Since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law earlier this year, NIH has received more than 30,000 applications and awarded $5B to more than 12,000 grants and contracts. We take this time at the end of the fiscal year to thank the entire extramural research community for submitting, reviewing and performing all the great science that is being made possible by ARRA.

NIH is entering into the final phase of the Enhancing Peer Review initiative, implementing two major changes: restructured/shortened applications and new forms and instructions. Use of new forms is required for competing applications due January 25, 2010 and beyond.

The first 10-day reporting window for ARRA recipients opened October 1, 2009 and closes October 10, 2009. All grantee institutions receiving ARRA awards through the end of September are required to register in FederalReporting.gov and submit reports during the first reporting period.

ARRA supplements, including administrative supplements, competitive revisions and summer research experiences, require additional financial and scientific progress reports. Read on for more details…

The Electronic Streamlined Non-competing Award Process (eSNAP) allows institutions to submit electronically their annual progress reports for non-competing applications in the eRA Commons. The PHS 2590 progress report form has been revised, and changes to the eRA system will occur October 9, 2009 to accommodate the form changes. NIH encourages grantees with eSNAP reports due October 15, 2009 to delay submitting the reports until after October 9 and has provided a grace period to November 1, 2009.

Most of the NIH research training opportunities available for graduate and postdoctoral researchers are provided through institutional training grants (T awards), or individual fellowships (F awards). In addition to this support, NIH supports many graduate and postdoctoral research experiences through research grant funding. Effective October 1, 2009, NIH is implementing new data reporting requirements on training and research awards to fulfill the NIH Reform Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-482).

This year several NIH-funded scientists won prestigious awards for their contributions to the treatment of disease and the understanding of cellular mechanisms. Drs. Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Drs. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas Steitz and Ada Yonath won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Drs. Brian Druker, Charles Sawyers and Shinya Yamanaka won Lasker Awards.