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New Investigators Program Resources for New Investigators
[ Back to New Investigators Home Page ]
Statement of Commitment to New Investigators
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and Transition (FIRST or R29) Award, which superceded the NIRA in 1986.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
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
NIAMS - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
NIGMS- National Institutes of General Medical Sciences
NCI- National Cancer Institute
NEI- National Eye Institute
CSR - Center for Scientific Review
OER - Office of Extramural Research
NIH Institute and Center Policies Related to First-Time Investigator Support |
[Return to Top] |
FIC - Fogarty International Center |
NCI - National Cancer Institute |
NEI - National Eye Institute |
NHGRI -
National Human Genome Research Institute (MS Word - 44.5 KB) |
NHLBI - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute |
NIA - National Institute on Aging |
NIAAA - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism |
NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |
NIAMS - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases |
NIBIB - National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering |
NICHD - National Institute of Child Health and Human Development |
NIDCD - National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders |
NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research |
NIDDK - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease |
NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences |
NIGMS - National Institute of General Medical Sciences |
NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health |
NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke |
NLM - National Library of Medicine |
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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)
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