Review and award of applications which propose the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) were delayed pending the issuance of the NIH Guidelines on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Now that the Guidelines have been issued, review and award for those applications will take place as follows…

In mid July, the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) and the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) held a workshop to discuss strategies for maximizing core facility use and efficiency and to identify common problems encountered in managing facilities. In today’s challenging economy, core facilities can help extramural researchers achieve more through the cost-efficient sharing of expensive “core” resources–cutting edge tools that are otherwise difficult to find or afford.

Implementation of many of the Enhancements to Peer Review began with the May 2009 review meetings, and applicants are receiving summary statements with new features, such as scores determined under the new system. To understand your summary statement, read on…

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).