Researchers, if You Received a Survey, Please Provide Us with Your Perspective on the Impact of COVID-19

October 29, 2020

Since March, COVID-19 has greatly impacted the way we all work. NIH has been tracking how well our policies meet the needs of our research community in response to the ongoing pandemic. To get a better understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting our extramural researchers, we launched the Impact of COVID-19 on Extramural Researchers Survey in mid-October. If you received an invitation to take this survey, please take 15-20 minutes to complete it. This survey will be open until Friday, November 13th. The results from the survey will inform policy and program decisions, so participation is critical.

Seeking Your Ideas on the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research

October 29, 2020

From shifting public health needs to the unprecedented pace of biomedical discovery, everything about the coronavirus response is evolving. This goes for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research as well, so too must it evolve.

We want your help on the next iteration of the Plan. A Request For Information released yesterday seeks public feedback on the current Plan (NOT-OD-21-018). You or your organization can submit ideas here by December 7, 2020.

NIH Will Continue to Accept Preliminary Data as Post-Submission Material Through August/October 2021 Councils

October 21, 2020

In recognition of the fact that COVID-19 may still be adversely affecting the ability of applicants to generate preliminary data, NIH will continue to accept a one-page update with preliminary data as post-submission materials for applications submitted for the August/October 2021 council (beginning with applications submitted for the January 25, 2021 due date for Summer 2021 review meetings), ONLY if the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) used for submission allowed preliminary data in the application.

Encouraging Participation in Upcoming NIH Surveys to Identify Impacts of COVID-19 on Extramural Research

October 5, 2020

NIH has been working diligently to support the extramural research community since the pandemic began in March. We are now preparing to reach out with surveys to gather data on how COVID-19 is impacting our extramural researchers and their institutions. If you receive such a survey, we hope that you will take the time to provide us with your perspective. The results of the surveys  will be extremely valuable to inform policy and program decisions as NIH seeks to identify ways to continue to support the biomedical research enterprise as we move forward.

Temporary Extension of Eligibility for the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award During COVID-19 Pandemic

August 12, 2020

Due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, NIH will be providing up to a two-receipt cycle extension (roughly eight additional months) of eligibility for prospective applicants meeting the requirements for submission of a K99/R00 application from the June/July 2020 due dates through the February/March 2021 due dates. For more details, see the full Guide … Continue reading “Temporary Extension of Eligibility for the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award During COVID-19 Pandemic”

An Early Look at Applications Submitted During the Pandemic

July 28, 2020

It has been four months since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered laboratories and clinical studies across the country and the world. On April 10, only a few weeks into the pandemic, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) published a report describing the consequences of social distancing and other pandemic mitigation measures. These consequences included laboratory closures, de-prioritized projects, cancellation of meetings and conferences, loss of revenue, disrupted personnel processes, supply-chain interruptions, and, overlying all of these, a great deal of uncertainty. Since the CRS report was issued, we have learned more about the pandemic’s effects on non-COVID research and on the research workforce.

Useful Flexibilities for Animal Care and Use Programs to Comply with the PHS Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

July 20, 2020

As we continue to address the effects of COVID-19 and as some states and institutions are considering reopening, we would like to share some administrative flexibilities that NIH is providing to research institutions with laboratory animal programs. These flexibilities are meant to assure personnel safety and animal welfare while enabling research personnel to prioritize and preserve research efforts. Some of these can be useful in reducing administrative burden, too.