Comprehensive information NIH-funded grants and contracts is now available online. Check out (RePORTER) for access to detailed budget information, research results and products,and related patents and publications. Data are available from 1985 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and are searchable according to user interest.

Over 50,000 summer research positions for students and educators will be supported in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

All grant applications for the Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellowships (F-series) will require electronic submission through Grants.gov using the SF424 (R&R) for the August 8, 2009 due date and beyond.

Use of the new electronic Research Administration (eRA) Commons Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) reporting module will be required as of July 1, 2009. The FCOI module allows institutions to initiate and prepare FCOI reports electronically, to submit those reports, to search and view FCOI reports previously submitted through the Commons, to edit or rescind reports, and to create and access a history of institutional actions.

If you wish to resubmit an application prepared for the NIH Challenge Grants opportunity, you must wait to receive your peer review summary statement and submit your revised application for the October deadline or any deadline thereafter. When you do so, be sure to submit it as a new application and appropriately modify the application to meet the requirements of the new FOA or activity code. Do not include an Introduction describing changes and improvements or mark text to indicate changes.

Training project directors and administrators can now streamline their load of paper forms through xTrain, a module in the eRA Commons. xTrain is now open to all institutions registered with the Commons. Using xTrain also speeds up the NIH approval process and reduces the chance of data entry errors associated with paper forms.

NIH is pleased to announce two new Recovery Act funded programs which seek to recognize and encourage innovative research and technology among small businesses and for-profit ventures–the Small Business Catalyst Awards for Accelerating Innovative Research (R43) and the Biomedical Research, Development, and Growth to Spur the Acceleration of New Technologies (BRDG-SPAN) Pilot Program (RC3).

NIH received over 20,000 applications for the Recovery Act-funded Challenge Grants program. This number roughly equals the total number of applications that NIH receives for any one of its three major review rounds each year and will require over 18,000 scientists to participate in the peer review process.

If you are conducting ongoing NIH-funded research involving previously approved uses of human stem cells, please know that your research may continue as NIH works to finalize the Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research. While no new uses of human embryonic stem cells may be initiated in NIH-funded studies at this time, NIH will continue to accept competing applications proposing the use of human embryonic stem cells during the period of Guideline development.

NIH Acting Director Dr. Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D. has issued a statement condemning terrorist acts against researchers and institutions who use animals in their work. Dr. Kington emphasized the important role that these researchers play in the health of our nation and that federal funding supporting their work is based on national health needs. Dr. Kington further reiterated the high standards of accountability for animal welfare to which their research is held in order to receive federal funds.