National Institutes of Health (NIH)

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This FOA is intended to enable the community to develop and implement evidence-informed approaches to biomedical research training and mentoring to enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report provided evidence that financial concerns and the absence of a community of peers from similar backgrounds can erode self-confidence and the desire to remain in STEM majors (PCAST Report, 2012). NIGMS diversity enhancing institutional training grants offset the cost of appointed trainee stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance, in accordance with approved NIH support levels. Additionally, funded programs are expected to provide activities that will build a strong cohort of research-oriented individuals while enhancing the science identity, self-efficacy, and a sense of belonging among the cohort members. Programmatic activities include, but are not limited to, providing authentic research experiences, academic enhancements, skills development, and additional mentoring -- activities proven to increase persistence in STEM fields (cited in PCAST Report, 2012, Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, 2018, and The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM, 2019).

Each Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program must consist of a strong partnership/consortium composed of at least two institutions: an associate degree-granting institution that offers the associate degree as the terminal degree in STEM, and a baccalaureate degree-granting institution with STEM degrees in disciplines related to the biomedical sciences. Each program should provide high-quality training that equips individuals with the technical (e.g., appropriate methods, technologies, and quantitative/computational approaches), operational (e.g., independent knowledge acquisition, rigorous experimental design, and interpretation of data, conducting research in the safest manner possible) and professional (e.g., management, leadership, communication, and teamwork) skills required for careers in the biomedical research workforce.

Program Objective

The Overarching Objective of this Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program is to develop a diverse pool of research-oriented undergraduates who transition from an associate degree-granting institution to a baccalaureate degree-granting institution and complete a baccalaureate STEM degree, positioning them to pursue research-oriented biomedical higher degree programs, or enter careers in the biomedical research workforce. The long-term goal is to develop a diverse pool of well-trained biomedical scientists, who have the following technical, operational, and professional skills:

• A broad understanding across biomedical disciplines and the skills to independently acquire the knowledge needed to advance their chosen fields;
• Expertise in a biomedical scientific discipline and the skills to think critically and independently, and to identify important biomedical research questions and approaches that push forward the boundaries of their areas of study;
• A strong foundation in scientific reasoning, rigorous research design, experimental methods, quantitative and computational approaches, and data analysis and interpretation;
• The skills to conduct research in the safest manner possible, and a commitment to approaching and conducting biomedical research responsibly, ethically, and with integrity;
• Experience initiating, conducting, interpreting, and presenting rigorous and reproducible biomedical research with increasing self-direction;
• The ability to work effectively in teams with colleagues from a variety of cultural and scientific backgrounds, and to promote inclusive and supportive scientific research environments;
• The skills to teach and communicate scientific research methodologies and findings to a wide variety of audiences (e.g., discipline-specific, across disciplines, and the public); and
• The knowledge, professional skills and experiences required to identify and transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce (i.e., the breadth of careers that sustain biomedical research in areas that are relevant to the NIH mission).

Diversity at all levels from the kinds of science to the regions in which it is conducted, to the backgrounds of the people conducting it is integral to excellence in research training environments and strengthens the research enterprise. This FOA is intended to support outstanding research training programs that will enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. As part of NIGMS strategy to support the development of a diverse pool of well-trained biomedical scientists, the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program supports trainees at a critical transition point in the biomedical research training pathway (i.e., the transition from associate degree-granting institutions to baccalaureate degree-granting institutions), and prepares them to enter a research-oriented biomedical higher degree program, or careers in the biomedical research workforce.

Program Considerations

NIGMS intends to fund applications that propose feasible academic and research focused training programs that will enhance diversity in the biomedical workforce. Programs are expected to have mentors from biomedical disciplines relevant to the NIGMS mission to provide a breadth of research experiences to trainees. Proposed programs focused on disciplines outside of the NIGMS mission (e.g., allied health professions, forensic science) will be considered a low priority for funding.

The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program requires strong partnerships between associate degree-granting institutions and baccalaureate degree-granting institutions. At least one partner must be an institution that offers the associate degree as the highest STEM degree and the other partner(s) must offer baccalaureate degrees in disciplines related to the biomedical sciences. Two different scenarios are anticipated for these partnerships:

• One associate degree-granting institution as the applicant institution partnering with one or more baccalaureate degree-granting institutions, or
• One baccalaureate degree-granting institution as the applicant institution partnering with one or more associate degree-granting institutions.

