Endocrine Insider
March 21, 2007

NIH Announces Two New Awards: New Innovator Award and Bridge Award
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced two new awards. The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award combines two of NIH’s most pressing goals—stimulating highly innovative research and supporting promising new investigators. The NIH Director’s Bridge Award (NDBA) will assist experienced investigators whose programs are in jeopardy due to loss of NIH funding.

New Innovator Award
NIH recognizes that young investigators who may have innovative and promising ideas with potentially high impact may not have sufficient preliminary data to receive support through the traditional peer review system. The New Innovator Awards will provide funding opportunities to support these projects.

The following eligibility requirements apply to individuals:
· Must hold an independent research position as of September 20, 2007.
· Must have completed most recent doctorate degree or medical internship and residency in 1997 or later.
· Must be permitted by institution to apply for an NIH R01.
· Must not have been a PI on an R01 or equivalent grant.

The New Innovator Award provides up to $1.5 million in direct costs for a 5-year period plus applicable Facilitative and Administrative costs. The NIH expects to grant as many as 14 of these awards in 2007.

Applications will be accepted April 25-May 22.

For more information on the New Innovator Award—including the program announcement and a list of frequently asked questions—click here: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/innovator_award/

Bridge Award
The NIH Director’s Bridge Award is designed to provide assistance to established investigators whose first or second submission R01 renewal applications received scores near the nominal payline. NDBAs will provide funding for one year only, and investigators may not apply directly for a bridge award from NIH. Rather, a researcher may be nominated for such an award by an official of the Institute to which the non-funded renewal application was submitted. At this time, the second revision (A2) of an R01 will not be considered for selection as an NDBA.

NIH received $91 million in the FY 2007 Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution to support vulnerable research programs. Applications submitted for funding in FY 2007 and applications submitted in FY 2006 that are still being considered for funding may be nominated for the NDBA. More information on this program may be obtained here: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-056.html

Society’s Bridge Grant
The application deadline for the 2nd cycle of The Endocrine Society’s Bridge Grant program is May 1, 2007. The Society awarded 5 grants during the first cycle and will award up to 5 more during the 2nd cycle. Visit the Web site to learn more:
http://www.endo-society.org/publicpolicy/bridge-grants/index.cfm