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Request for Information: Initiatives That Improve Research Training, Career Progression, or the Educational Environment in the Biomedical Research Enterprise

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NIGMS supports individuals and institutions that foster research training and a strong and diverse biomedical research workforce through a variety of programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. We’re seeking input from trainees (undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral scientists), biomedical faculty, and research education program participants (e.g., postbaccalaureates), on initiatives that can help us improve research training, career progression, or the educational environment. NIGMS is especially interested in hearing about trainee-initiated activities—particularly from the trainees themselves—in NIGMS-funded training programs, including U-RISE, MARC, BUILD, PREP, G-RISE, IMSD, Bridges to the Baccalaureate, Bridges to the Doctorate, IRACDA, MOSAIC, basic biomedical T32, and MSTP.

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NIGMS Funding Opportunities for Technology Development and Upcoming Webinar

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UPDATE: The video for this webinar are now available.

We’re pleased to share that NIGMS has reissued two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) for our technology development program. Both FOAs support the development of novel technologies with the potential for broad utility in biomedical research. They are:

Technology Development Research for Establishing Feasibility and Proof of Concept (R21)
PAR-22-126

Applications to this FOA should propose technology development at a conceptual stage, not yet supported by any proof-of-concept-data, in order to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed technology and/or establish the most likely path to successful development. When compared to current state-of-the-art technology, the proposed concept should lead to a technological breakthrough or a significant advance in current biomedical research or approaches.

First application receipt date: June 16

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NIGMS Diversity Supplements Available to Support Master’s Degree Students

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NIGMS is accepting diversity supplement applications to support master’s degree students who are planning to apply to Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. This opportunity is part of our Diversity Supplements Program, which facilitates the recruitment and training of promising scientists from diverse backgrounds (including individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce). The broader goal of this program is to enhance the diversity of the biomedical research enterprise.

The duration of supplement support is normally 1 year but can be extended for up to 1 additional year, for a total of 24 months. Program directors (PDs)/principal investigators (PIs) with active NIGMS research grants, program project grants, center grants, or cooperative agreements are eligible to apply if there are at least 12 months remaining on the grant.

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Funding Opportunity: Modules for Enhancing Biomedical Research Workforce Training

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UPDATE: An informational webinar on these modules will be held on April 28 from 2-3:30 ET. For details see NOT-GM-22-035.

We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special Interest (NOSI) calling for applications to develop training modules on wellness and resiliency, and structural racism and discrimination in research training environments (NOT-GM-22-016). The proposed modules should impact individuals from a broad range of scientific disciplines and career stages and cover material not typically taught as part of current institutional coursework. The modules can take many different formats and approaches and should be timely, informative, engaging, easily accessible, and free to everyone. Applications must focus on one of the following topics:

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Do MIRA Investigators Apply for More Grants From Other NIH Institutes and Centers Than R01 Investigators?

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NIGMS’ Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) provides investigators with flexibility and stability for their research programs. Investigators who receive MIRA support must dedicate 51% of their research effort toward the grant and are ineligible to apply for or receive other NIGMS research support (with some exceptions). One question frequently asked is whether the NIGMS funding restriction changes the likelihood that MIRA grantees will submit applications to other NIH institutes and centers (ICs). In this post, we compare data on post-award grant applications from NIGMS-funded investigators.

To compare application behavior between MIRA and R01-funded investigators, we created sets of both established (EI) and early stage (ESI) investigators supported by NIGMS R01s (called the comparator group) who have not received a MIRA. The EI comparators were matched according to race/ethnicity, gender, time since acquisition of first R01, and average annual NIGMS funding. For the ESI comparator group, we used all ESI NIGMS R01 awardees.

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Wanted: Predoctoral Basic Biomedical and Medical Science Training Programs Branch Chief

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UPDATE: This position is now closed.

We’re seeking a highly qualified branch chief for our Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD). Applicants should have interest and experience in the areas managed by the Predoctoral Basic Biomedical and Medical Science Training Programs Branch. Position responsibilities include: programmatic and administrative planning, management, and evaluation; optimization of Branch procedures; and oversight of the grant portfolio activities of the Branch program directors. The branch chief will also manage a grant portfolio and will work closely with the other TWD branch chiefs and the TWD division director. Outstanding written and oral communication skills and a commitment to enhancing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce are essential. Candidates should have an interest in supervising and mentoring a team of program directors and serving as a leader within the Branch, the Division, and NIGMS.

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Wanted: NIGMS Program Directors

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UPDATE: These positions are now closed.

We’re recruiting scientists for positions in our Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (GMCDB) and Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD). The successful applicants will be responsible for scientific and administrative management of a portfolio of research grants and/or research training and career development awards, and will stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities related to their field of expertise.

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Wanted: Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Branch Chief

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UPDATE: This position is now closed.

We’re seeking a highly qualified branch chief for our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB). Applicants should have interest and experience in the scientific areas managed by the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB) Branch. Position responsibilities include: scientific and administrative planning, management, and evaluation; optimization of Branch procedures; and overseeing grant portfolio activities of the Branch program directors. The branch chief will also manage a research grant portfolio and will work closely with the Biophysics and Biomedical Technology Branch chiefs and the BBCB division director.

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Webinar for U-RISE and MARC Training Program (T34) Applicants

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UPDATE: The video and slides [PDF] for this webinar are now available.

Are you preparing a grant application for the Undergraduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE) or the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) T34 training programs? If so, please join our webinar to learn about the programs and application components. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask us questions:

Wednesday, April 6, 1:30-3:00 p.m. ET

During the webinar, we’ll provide a broad overview of the programs, and share our expectations for applications and the required data tables for the upcoming May 26, 2022, receipt date. We’ll also reiterate compliance information to help you avoid issues that could lead to application withdrawal.

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MIRA Renewals: Award Rates and Budget Changes

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NIGMS funded its first round of renewals for the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) program in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. In this post, we compare data on the award rates and award sizes of MIRA renewals and R01 renewals to provide some insights into the early outcomes of MIRA renewals. We also examine award rates and budget changes for investigators applying to convert their NIGMS R01s to MIRAs.

In the first section, we present award rates (the percentage of reviewed applications that receive funding), considering both programs overall and then FY 2021 renewal applications specifically. The second section describes the award sizes for the two types of grants collectively, followed by award size changes for FY 2021 renewals. Where sample sizes and privacy concerns allow, we distinguish between established investigators (EIs) and early stage investigators (ESIs) renewing their first grants (“ex-ESIs”) as they often have different characteristics for award rates and sizes. All budget values shown in the post are yearly direct costs.

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