The program does not support single institutions offering both associate and baccalaureate degrees where graduates or transfers from the associate degree programs enter the baccalaureate programs, even if the students are moving to another department, school, or college. To reinforce strong partnerships, the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program requires the participation of least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) from each partner institution.

The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program recognizes the heterogeneity of institutional settings and institutional missions. Therefore, each application must include a self-assessment of each participating institution that includes baseline data on student demographics, enrollment, transfer rates, research experience, and degree attainment rates. Program objectives should be based on this self-assessment and must align with the purpose of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program. Applicants are expected to identify training objectives (i.e., specific, measurable, and obtainable outcomes the program intends to achieve) and to develop plans to implement evidence-informed training and mentoring activities that are grounded in the literature and from evaluations of existing relevant programs. Funded programs are expected to provide evidence of accomplishing the training objectives in progress reports and in renewal applications, to make training and career outcomes publicly available, and are strongly encouraged to disseminate successful training practices to the broader community.

Funded programs are also expected to implement robust plans to enhance diversity and to promote inclusive, safe, and supportive research environments. Specifically, funded programs should have institutional and departmental environments where individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed and feel integrated into and supported by the biomedical community. Programs are also expected to implement plans to enhance trainee retention, i.e., to sustain the scientific interests and participation of trainees from all backgrounds. Additionally, safety in research training should encompass (1) environments free from harassment and intimidation, in which everyone participating is treated in a respectful and supportive manner, (2) laboratory and clinical settings where individuals exercise the highest standards of practice for chemical, biological and physical safety, and (3) practices at the institutional leadership and research community levels that demonstrate core values and behaviors to emphasize safety over competing goals.

Institutional commitment and support for the proposed training program are important elements of the application. The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program may complement and synergize with other ongoing federally supported research training programs at the applicant and partnering institution(s); however, the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program goals and activities to achieve those goals must be distinct from related programs currently receiving federal support at the applicant and partnering institution(s). In cases where an institution has multiple NIGMS training grants, it is expected that these programs will create administrative and training efficiencies to reduce costs and improve trainee services and outcomes. The training grant should be well integrated within one or more department(s)/program(s) and should exert a strong, positive influence on the development and execution of the outreach and recruitment of potential trainees, curriculum, training opportunities, and mentoring. Training grant funds may not be used solely as a vehicle to provide stipends for trainees to conduct research.

Training grants are usually awarded for five years. The grant offsets the cost of stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance, for the appointed trainees in accordance with the approved NIH support levels. Trainees are typically provided full-time support for two years of undergraduate studies within the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program partnership. There is flexibility in how the two years of support can be administered, but there must be robust support at both the associate degree-granting and baccalaureate degree granting-institutions. Research-oriented trainees must be enrolled at the associate degree-granting institution at the time of initial appointment. Typically, one year of full-time support is provided at the associate degree-granting institution and one year of full-time support at the baccalaureate degree-granting institution. However, at baccalaureate institutions where other NIH undergraduate research training programs (e.g., U-RISE, MARC) exist, the Bridges to the Baccalaureate trainees may transition into or benefit from these training programs. In this case, trainees may receive up to two years of full-time support at the associate degree-granting institution.

This FOA does not allow appointed trainees to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor. NIH strongly supports training towards a career in clinically relevant research and so gaining experience in clinical trials under the guidance of a mentor or co-mentor is encouraged.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

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Applicant organizations may submit one application per UM1 application.

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH.

To accomplish the stated overarching goal, this FOA will provide support to recipients of Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) for creative educational activities with a primary focus on research experiences designed to ensure that the participants receive exposure to the scientific and operational principles underlying each step of the translational process so that they can apply these principles to clinical and translational science research areas such as: 1) pre-clinical research, 2) clinical research, 3) clinical implementation, and 4) public health.

• Research Experiences

Amount Description

The maximum budget is $100,000 direct costs/year. The budget request for a given application needs to be adequately justified and reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. Yearly fluctuations in the project workload should be reflected in the requested budget.

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is 5 years.

