In May, we’ll be upgrading our electronic Research Administration (eRA) systems to support recognition of Unicode characters (many of you will be happy to know this includes support of Greek symbols). As described in NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-14-071, this upgrade requires us to take all eRA systems, including the eRA Commons and ASSIST, offline for the three day Memorial Day weekend….

Registration for the NIH Regional Seminar is now open! Don’t miss this exciting opportunity for investigators, administrators, grant writers and others who are new to the NIH grants process or those wanting to hear the latest NIH grants policy and process information first-hand. ….

Although it may be tempting to use a form you have previously downloaded to apply for an NIH grant, don’t! When NIH reissues funding opportunity announcements, you must use the most recent forms associated with those announcements for us to be able to receive your application submission. ….

Awardee institutions with Animal Welfare Assurances must submit annual reports to the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) as a requirement of the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Reports for the 2013 calendar year are due to OLAW by January 31, 2014. For details on what to include and how to submit annual reports ….

NIH is transitioning progress reporting to the federal government-wide Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR). As of January 31, progress reports for NIH multi-year funded awards will also transition to using the RPPR. ….

Advances in genetic sequencing and high-throughput technologies, as well as a steep drop in genetic sequencing costs, have resulted in great volumes of genomic data produced with the support of NIH funding. In light of these scientific advances, NIH decided to expand its data sharing policies to encompass a wider range of genomic research. The resulting draft Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) policy, is now available for public comment.

Are you ready for electronic submission for all P01, P20, P50, U19, P2C and UC2 applications intended for due dates on or after September 25, 2013? That milestone is just around the corner! ….

We’ve been busy preparing for our transition to updated application forms for most grant programs …. Here are some updated resources you may want to check out ….

On July 16 NIH announced the next application cycle for the NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs). If you are a researcher who has incurred significant educational debt, then the NIH LRPs are for you. ….

Are you a small business that is looking for funding opportunities to support innovative technological research that has high-potential for commercialization? Or a current NIH grantee that is looking for additional information and networking opportunities with other entrepreneurs, small businesses and NIH staff? If so, be sure to register today for the 15th annual NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Conference: “How to Be Competitive in a World of Change: Opportunities through SBIR/STTR Awards” in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on October 28 – 30, 2013