The NIH has recently created a category for Early Stage investigators (those within 10 years of a PhD or equivalent degree). Last week, the NIH announced clarifications on who is classified as a New or Early Stage Investigator.

In the October 2008 NIH Extramural Nexus, the NIH describes some of the changes coming to Peer Review both in the 2009 and 2010 funding years. Among them:

• Each review criteria will receive an individual score, instead of one score for the entire application
• Applications which are streamlined (i.e. unscored, not discussed during review) will now receive numerical scores so that applicants can judge whether to resubmit
• Starting in 2010, R01 applications will be shortened to 12 pages for the research plan.

For those of you who use human subjects or biological specimens, the OHRP has released an update to its guidelines - "Guidance on Engangement of Institutions in Human Subjects Research". The revised guidelines can be found on the OHRP website.

The NIH has announced a new Transformative Research Projects Program (T-R01), designed to enhance creative investigator-initiated research. This new project program is for projects that are high-risk or extremely cutting-edge. The new T-R01 will also involve new peer review and project management formats.

The NIH recently announced that Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the NIH since 2002, is stepping down to persue other scientific opportunities. Dr. Zerhouni has been instrumental in creating new opportunities for early stage and new NIH investigators, and overhauling the NIH Peer Review process.

Beginning January 1, 2009, almost all NIH grant applications will use the new Adobe forms through Grants.gov. Are you ready? HealthProposal.net can help you make the transition. You may also want to check out the NIH's guide to the Adobe transition.