New Research on Interventions R01 Funding Announcement and Upcoming Webinar

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UPDATE: The video and slides [PDF] from the Interventions webinar are now available.

NIGMS has reissued its funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for Research on Interventions that Promote the Careers of Individuals in the Biomedical Research Enterprise (R01) (PAR-21-269). In line with a key mission area of the Institute—ensuring the vitality and continued productivity of the research enterprise—the FOA encourages studies on interventions aimed to enhance research-oriented individuals’ interest, motivation, persistence, and preparedness for careers in the biomedical research workforce. Potential intervention focus areas include, but are not limited to, networking and mentoring, institutional climate, harassment, and structural racism and discrimination.

The new FOA no longer includes research designed solely to inform interventions; applicants must also conduct and test an intervention. Proposals must test the effectiveness of an intervention using robust experimental designs, such as randomized control trial approaches, case controls, matched pair design, or other designs appropriate to perform rigorous research on effective interventions aiming to increase success in the biomedical research workforce.

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Updated Council Review and Oversight Policy for Well-Funded Laboratories

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NIGMS staff members always closely examine each principal investigator’s (PI’s) other research support when making funding recommendations and awards. In addition, the Institute has several policies to ensure a diversified portfolio of grants. At the May 20, 2021, NAGMS Advisory Council meeting, councilors approved our updated NIGMS guidelines for funding investigators with substantial other research support. Informally, this was known as our $750K policy. What’s the policy, and why are we changing it now? 

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Webinar for Postdoctoral Research Associate Training (PRAT) Program Applicants

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UPDATE: The video  and slides [PDF] from the PRAT webinar are now available.

We’re hosting a webinar for students and fellows interested in the Postdoctoral Research Associate Training (PRAT) program for the October 4, 2021, receipt date:

Tuesday, June 22, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

PRAT is a competitive 3-year fellowship program that prepares trainees for leadership positions in biomedical careers. Training includes a mentored laboratory research experience and intensive career and leadership development activities. PRAT fellows conduct research in laboratories in the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) in basic biomedical research areas within the NIGMS mission. These areas include, but are not limited to, biological chemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, cellular and molecular biology, computational biosciences, developmental biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, and technology development.

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Funding Opportunity: Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Program

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I’m pleased to share that the Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15) funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) have been reissued (PAR-21-155 and PAR-21-154). The FOAs continue NIH efforts to support small-scale research grants at institutions that do not receive substantial funding from NIH. The grants emphasize providing biomedical research experiences for undergraduate students and enhancing the research environment at grantee institutions. Eligible institutions must award baccalaureate degrees in biomedical sciences, have a greater undergraduate student enrollment than graduate student enrollment, and must not have received more than $6 million per year of NIH support (total costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years. Health professional schools are not eligible for this FOA and are not included in the $6 million eligibility calculation. There is another series of FOAs focused on health professional schools and graduate schools (PAR-19-134 and PAR-19-135).

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Funding Opportunity: Urgent Competitive Revisions to IDeA-CTR Awards to Address the Continuing Need for Documenting COVID-19-Related Patient Outcomes

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We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special interest (NOSI) (NOT-GM-21-050) to address the urgent need for documenting COVID-19-related outcomes of patients, including those suffering from health disparities, which helps foster COVID-19-related clinical research. Competitive revisions to active IDeA-CTR (U54) awards will be considered for the purpose of sustaining and strengthening the IDeA state COVID-19 patient registry, a component of the National COVID Cohort Collaborative.

Applications are due by June 18, 2021. If you have any questions about this NOSI, please contact Hongwei Gao.

NIGMS Strategic Plan 2021-2025 Now Available

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I’m pleased to announce the release of the NIGMS 2021-2025 Strategic Plan [PDF]. Like its predecessor [PDF], this plan sets the direction and priorities that the Institute will pursue over the next 5 years. It enumerates a series of goals, objectives, and implementation strategies that build upon the successful outcomes [PDF] of our prior plan, and it reflects key organizational values of the Institute. The plan also contains representative targets for each implementation strategy that promote both transparency and accountability to ensure that progress is tracked and periodically reported, and that any necessary course corrections can be implemented.

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Wanted: NIGMS Program Director, Biochemistry and Bio-related Chemistry Branch

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UPDATE: This position is now closed.

We’re recruiting an accomplished scientist for a position in the Biochemistry and Bio-related Chemistry Branch of our Division of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry. The Branch supports research studies in enzymology, bioenergetics, glycoscience, synthetic method development, biosynthesis, oxidative stress, and synthetic biology. 

Applicants should have broad expertise in biochemistry, familiarity with modern experimental methods, and experience in applying this knowledge to biological systems. Familiarity with NIH extramural funding as an applicant, reviewer, or NIH scientific administrator is a plus, and outstanding written and oral communication skills are essential. The job responsibilities involve working collaboratively with other staff to stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities for the portfolio of research awards.

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New SuRE U24 Resource Center Funding Announcement and Upcoming Webinar

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UPDATE: The video and slides from this webinar are now available.

I’m pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for a Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) U24 resource center (PAR-21-227) to broaden participation in the new SuRE R16 programs announced earlier this month, which replace the Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) program. The SuRE resource center will assist eligible institutions in building research capacity and training their professional staff and faculty.

Applicants to the SuRE resource center funding opportunity announcement are expected to have prior experience in managing multi-institutional endeavors and conducting outreach to a geographically diverse pool of applicants. Nonprofit institutions with a national reach (e.g., professional societies) are among those eligible to apply. 

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Wanted: Program Director, Biomedical Technology Branch

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UPDATE: This position is now closed.

We’re recruiting an accomplished scientist for a program officer position in the Biomedical Technology (BT) Branch of our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB). The successful applicant will be responsible for the scientific and administrative management of a portfolio of research grants and will stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities related to their field of expertise. 

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Nobel Laureate W.E. Moerner Seminar on Hidden Molecules in Caulobacter Bacterium, Coronavirus, and Cells

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Our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB) is hosting a free virtual seminar with Nobel Laureate W.E. Moerner:

A headshot of W.E. Moerner. W.E. Moerner. Credit: Linda Cicero, Stanford News Service.

Finding the Hidden Molecules in High-Resolution Cryo-Electron Tomograms With Single-Molecule Microscopy
Tuesday, May 18, 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET

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