UPDATE: The video and slides [PDF] from the MIRA webinar are now available.
We recently reissued the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (PAR-20-117). The first application due date is October 2, 2020.
We’re hosting a webinar to discuss this FOA and to answer your questions about the program on Thursday, August 6, 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET. To access the webinar, visit the WebEx meeting page (link no longer available). We plan to post the archived webinar and slides on the MIRA webpage after the event.
While we encourage you to participate in the webinar, here are some key points you should know if you’re considering applying for a MIRA:
- Principal investigators who meet the following requirements are eligible to apply:
- Your proposed research must be in an area within the NIGMS mission.
- You must have early stage investigator (ESI) status in eRA Commons.
- You must have an independent research appointment at an eligible organization.
- ESI status can be extended for qualifying reasons such as family care responsibilities, active military service, or lost research time due to COVID-19-related shutdowns. See the complete list of qualifying reasons.
- If you submitted a MIRA application in previous years and are still eligible for this FOA (i.e., if you’ve retained ESI status), you’re welcome to apply but must submit a new application rather than a resubmission. A new application may cover the same topics you proposed previously but must not include a response to the review of that application.
- If you accept a MIRA, you must devote at least 51% of your total research effort to the award; however, you may charge a smaller percentage of your salary than the percentage of research effort you intend to commit.
- You may have an NIGMS R01 application and a MIRA application under review at the same time. Should both applications score well enough for funding consideration, you will be required to withdraw one.
- Applications that don’t fall within NIGMS’ mission will be returned without review, so be sure to contact me or the program director whose scientific area is closest to yours to discuss your proposal while in the planning stages.
- ESIs are encouraged to apply early in their independent research career and move into research areas that are distinct from those of their postdoctoral mentors. Preliminary data are neither required nor expected.
These and many other topics related to the MIRA ESI FOA are covered in detail in a newly released set of frequently asked questions.
NIH Staff Participating in the August 6 Webinar
- Jon Lorsch, NIGMS Director
- Judith Greenberg, NIGMS Deputy Director
- Sailaja Koduri, NIGMS Program Officer
- Maqsood Wani, Review Chief, Center for Scientific Review
- Lisa Moeller, NIGMS Grants Management Officer