National Institute of
General Medical Sciences

The Division for Research Capacity Building (DRCB) supports research, faculty development, research training, and research infrastructure improvements in states where levels of NIH research funding have historically been low through administering the Institutional Development Award (IDeA). It also supports research directed by and research capacity building in Native American and Alaska Native tribal organizations through the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) program, faculty development at institutions that primarily serves students from underrepresented groups in biomedical research through the Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) program, and science education through the Science Education Partnership Awards (SEPA) program. The division also oversees the STTR Regional Technology Transfer Accelerator Hubs for IDeA States.

IDeA

IDeA is a congressionally mandated program that builds research capacity in states with low levels of NIH funding. It supports competitive basic, clinical, and translational research, faculty development, and infrastructure improvements. The program aims to strengthen an institution’s ability to support biomedical research, enhance the competitiveness of investigators in securing research funding, and catalyze clinical and translational research that serves the needs of medically underserved communities.

NARCH

NARCH supports research, research training, and faculty and infrastructure development, often through partnerships between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes or tribally based organizations and research-intensive academic institutions to meet the needs of AI/AN communities.

SCORE

SCORE seeks to increase research competitiveness of faculty at institutions that traditionally serve students from underrepresented groups. The program supports faculty development at three different research career stages.

SEPA

SEPA is designed to improve national STEM literacy through innovative educational programs. SEPA-supported projects develop partnerships between biomedical and clinical researchers and pre-kindergarten to grade 12 (P-12) teachers and schools, museums and science centers, media experts, and other educational organizations.

For more information about the NIGMS Division for Research Capacity Building, contact:

Dr. Ming Lei
Director, Division for Research Capacity Building
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
National Institutes of Health
45 Center Drive MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200

For DRCB staff contact information and their biographical sketches, please see the Division Staff Contacts page.