Investigator-Focused Awards Funding Considerations and Contacts

NHLBI supports two Outstanding Investigator Award (R35) programs

• NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) 
• NHLBI Emerging Investigator Award (EIA) 

The NHLBI R35 Program promotes scientific productivity and innovation by providing long-term support and increased flexibility to Program Directors (PDs)/Principal Investigators (PIs) who meet the NOFO eligibility requirements and have demonstrated their ability to make major contributions to heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) research. The R35 will provide investigators flexibility to conduct research that breaks new ground or extends previous discoveries in new directions, take greater risks, and pursue research that requires a longer timeframe. Research supported by the R35 must be within the scope of the NHLBI mission.  

NHLBI expects investigators to devote at least 50% effort throughout the duration of the R35 award, the equivalent of 50% effort on a full-year appointment, 66.67% on a 9-month appointment, or 100% on a 6-month appointment. There are no exceptions to this requirement.  

The R35 will support the research program of NHLBI-funded investigators for up to seven (7) years.  

NHLBI supports R35 awards up to $700,000 in direct costs per year. The requested budget should reflect the actual costs needed to carry out the Research Strategy proposed in the application. 

Given that the NHLBI R35 Program will generally fold in investigators’ current research projects, the requested budget should reflect the budgetary needs for the current research. If the proposed R35 research program is intended to continue the R01 line of research, it may be appropriate to consider existing R01 budgets as a baseline. 

Equipment requests may be made with appropriate justification and should be accommodated within a budget that is commensurate with the overall NHLBI grant support of the laboratory in recent years. 

Scientific/Program contact
[email protected] 

Office of Grants Management
[email protected] 

• NIDA participates in the following programs​
  • NIH Director’s Pioneer Awards (DP1)​
  • NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards (DP2)​
  • NIH Directors Early Independence Awards (DP5)​
• NIDA does not participate in the Outstanding Investigator Award (R35) program
• NIDA also issues NIDA-specific DP1 and DP2 NOFOs

NIDA Receipt and Referral Officer
[email protected]

• NIDCR participates in the following programs:
  • NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1)
  • NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards (DP2)
  • NIH Director’s Pathfinder Award - Multi-Yr Funding (DP4)
  • Early Independence Award (DP5)

NIDCR Program Staff
[email protected]

NIDDK may support Investigator Awards (DP1, DP2, DP5 only) within its mission areas of diabetes, endocrine, metabolic, digestive, kidney, urologic, hematologic, and obesity-related diseases. 

Program Contacts:

• Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases
  Email: [email protected]
• Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition
  Email: [email protected]
• Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases
  Email: [email protected]

Grants Management Contact

• Grants Management Branch
  Email: [email protected]

NIEHS participates in the following programs:

• NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1): NIEHS administers and funds DP1 applications submitted in response to funding announcements released by the Common Fund High-Risk, High-Reward Program. NIEHS prioritizes funding for meritorious DP1 applications which are responsive to the NIEHS mission.
• NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards (DP2): NIEHS administers and funds DP2 applications submitted in response to funding announcements released by the Common Fund High-Risk, High-Reward Program. NIEHS prioritizes funding for meritorious DP2 applications which are responsive to the NIEHS mission.
• Investigator-Focused Award (R35):  NIEHS uses the R35 award to support the majority of an investigator's independent environmental health sciences research program rather than individual research projects. The award is intended for investigators whose record of creativity and productivity demonstrates that they will benefit from sustained, flexible support. NIEHS prioritizes applications that:
  • Propose bold, innovative research programs that address major challenges in the environmental health sciences and leverage the flexibility of the R35 mechanism to pursue emerging scientific opportunities. 
  • Include dedicated support for graduate students as part of the overall research program to provide sustained research and mentorship opportunities and strengthen the future environmental health sciences workforce.

NIEHS supports research on environmental exposures such as industrial chemicals and manufacturing byproducts, metals, pesticides and herbicides, air pollutants and other inhaled toxicants, particulates, extreme weather, and fungal and bacterial toxins.

Research involving alcohol, chemotherapeutic agents, radiation that is not caused by an environmental exposure, tobacco smoke (primary exposure), drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, dietary nutrients (primary exposure), and infectious or parasitic agents is generally outside the primary mission of NIEHS.

Research in environmental science and engineering, including the development and validation of remediation technologies and studies of the environmental fate and transport of chemicals, is also generally outside the primary mission of NIEHS.

