NIH Extramural Nexus (News)

For most career development (K) award programs, the K award recipient must commit at the minimum 9 person months, equivalent to 75% full-time professional effort, directly to their research project and career development activities. The recipient can devote the remaining effort (up to 25%) to additional research, teaching, clinical work, or other efforts complementary to their career development.

NIH supports international scientific collaboration when conducted transparently and in accordance with NIH requirements. The key expectation is timely and accurate disclosure of foreign components and related activities. Here we share reminders about how to properly acknowledge foreign components in NIH grant applications, progress reports, and manuscripts resulting from NIH awards.

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to powerful new advances in biomedical research. Alongside these NIH-supported scientific advances and priority research areas involving AI, we have also occasionally observed challenges with the use of these tools that affect the integrity of the science we support. Today, we are sharing some helpful reminders on the appropriate use of AI tools when applying, managing awards, and conducting the research process itself.

We remain committed to ensuring safe, respectful, and harassment-free research environments wherever NIH-supported research is conducted. NIH grant recipients, through their institution’s leadership, faculty, and Authorized Organizational Representatives (AORs), are essential for sustaining this commitment.

NIH announced that Basic Experimental Studies with Humans (BESH) will no longer be considered clinical trials by the NIH. 

Blog co-authored by Dr. Lyric Jorgenson, Associate Director for Science Policy, and Dr. Jon Lorsch, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research.
Throughout the year we advanced a policy agenda that was based on two interlocking principles. The first principle involved pro-actively anticipating policy needs that would drive biomedical research. The second was to ensure that we cut unnecessary red tape to the maximum extent possible.

NIH will contact the applicant in certain, limited situations if required attachments of an application were not submitted on time. 

When you prepare inclusion plans for your next applications or data for progress reports, review the updated NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research, effective August 16, 2025 for both new and ongoing clinical research projects.

NIH has released a request for information (RFI) regarding policy options to maximize research funds by limiting allowable publication costs (APCs).   

NIH has recently announced a new policy that will continue to support originality, creativity, and fairness in the research application process.