The safety of trainees and other lab workers from accidents, violence, harassment, and inappropriate behavior is a high priority for NIGMS. Because the Institute has such a large training and workforce development portfolio, we feel that we should play a central role in promoting the development of a robust culture of safety in biomedical research training environments.

As part of this effort, we recently announced the availability of supplements for research education, training, and career development grants to enhance laboratory safety curricula and to build a culture of safety in biomedical research training environments (NOT-GM-20-016). To provide additional resources to enhance safety, we have now launched an NIGMS website highlighting laboratory safety training and guidelines. On this page, you’ll find links to a number of online resources including:

We’ve published a notice of special interest (NOSI) (NOT-GM-20-025) to address the urgent need for research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We’ll accept competitive revisions (supplements) in three specific scientific areas:

• Incorporation of data related to SARS-CoV-2 into ongoing research efforts to develop predictive models for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other related infectious agents (all grant and cooperative agreement activity codes)
• Repurposing or modification of diagnostic tools currently under development to enable rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection (SBIR/STTR grants only)
• Rapid development of potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19 (SBIR/STTR grants only)

To assist with virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, we’d like to remind you of the valuable resources NIGMS supports for our trainee and educator communities. These resources apply to all levels, ranging from community college students to faculty.

NIGMS, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science seek input on approaches to apply high-resolution (sub-nanometer to micrometer) bioimaging technologies to samples ranging from atoms to cells. Input is requested on the specific needs of the biomedical research community to match existing technical approaches and instrumentation to significant biological questions, and on prioritizing the development of novel bioimaging technologies that might be in demand for potential biological and medical applications.

UPDATE: The slides from the NIH-DOE webinars are now available on the Advanced Bioimaging Capabilities and Biomedical Research Opportunities webpage.

NIH and the Department of Energy (DOE) support national centers and dedicated instruments for high-resolution bioimaging at national facilities including:

Recognizing that new directions in science are often launched by innovative tools and methods as well as new biological concepts, the agencies also support the development of novel bioimaging tools and methods at these centers and in the laboratories of independent researchers.

To continue our efforts to catalyze the modernization of biomedical research training and career development, we invite eligible institutions with NIGMS training (T32, T34), certain research education (R25), or institutional career development (K12) awards to apply for administrative supplements to develop and implement curricular, training, or administrative activities to:

• Enhance laboratory safety curriculum and a culture of safety in biomedical research training environments (NOT-GM-20-016)
• Promote safe and inclusive biomedical research training environments (NOT-GM-20-018)
• Enhance undergraduate biomedical research training (NOT-GM-20-019) (T34 and R25 undergraduate programs only)
• Enhance program evaluation capacity (NOT-GM-20-020)

If you’re considering applying to the Collaborative Program Grant for Multidisciplinary Teams (PAR-20-103) or to the Biomedical Technology Development and Dissemination Center (PAR-20-104) funding opportunity announcements (FOAs), you’ll want to join our webinar:

Thursday, March 5, 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET

As we did last year, we’re offering administrative supplements to NIGMS-funded awards for the purchase of helium recovery systems.

The deadline for these supplement applications is March 30, 2020.

As in previous years, we're offering administrative supplements to NIGMS-funded R01, R35, and R37 awards for the purchase of single equipment systems (such as components of a working microscope).

The deadline for these supplement applications is March 30, 2020.

NIH has published two new funding opportunity announcements (FOAs): PAR-20-089, Biomedical Data Repository (U24 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) and PAR-20-097, Biomedical Knowledgebase (U24 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed). As noted in the FOAs, data repositories and knowledgebases have distinct functions, metrics for success, and sustainability needs. In order to support these resources most effectively, NIGMS intends to fund them as separate cooperative agreement grants. NIGMS applications proposing a free-standing data repository or knowledgebase resource must apply under one of these FOAs. Thus, applications submitted as R01s or R35s will not be considered for funding.

For questions about NIGMS’ support for these resources, please contact Veerasamy Ravichandran.