Notice Number: NOT-OD-16-026

Key Dates
Release Date: November 23, 2015

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

You’ve been patiently waiting to hear the news and it’s finally here! The dates for the 2016 NIH Regional Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration in Baltimore, Maryland are set.  Mark your calendar for May 11-13, 2016 to be a part of this highly anticipated and unique opportunity to learn more about the NIH grants process and the latest policy news directly from NIH & HHS experts.

• Wednesday, May 11, 2016: Optional Pre-Seminar Workshops
• Thursday-Friday, May 12-13, 2016: 2-Day Seminar
• Venue and Seminar Hotel: Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel
• Seminar & Workshop Registration:  Available in January 2016
• Room Reservations: Special reduced rate information is now available on the Seminar’s Hotel/Travel Web Page.

What does the 2-day seminar offer?
The NIH Regional Seminar offers a comprehensive program for the NIH extramural community about the NIH grants process and related policies, including such topics as Fundamentals of the NIH, compliance, peer review, grant writing for success, pre-award and post-award issues for administrators and investigators, animal and human subject research, and how to interact electronically with NIH. In addition to a wide variety of sessions for research administrators, a New Investigators’ track will provide step-by-step guidance on mapping your career, an understanding of the funding process and what can be expected up to the time of award. To add to the array of topic choices, special interest sessions are provided on topics like research integrity, data sharing, foreign collaborations, and more. 

New Optional Pre-Seminar Workshops offered
NIH electronic Research Administration experts will once again offer optional 1/2 day workshops on application preparation and submission, as well as topical issues related to the eRA Commons. Due to the success of our 1/2 day NIH Boot Camp for administrators, a pilot workshop offered at the 2015 seminars, policy and grants management experts will be offered in 2016.  To complete the array of pre-seminar workshops options, OHRP and NIH will be providing a full day workshop for investigators on how to get research protocols through human subjects review.

Who will present from NIH and HHS?
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and attend sessions provided by more than 45 NIH and HHS policy officers, grants management, review and program officials, as well as NIH senior leadership all in a central location and ready to share their knowledge and experiences. Many other institutes from NIH will be represented for 1:1 opportunities that provide attendees 10-15 minute discussions with experts in a small setting throughout the 2-day seminar.

Who should attend?
The NIH Regional Seminar is intended for those new to the grants process, including sponsored project officers and departmental administrators, investigators, faculty, graduate students, and others involved in the NIH grants process. Over the course of two days, it also provides an opportunity to those with more experience to obtain updates on grants policies and procedures.
Approximately 600-700 attendees are expected, providing extended opportunities for sharing and learning from peers as well as the NIH experts.

What's the goal of the seminar?
The goal of the NIH Regional Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration is to offer participants an unparalleled opportunity to gain a better perspective of NIH policies and programs, network with their peers, and gather helpful NIH contacts. In the process, participants will be able to return to their offices and/or labs with useful information, resources, and tools to assist in obtaining and managing NIH awards.

When can you register?
Registration will open in early 2016! When it becomes available, an announcement will be published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, as well as on the NIH Regional Seminar home page. These seminars often reach capacity before the seminar dates so start making plans soon. Once again, a "Trainee Discount" will be offered (further details will be available when the registration site opens.)

Will there be 2nd Regional Seminar in 2016?
Plans are underway to offer a 2nd NIH Regional Seminar in late summer or early fall 2016. A NIH Guide Notice will be published when an official announcement is ready.  We will also announce the seminar in the NIH Extramural Nexus, and on our Twitter feed: @NIHgrants.

We hope to see you in 2016!

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to: NIHRegionalSeminars@mail.nih.gov.

Additional Resources:

• For ListServ information and general seminar updates, please visit the NIH Office of Extramural Research Regional Seminar Web site at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/seminars.htm.
• NIH Regional Seminar in Baltimore, MD: http://regionalseminars.od.nih.gov/baltimore2016/.