Eligibility Requirements

NCATS solicits the submission of one set of companion applications. With this solicitation for the R25 application, a separate, companion FOA solicits applications for a required UM1 (PAR-21-293: Clinical and Translational Science Award). The UM1 and initial R25 applications must be submitted concurrently; an R25 application without the required companion UM1 application will not be reviewed. The R25 application will only be awarded if the UM1 application is awarded. Resubmission of an R25 without the required UM1 will be allowed only if the UM1 application is awarded.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program

The PD/PI should be an established investigator in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required.

The UM1 PD(s)/PI(s) may not be a PD(s)/PI(s) on the R25 award.

NCATS solicits the submission of one set of companion applications. With this solicitation for the R25 application, a separate, companion FOA solicits applications for a required UM1 (PAR-21-293: Clinical and Translational Science Award). The UM1 and initial R25 applications must be submitted concurrently; an R25 application without the required companion UM1 application will not be reviewed. The R25 application will only be awarded if the UM1 application is awarded. Resubmission of an R25 without the required UM1 will be allowed only if the UM1 application is awarded. The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program

• Applicants lacking the following will be considered as not responsive. Nonresponsive applications will not be reviewed.

• New applications that are not submitted as part of the companion and required UM1 PAR-21-293 Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional).

• Resubmission of R25 Research Education applications that are not linked to a funded UM1.

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NIGMS will accept only one MSTP application per institution.

The goal of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is to develop a diverse pool of well-trained clinician-scientist leaders available to address the nation’s biomedical research needs. Specifically, this funding announcement provides support to eligible, domestic organizations to develop and implement effective, evidence-informed approaches to dual-degree training and mentoring that will keep pace with the rapid evolution of the biomedical research enterprise and lead to the completion of both a clinical degree (for example, M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S., Pharm.D., etc.) and a research doctorate degree (Ph.D.).  

With the dual qualifications of a rigorous scientist and clinician, graduates will be equipped with the skills to develop research programs that accelerate the translation of research advances to the understanding, detection, treatment, and prevention of human disease, and to lead the advancement of biomedical research.  Areas of particular importance to NIGMS are optimizing training efficiency, fostering the persistence of alumni in research careers, and enhancing the diversity of the clinician-scientist workforce.  NIGMS expects that the proposed research training program will incorporate didactic, research, mentoring and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the nation.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not allow appointed Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

NIGMS allows multiple institutions to participate in a single MSTP application, where this may further advance the goals of the program.  A single contact institution would receive and administer the award.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program should be detailed in the Organizational Support Letter in the Letters of Support attachment. See the application instructions for the required Letters of Support instructions in Section IV.

As described in the instructions for the Training Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) in Section IV.2 below, NIGMS encourages multiple PDs/PIs, particularly when each brings a unique perspective and skill set that will enhance training. Note the following:

• To provide research training leadership for the program, at least one of the training PDs/PIs should have a record of using rigorous and transparent methods in experimental design, data collection, analysis, and reporting in a biomedical research field applicable to the program.
• Additional PDs/PIs may be included to strengthen the expertise of the PD/PI team. Examples include individuals such as program directors who regularly interact with students, or individuals with expertise in education, relevant social sciences, program evaluation, mentoring, or university administration. 

Any of the PDs/PIs may serve as the contact PD/PI. The contact PD/PI is expected to have a full-time appointment at the applicant organization unless extremely well-justified. If the full-time status of the contact PD/PI changes after the award, the organization must obtain prior program approval to appoint a new PD/PI or request a deviation from the full-time rule. The PD(s)/PI(s) will be responsible for:

• The overall direction, management, administration, and evaluation of the program.
• The day-to-day administration of the program, including direct involvement with trainees.
• The selection and appointment of trainees to the research training program.
• The selection of faculty mentors for the program, assessment of mentor performance, and ensuring the program deals appropriately with substandard mentor performance.
• Monitoring and assessing the program and submitting all documents and reports as required.
• Appointing members of the Advisory Committee (when applicable) and implementing their guidance as appropriate.

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Only one application per Institution (normally identified by having a unique entity identifier (UEI) or NIH IPH number) is allowed; however, that institution may also participate as partner via a sub-award or associate program through applications submitted by other institutions.

