Funding News - New Innovator Award Program

NIH invites applications for the 2008 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award program. The program supports exceptionally creative scientists who take highly innovative—and often unconventional—approaches to major challenges in biomedical or behavioral research.  The awards are for new investigators who have not received an NIH regular research (R01) or similar grant.

The program, part of the NIH Roadmap, complements other NIH efforts to fund innovative research and support scientists in the early stages of their independent research careers.  The NIH Roadmap is an innovative approach to accelerate fundamental discovery and translate that knowledge into effective prevention strategies and new treatments.  Research proposed under these awards need not be in a conventional biomedical or behavioral discipline, but must be relevant to the mission of NIH. 

New Innovator Awards provide $1.5 million in direct costs over 5 years. NIH expects to make up to 24 New Innovator Awards in September 2008.  Thirty awards were made in 2007.

The award application period is from March 3 to 31, 2008.  Potential applicants should contact Dr. Judith Greenberg, Director, Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology, National Institute of General Medical Sciences; telephone:  301-594-4469; email:  newinnovator@nih.gov.  For more information, visit http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-014.html.