In recent years, we have supported record high numbers of early stage investigators (ESIs) designated on new (type 1) R01-equivalent awards. Today, we are pleased to share an update on the number of ESIs supported in FY 2023 with the addition of data on age.
We previously showed that the inequalities in the distribution of Research Project Grant funding to principal investigators increased, especially at the top end of funding, during the NIH budget doubling and the first few years after the 2013 budget sequestration. The degree of inequality appeared to fall, however, after NIH implemented the Next Generation Researchers Initiative. Here we present follow-up data that shows that the trends seen in recent years appear to be continuing in fiscal year 2023.
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Over the past two years, we supported 1,412 early stage investigators (ESIs) in fiscal year (FY) 2020 and 1,513 in FY 2021, which were both all-time highs. These ESIs were first-time Principal Investigators (PIs) designated on type 1 (new) R01-equivalent awards. Today, we are pleased to announce that even more ESIs were supported in FY 2022 as part of our continued Next Generation Researchers Initiative (NGRI) efforts.
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Last summer, we reported that in fiscal year 2020 NIH supported 1,412 early-stage investigators (ESIs) as first-time Principal Investigators on R01-equivalent awards. This all-time high was seen after several years of steady growth in the number of ESIs supported since implementing NIH’s Next Generation Researchers Initiative five years ago. Today, we take a look specifically at how ESIs and other targeted groups fared last fiscal year.
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I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Ericka Boone as the new director of the Division of Biomedical Research Workforce (DBRW) in the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER), and I am thrilled she agreed to take on this role, given her background, interest, passions, and work ethic. Read on to learn more about Ericka.
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If you are a trainee, graduate student, post-doc, or faculty in the early stages of your career, you might be interested in the recording of a presentation from the 2021 NIH Virtual Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration in which prominent NIH leaders offer a variety of tips for junior investigators and discuss funding targets for early state investigators, keeping our attention on at-risk investigators, getting that second R01, and more.
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Since launching in 2017, NIH’s Next Generation Researchers Initiative (NGRI) is continuing to address longstanding challenges faced by researchers trying to embark upon and sustain independent research careers as well as to promote the stability and diversity of the biomedical research workforce. Today, we are sharing data on our progress towards increased support for ESIs and other targeted groups.
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Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D., led the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases from 1995 until his passing in 2018. Dr. Katz was a talented physician scientist, NIH leader, and civil servant throughout his career who was profoundly dedicated to mentoring and training the next cadre of scientists. During his memorial service at NIH, you can see this dedication on full display. I, along with countless NIH colleagues, were blessed with Dr. Katz’s mentoring and sage advice. That is why, in his honor, we are pleased to announce the publication of Funding Opportunity Announcements for the Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant program .
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In December 2018, the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) offered a number of recommendations to NIH on the “Next Generation Researchers Initiative.” Among those: The Committee recommended “special funding consideration for “at-risk” investigators. These are researchers who developed meritorious applications who would not have significant NIH research funding if the application under consideration is not awarded. We plan to draw more attention this year, both inside and outside NIH, to outcomes for at-risk investigators, to ensure those submitting meritorious ideas to NIH are not lost to the system.
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As highlighted in many previous blog posts and the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report, promoting a strong biomedical workforce is a top priority for the NIH. In 2017, NIH launched the Next Generation Researchers Initiative, which is a multi-pronged approach to increase the number of NIH-funded early stage investigators. An important component of this initiative is the call for increased transparency and availability of data about the make-up of the biomedical research workforce. More complete data will allow NIH leadership to best understand and address the needs of our emerging workforce.
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