NIEHS invites applications for cooperative agreements to support the development and delivery of model programs for the training and education of workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response. This funding opportunity announcement aims to use safety and health training to prevent and reduce work-related harm. The training programs will provide skills and knowledge to workers on how best to identify and protect themselves and their communities from exposure to hazardous materials encountered during hazardous waste operations, hazardous materials transportation, environmental restoration of contaminated facilities, and emergency response. A variety of industry sites, such as those involved with hazardous waste cleanup, remedial action, and transportation-related emergency response may pose severe health and safety concerns to workers and the surrounding communities. These sites contain many hazardous substances, sometimes unknown, and a site maybe uncontrolled. A major goal of the Worker Training Program (WTP) is to support institutional competency-building for the development and delivery of model training and education programs.

Renewal application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.  A new applicant that has never received funding under previous announcements may request a budget for direct costs of up to $700,000 for the first year.

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs.

Limit:1 // SF-Wung (College of Nursing)

One application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed. This FOA seeks to support programs that include innovative approaches to enhance biomedical engineering (BME) designeducation to ensure a future workforce that can meet the nation’s needs in biomedical research and healthcare technologies.

Applications are encouraged from institutions that propose to establish new or to enhance existing team-based design courses orprograms in undergraduate biomedical engineering departments or other degree-granting programs with biomedical engineeringtracks/minors. This FOA targets the education of undergraduate biomedical engineering/bioengineering students in a team-basedenvironment. Health equity and universal design topics must be integrated throughout the educational activities. While current bestpractices such as multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary education, introduction to the regulatory pathway and other issues related tothe commercialization of medical devices, and clinical immersion remain encouraged components of a strong BME program, thisFOA also challenges institutions to propose other novel, innovative and/or ground-breaking activities that can form the basis of thenext generation of biomedical engineering design education.

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The purpose of this Centers program is to bring together basic and clinical investigators to enhance communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, and effectiveness of ongoing research in Diabetes Research Center topic areas. By providing shared access to specialized technical resources (research cores) and supporting a Pilot and Feasibility Program (P&F), DRCs are intended to create an environment that provides the capability for accomplishments greater than those that would be possible by individual research project grant support alone. New Center programs that bring in diverse perspectives, propose unique scientific themes, or provide innovative resources are encouraged. Emphasis will be placed on Center programs that propose enhanced synergies with other NIDDK-funded programs as well as providing a rich mentoring environment for future diabetes researchers.

This NOFO requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation. 

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This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed to support highly integrated research teams of three to six Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) to address ambitious and challenging research questions that are within the mission of NIGMS. Project goals should not be achievable with a collection of individual efforts or projects. Collaborative program teams are expected to accomplish goals that require considerable synergy and managed team interactions. Teams are encouraged to consider far-reaching objectives that will produce major advances in their fields.

This FOA is not intended for applications that are mainly focused on the creation, expansion, and/or maintenance of community resources, creation of new technologies, or infrastructure development.

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The PRINT program aims to transform organ biofabrication by leveraging recent advances in 3D bioprinting, cell manufacturing, biomaterials, modeling, and tissue engineering. The PRINT program will assemble the necessary tools to facilitate production from a human cell source to a patient matched biofabricated organ to restore at least 40% normal organ function as demonstrated in a large animal model. 

Areas of Interest:

• Technical Area 1 (TA1): Generation of all necessary organ cell types (Phase I)
• Technical Area 2 (TA2): Large scale manufacturing of organ cell types (Phase I & II)
• Technical Area 3 (TA3): Organ Biofabrication and in vivo testing (Phase I and II)

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The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research.
To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support educational activities with a primary focus on:

• Courses for Skills Development
• Research Experiences

The ESTEEMED program is designed to foster the development of undergraduate freshmen and sophomores from diverse backgrounds to pursue further studies and careers in bioengineering or STEM fields relevant to NIBIB’s scientific mission. Applications are encouraged to propose integrated educational activities that include 3 elements: a summer bridge program for incoming freshmen, and in the freshman and sophomore years, academic year activities and summer research experiences. The ESTEEMED program is intended to expose students to bioengineering research early in their college careers while also providing students didactic, mentoring and career development opportunities. This will prepare students to join, in their junior and senior years, an honors program that promotes STEM and entrance into a Ph.D. program. The ultimate goal is for the participants to pursue a doctoral degree and a subsequent research career in bioengineering or NIBIB-relevant field.

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Only two applications per institution (normally identified by having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number or NIH IPF number) are allowed.

