Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award (R37)

Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award (R37)

In October 1983, the U.S. Congress mandated the Senator Jacob Javits Awards in the Neurosciences, to be administered by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (now the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NINDS).

The awards were established to honor the late Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY), who for several years was a victim of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative neurological disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Senator Javits was a strong advocate of research in a wide variety of disorders of the brain and nervous system.

A Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award (R37) is a conditional, seven-year research grant given to scientists selected by the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council from among the pool of competing applicants during a given grants cycle. The award is initially for a period of four years, after which, based on an administrative review, an additional project period of three years may be awarded. Awardees must have demonstrated exceptional scientific excellence and productivity in one of the areas of neurological research supported by the NINDS, have a proposal of the highest scientific merit, and be judged highly likely to continue to do cutting-edge research for the next seven years.

Highlights of the NINDS Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award

• The NINDS Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award is a conditional seven-year R37 (Merit) award.
• Javits nominations are made by NINDS staff or by members of the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. All nominations are then reviewed by the Council. No award is made without a Council recommendation; however, such recommendations do not guarantee an award.
• Council member and staff nominations must be submitted prior to a Council meeting.
• No solicitation or announcement is made for Javits Awards; applications specifically for this award cannot be submitted.
• Competitive R01s (Types 1, 2, and 9) are eligible for consideration.
• P01s and P50s etc. are not eligible, nor are cooperative clinical trials.
• The award is given to distinguished investigators who (1) have a record of substantial contributions on the "cutting edge" of some field of neurological science and (2) can be expected to be highly productive for the seven-year period.
• An investigator may receive more than one Javits Investigator Award; however, this is rare and only considered if the second application is deemed highly meritorious.
• Competitive applications must have been judged especially meritorious by the Initial Review Group.
• Any research area within NINDS' mission is acceptable; no deliberate effort toward subject matter, institutional, or geographical balance is made.