NIH’s New Next Generation Researchers Initiative

The National Institutes of Health has launched the Next Generation Researchers Initiative to bolster support for early-stage and mid-career investigators to address longstanding challenges faced by researchers trying to embark upon and sustain independent research careers.

NIH will take a multi-pronged approach to increase the number of NIH-funded early-stage and mid-career investigators and stabilize the career trajectory of scientists by:

• Further extending the payline for early stage investigators, with an aim of funding most applications that score in the top 25 percent
• Providing additional support for mid-career investigators with ≤ 10 years as a principal investigator
  • Extending the payline for those about to lose all NIH funding
  • Identifying “rising stars” who are seeking support for their second RPG, but just missed the payline

NIH will also place greater emphasis on current NIH funding programs aimed at early-stage and mid-career investigators, such as:

• NIH Common Fund’s New Innovator Awards
• National Institute of General Medicine Sciences Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA)
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Sustaining Outstanding Achievement in Research (SOAR) awards
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Supplements to Advance Research (STAR) from Projects to Programs
• Other special awards from specific institutes