The NIH Director's Early Independence Award supports rigorous and promising investigators who wish to pursue independent research soon after completion of their terminal doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career. To support innovative and novel research across the vast NIH mission, individuals from diverse backgrounds (including those from underrepresented groups; see Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity) and from the full spectrum of eligible institutions in all geographic locations are encouraged to apply. Applications in all topics relevant to the broad mission of NIH are welcome, including, but not limited to, topics in the behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences and topics that may involve basic, translational, or clinical research. The NIH Director's Early Independence Award is a component of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program of the NIH Common Fund.

Requirements:

• Single PD/PI: Only single PD/PI applications are allowed. Multiple PD/PIs applications will not be accepted. Only the PD/PI may be listed as a Senior/Key Person and provide a Biographical Sketch.
• Citizenship: U.S. citizenship is not required. For non-U.S. citizens, the applicant institution is responsible for ensuring the PD/PI's U.S. visa status will allow them to conduct the proposed research at the applicant institution for the entire project period.
• Degree Receipt Date: The receipt date of the PD/PI’s terminal doctoral degree or end of post-graduate clinical training must be between May 1, 2023, and September 30, 2025. The degree receipt date is that which appears on the official transcript for the degree. The end of post-graduate clinical training includes residency and fellowship periods. At the time of award, either:

1. The PD/PI must have received a PhD, MD, DO, DC, DDS, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), PharmD, DSW, PsyD, or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution (it is the responsibility of the sponsoring institution to determine if a foreign doctoral degree is equivalent).
2. Or an authorized official of the degree-granting or training institution must certify that all degree requirements have been met and that the receipt date of the degree (as will appear on the transcript) will be before September 30, 2025. An authorized official of the host institution must certify that the PD/PI will be able to conduct independent research at the institution at the time of the project start date.

• Post-doctoral Experience: The PD/PI must not have served as a post-doctoral fellow for more than 12 months following a previous, non-terminal doctoral degree (this only applies to PD/PIs with multiple doctoral degrees who served in a 12+ month post-doctoral fellowship before their terminal degree).
• Level of Effort: In the first and second years of the project period, the PD/PI must commit at least 9.6 person-months of effort to the Early Independence Award project each year (80% effort per year). In years 3-5 of the project period, the PD/PI may reduce their effort on the Early Independence Award project but must still conduct at least 9.6 person-months of general independent research each year (80% effort per year). General independent research includes the effort spent on the Early Independence Award project and any other independent research projects the PD/PI is working on.
• Non-independence at Time of Application: Individuals are eligible only if they do not have research independence at the time of application submission. Research non-independence is defined functionally rather than by position title and must have all the following characteristics:
  1. The PD/PI's current research agenda is set through concurrence with mentors.
  2. The PD/PI's research is funded primarily through support to other investigators (mentored fellowships such as NIH F31 or F32 Fellowships or NSF Graduate Research Fellowships do not preclude eligibility).
  3. The PD/PI does not have any space assigned directly by the institution for the conduct of their research.
  4. The PD/PI cannot apply for an NIH R01 grant without a special waiver or exemption from the institution according to institutional policy.

Though PD/PIs must not be functionally independent at the time of application submission, they may become functionally independent prior to time of award and still retain eligibility.

• Independent Research Position: An independent research position at a host institution is required, and the PD/PI must be able to begin independent research by the project start date. The position need not be permanent or tenure-track and may be contingent upon receipt of the Early Independence Award. Prospective PD/PIs should contact appropriate institutional leaders to seek an appointment to an independent research position. Alternatively, institutions may actively recruit eligible scientists to apply for support through this initiative. In either case, the institution is expected to provide substantial support to the PD/PI as detailed in the Facilities & Other Resources section. To foster independence, PD/PIs may benefit from being hosted by an institution at which they have not previously studied or trained.
• Career Awards: PD/PIs may apply for a research career development (K) award and DP5 at the same time, but NIH policy prohibits scientific overlap. A PD/PI may not hold a DP5 and career development award concurrently: The career development award must be relinquished to receive the DP5.
• Site Visit: NIH staff will conduct a one-time site visit at the end of the first year to assess the PD/PI's progress and to ensure they are receiving the institutional resources and support outlined in the application. NIH staff will meet with the PD/PI, lab personnel, mentors, faculty, and institutional leadership. Failure to provide independence and/or support may lead to NIH actions, including reduction of funds.

Awards will be for up to $250,000 in direct costs per year, plus applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs.

The project period is limited to five years.

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