National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Commitment to New Investigators

March 2008

BACKGROUND. The NHLBI is committed to identifying and attracting new independent biomedical researchers and supporting them in achieving their career goals. Entry of new investigators into the ranks of independent, NIH-funded researchers is essential to the continued long-term health of the nation’s biomedical research enterprise.

NIH DEFINITION. Specifically, a principal investigator is identified as a New Investigator if he/she has not previously competed successfully for an NIH-supported research project.  For additional information on New Investigators, please refer to the following NIH site:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators. 

ADVANTAGES. Currently, NIH encourages New Investigators to self-identify by checking a box on the face page of their grant applications.  Self-identification as a New Investigator potentially confers two separate but interrelated benefits to an applicant: [1] during the initial scientific review, 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; and [2] under well defined situations, certain classes of New Investigators are eligible for special funding consideration by the NHLBI.

CRITERIA FOR SPECIAL R01 FUNDING CONSIDERATION.  The fiscal year 2008 funding and operating guidelines used for New Investigators at the NHLBI can be found at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/policies/operguid.htm. Please note that not all New Investigators, as defined by the NIH, qualify for special funding consideration according to the NHLBI policy.  In order for a New Investigator to be considered for NHLBI priority funding on a new (Type 1) R01 grant application, all of the criteria below must be met:

• not previously a principal investigator (either competitively or administratively appointed) on an Independent Scientist and/or other non-mentored career award or on an R01
  
• not previously a project director (either competitively or administratively appointed) on a sub-project on a multi-project award (e.g., P01, P50)
  
• not previously a principal investigator on more than one R21, R03, or R15
  
• currently holding a position at a domestic institution with a faculty rank up to and including an Associate Professor or equivalent
  

NEW INVESTIGATORS’ FIRST RENEWAL.  In order for a New Investigator to be considered for NHLBI priority funding for the first competitive renewal (Type 2) of his/her R01, all of the criteria below must be met:

• Not a principal investigator on an Independent Scientist and/or other non-mentored career award or on another R01 or a sub-project director on a multi-project award
  
• Currently holding a position at a domestic institution with a faculty rank up to and including an Associate Professor or equivalent
  

Please note that if the New Investigator is administratively appointed on a non-competing phase of the R01 and meets both criteria, then he/she is eligible for special funding consideration for the competing renewal (Type 2) of that particular application.