other efforts, the average age at which an investigator first obtains R01 funding has increased by five to six years (PowerPoint - 44 KB) (to 42 for PhD degree holders and 44 for MD and MD/PhD degree holders). In addition, although the overall numbers of new R01 investigators has increased (PowerPoint - 45 KB), the proportion of R01 grants going to new investigators has remained at approximately 6% of the total R01s awarded throughout the doubling of the NIH budget (PowerPoint - 45 KB).

Currently, NIH encourages new investigators to self-identify by checking a box on the face page of their R01 applications so that they can be given special consideration. Peer reviewers are instructed to focus more on the proposed approach than on the track record, and to expect less preliminary data than would be provided by an established investigator. In addition, many NIH institutes and centers give new investigators special consideration in their selection for funding, and in some cases provide five years of support instead of the four that is the NIH average duration for a grant.

We at NIH remain committed to identifying and attracting new independent biomedical researchers and will continue to explore novel ways to accomplish this. However, we cannot do it alone. Institutions - our partners in this venture - must continue to look for ways to reduce the duration of graduate and postdoctoral training and find new ways to enable new investigators to compete successfully for extramural funding. I would welcome your ideas in this regard.

Norka Ruiz Bravo, PhD, Deputy Director for Extramural Research, NIH

• NIH Director's New Innovator Award - November 2007
• New Investigator Research Awards - June 3, 1977 - (PDF - 396 KB)
• First Independent Research Support and Transition (FIRST) Award - August 1, 1986 - (PDF - 792 KB)
• Report on the Workgroup on New Investigators - June 4, 1997
• Current Policies Related to New Investigators - November 21, 1997
• Transition to a New NIH Policy on New Investigators - December 19, 1997
• Pilot Study to Shorten the Review Cycle for New Investigator R01 Applications - November 30, 2005
• Clarification of Submission Dates for the Pilot Study to Shorten the Review Cycle for New Investigator R01 Applications - April 13, 2006
• Extension of NIH Pilot Study to Shorten the Review Cycle for New Investigator R01 Applications - January 8, 2007
• Continuation of the Extension of the NIH Pilot Study to Shorten the Review Cycle for New Investigator R01 Applications - April 4, 2007
  

In general, a Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is considered a New Investigator if he/she has not previously competed successfully as PD/PI for a significant NIH independent research award.  Specifically, a PD/PI is identified as a New Investigator if he/she has not previously competed successfully for an NIH-supported research project other than the following small or early stage research awards:

• Pathway to Independence Award-Research Phase (R00)
• Small Grant (R03)
• Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15)
• Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21)
• Clinical Trial Planning Grant (R34)
• Dissertation Award (R36)
• Small Business Technology Transfer Grant-Phase I (R41)
• Small Business Innovation Research Grant-Phase I (R43)
• Shannon Award (R55)
• NIH High Priority, Short-Term Project Award (R56)

Additionally, the PD/PI is not excluded from consideration as a “New Investigator” if he/she has received an award from any of the following classes of awards:

Training-Related and Mentored Career Awards

• Fellowships (F05, F30, F31, F32, F34, F37, F38)
• Mentored-career awards (K01, K08, K22, K23, K25, K99-R00)
• Other mentored career awards (developmental K02 as used by NINDS and the developmental K07)
• Loan repayment contracts (L30, L32, L40, L50, L60)

Please note that current or past recipients of non-mentored career awards that normally require independent research support (K02, K05, K24, and K26) are not considered new investigators.

Instrumentation, Construction, Education, or Meeting Awards

• G07, G08, G11, G13, G20
• S10, S15
• X01, X02
• R25
• C06, UC6
• R13, U13

Note regarding grants with Multiple PD/PIs:  In the case of a grant application that involves more than one PI, all PD/PIs must meet the definition of New Investigator to check “Yes” in the “New Investigator” box.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Definition of New Investigator.

NIAID- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

• New Investigator Advice
• Who Can Qualify for an NIH Grant
• Overview of the Grant Application Process
• All about Grants Tutorial

NIAMS - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

• Extramural Support of Research by the NIH
• Assessment of Success of the R03 Program

NIGMS- National Institutes of General Medical Sciences

• Research funding; Tips for new NIH Grant Applicants
• Support for New Investigators

NCI- National Cancer Institute

• Grant Applications and the Review Process
• Everything you wanted to know about the NCI Grants Process

NEI- National Eye Institute

• Special NEI Application Guidelines

CSR - Center for Scientific Review

• Inside the NIH Grant Review Process: A Video on Peer Review at the NIH
• What happens to your Grant Application after it is received for Peer Review?
• Advice to Investigators Submitting Clinical Research Applications
• Pilot Study to Shorten the Review Cycle for New Investigator R01 Applications - November 30, 2005

OER - Office of Extramural Research

• Peer Review Policies and Issues
  
  

• Types of NIH Grant Programs - Office of Extramural Research
• Review of New Investigators R01s - Center for Scientific Review
• Grant Application Forms - Office of Extramural Research
• NIH Submission Dates and Grant Application Submission Information
• Quick Guide for Grant Applications - National Cancer Institute
• NIH’s Financial Operations Website with IC Funding Strategies
• Search for Awarded Grants (CRISP)
• Biomedical Information Science and Technology Initiative (BISTI)
• National Research Service Awards and Career Development Awards
• NIH Roadmap
• NIH Blueprint
  
  

• GrantsNet - AAAS/HHMI
• NEXT WAVE - AAAS
• Funding Opportunities - Medical University of South Carolina
• Lab Management - HHMI
• Research Funding Opportunities for New and Young Faculty - UC Berkeley
• Community of Science
• Proposal Writing Short Course - The Foundation Center
• Education and Employment of Biological and Medical Scientists: Data from FASEB
  
  

• Age Data on NIH Principal Investigators: Age of stock, new investigators, age at gap in funding, age at re-entry 1970 - 2006 - August 28, 2008 - (Excel - 144 KB)
• PI Aging Simulation Model - June 4, 2008 - (PowerPoint - 1.1 MB)
• American Society for Cell Biology: The Health of the Scientific Workforce, 4 - December, 2007 - (PowerPoint - 9 MB)
• PI Aging Simulation Model - November, 2007 - (PowerPoint - 385 KB)
• Age Distribution of NIH RPG Principal Investigators Compared to Medical School Faculty 1980-2006 - (PowerPoint - 1.94 MB)
• NIH Workforce Discussions - September, 2007 - (PowerPoint - 3 MB)
• AAMC GREAT Meeting - Update on New Investigators - June 16, 2006 - (PowerPoint - 915 KB)
• New Investigators - Grants and Numbers - August, 2006 - (Excel - 195 KB)
• New Investigators - Activities - August, 2005 - (Excel - 182 KB)
• Average Age of New Investigators at Initial R01 Equivalent award - May 3, 2006 - (Excel - 44 KB)
• Average Age at Appointment as an Assistant Professor in US Medical Colleges - May 3, 2006 - Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges - (Excel - 34 KB)
• NIH Extramural Support for New Investigators - June 16, 2004 - (PowerPoint)
• Presentation of new Investigators at the Meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Director - December 1, 2005 - (Power Point - 865 KB)
• Presentation on New Investigators at American Society for Cell Biology - December 7, 2004 - (Power Point - 365 KB)
• Sex/Gender in the Biomedical Science Workforce - October, 7 2005
• Using System Dynamics to Model the Principal Investigator Pool, December 8, 2006 - December 8, 2006 - (Powerpoint - 165 KB)
  
  

• Presidential Early Career Awards in Science and Engineering (PECASE)

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