Resources of Interest to Early Stage Investigators

Programs, presentations, podcasts and more!

• NIH’s Family-Friendly Initiatives
  NIH supports various programs and policies fostering a balanced work and family life.

Podcasts

• Early Stage Investigators (Part 1): The Policy (9:55)
  Discusses NIH’s interest in supporting ESIs, who is and is not an ESI, the benefits afforded to ESIs, and more.
• Early Stage Investigators (Part 2): Extensions (7:52)
  Discusses NIH’s interest in supporting ESIs, who is and is not an ESI, the benefits afforded to ESIs, and more.
• NIH Family Friendly Policies (9:55)
  From funding available for childcare costs to extensions of early-stage investigator (ESI) status, NIH supports various programs and policies fostering a balanced work and family life. Insights on available programs, who is eligible, some of the fine print, and other tips to consider when seeking support.

Presentations and Videos

• Next Generation Researchers Initiative (NGRI): Training Future Biomedical Researchers (44:09)
  Recording of 2021 presentation from NIH Virtual Seminar. Panelists provide an update on NIH’s progress in terms of supporting early-stage investigators (ESIs) and discuss some programs and initiatives that have been developed for early career investigators.
• ESI Status Extension Request (9:31)
  A tutorial demonstrating how investigators can electronically submit ESI status extension requests directly from eRA Commons to the extension committee.
• Maintaining Your Personal Profile (9:17)
  This updated tutorial will familiarize eRA Commons users with the Personal Profile and the importance of keeping it updated.

Programs for Scientists Just Beginning Their Independent Careers

NIH has a number of programs aimed at promoting diversity and enhancing progress to an independent career, such as:

• Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R35)
• NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2)
• NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5)
• Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) program
• National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN)
• Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation program (FIRST)
• NIH mentored Career Development (K) awards
  • Pathway to Independence Award (K99-R00)
  • other mentored K awards such as K01, K08 and K23 that have goals to assist investigators to develop independent research careers
• Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry and Re-integration into Health-Related Research Careers
• NIH Loan Repayment Programs