The NIEHS Superfund Research Program and the NIEHS Worker Training Program do not participate in these programs.

Investigator-Focused Award (R35) 

• NIEHS prioritizes funding for applications that commit at least 6 person months of effort (i.e., the equivalent of 50% effort for a 12-month appointment, 66.67% effort for a 9-month appointment, or 100% effort for a 6-month appointment) for the duration of the award period.

Investigator-Focused Award (R35)

• Applications are considered for funding after October council. Although applications are accepted for all funding opportunity due dates, applicants are encouraged to submit to due dates that align with that council.

Investigator-Focused Award (R35)

• Awards are limited to five (5) years of support. Previous NIEHS R35 award recipients may request a project period of up to seven (7) years with appropriate justification. NIEHS will determine the final approved project period.

Investigator-Focused Award (R35)

• NIEHS supports awards of up to $600,000 in direct costs per year. Investigators whose combined annual direct costs for all NIEHS projects to be consolidated into the R35 exceed that amount may request the combined annual direct costs of those projects, plus 10%, not to exceed $750,000 in direct costs per year. NIEHS will determine the final award amount.

Investigator-Focused Award (R35)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
[email protected]

• NIGMS participates in the following programs:
  • NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1)
  • NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards (DP2)
• NIGMS supports the research program in an individual investigator’s laboratory through its Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA, R35).  Research programs must be within the NIGMS mission and in any of our general interest areas:
  • Basic research that is aimed at understanding the principles, mechanisms, and processes that underlie living organisms, and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
  • Development of fundamental methods, models, and technologies that advance understanding of broadly applicable basic biological processes. 
  • Clinical areas that affect multiple organ systems:
    • Anesthesiology and perioperative pain
    • Clinical pharmacology common to multiple drugs and treatments 
    • Injury, critical illness, sepsis, and wound healing.
  • Studies that advance “science of science” research to understand and strengthen the biomedical research ecosystem, including the factors and mechanisms that promote: 
    • Interest, preparedness, retention and success in careers in the biomedical research workforce.
    • Rigorous, reproducible, innovative and impactful research.
    • Sustainable enhancement of research capacity and infrastructure.
• NIGMS generally does not support research in which the primary goal is focused on:
  • The pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or cure of a specific disease or condition. 
  • A specific organ or organ system, unless the system is being used as a model to address broadly applicable biological principles. 
  •  A specific stage of life, population, or disease-relevant cohort that falls primarily within another ICO’s mission. 
  • Clinical studies aimed at disease-specific outcomes outside NIGMS-supported clinical areas. 
  • Clinical pharmacology studies focused on a specific disease, treatment indication, or therapeutic area rather than principles common to multiple drugs and treatments.

• NIGMS expects Established Investigators and New Investigators to devote at least 45% of their total research effort to an R35 award, including combined research effort across all institutions where they hold an appointment and excluding time spent on teaching and administration unrelated to their research or clinical duties.
• NIGMS expects Early-Stage Investigators to devote at least 51% of their total research effort to an R35 award, including combined research effort across all institutions where they hold an appointment and excluding time spent on teaching and administration unrelated to their research or clinical duties.

NIGMS may limit MIRA R35 projects to a maximum of five (5) years of support.

For R35 applications, applicants should review the Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed budget considerations. NIGMS supports:

• Early-Stage Investigators: Up to $275,000 direct costs/year (including equipment).
• New Investigators: Up to $275,000 direct costs/year (excluding equipment).
• Established Investigators: Up to $750,000 direct costs/year (including equipment).

For R35 Early-Stage Investigator applicants:

NIGMS ESI MIRA Mailbox
[email protected]

For R35 New Investigators and Established Investigator applicants:

NIGMS EI/NI MIRA Mailbox
[email protected]

The High-Risk, High-Reward Research program features four unique initiatives, with three specifically tailored to emphasize the exceptional qualifications and creativity of investigators.

• NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1) - For scientists with outstanding records of creativity pursuing pioneering approaches to major challenges
• NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2) - For exceptionally creative early career scientists proposing innovative, high-impact projects
• NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5) - For exceptional junior scientists bypassing postdoctoral training to launch independent research careers
   

High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program
[email protected]

NIH Director’s Pioneer Award
[email protected]

NIH Director’s New Innovator Award
[email protected]

NIH Director’s Early Independence Award
[email protected]