Endocrine Insider
May 13, 2009

In a broadcast email, the NIH Office of Extramural Research informed the scientific community that the agency had received approximately 20,000 applications in response to the Challenge Grant RFA.  Because of the large volume of applications and the use of Special Emphasis Panels rather than standing study sections, NIH anticipates that some applications may be moved between review groups, resulting in multiple email notifications to applicants.  NIH requests patience during this process, asking investigators to hold any inquiries about internal assignment changes until after May 21.  Furthermore, the announcement stated that CSR will not consider requests from applicants to have their applications assigned to a different Special Emphasis Panel.

Notifications are also generated when the application is assigned to a new Institute/Center.  The automated messages will give contact information for the Division of Receipt and Referral, but questions about IC assignments should be directed to the assigned primary IC or to the IC that the investigator feels is more appropriate. IC contacts can be found on the IC-specific Challenge Grant Web sites: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/challenge_award/IC_ChallengeWebPage.htm.
 
The OER is to issue a press release later this week with further information.