National Institute of
Research Education Program - Research Experiences (R25)
Program Goal and Structure
The overarching goal of this NIH-wide Research Education program is to support research experiences that complement and/or enhance training of a workforce to meet the nation's biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.
Proposed programs should provide mentored research experiences as part of a comprehensive program based on educational practices designed to stimulate the interest, skills and knowledge base of participants. In addition to providing mentored research experiences, programs are expected to include complementary activities appropriate to the educational stage of program participants that support the participants' scientific development, such as scientific writing and presentation skills, and instruction to enhance rigor and reproducibility in research.
Programs proposed through this R25 can vary in structure and duration. For example, programs can be short-term (e.g., 8–12-week summer research experiences for students or teachers), a full academic or calendar year (e.g., postbaccalaureate research experiences), or spread over multiple years (e.g., part-time mentored research experiences for clinical residents). Programs should be designed consistent with the stated goals and objectives, and the educational stage of the participants to be reached.
NIGMS will prioritize research experience programs focused on a single career stage that:
- Prepare cohorts of individuals to transition into and complete biomedical Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs, specifically:
- Summer undergraduate.
- Yearlong postbaccalaureate.
- Research-based master’s programs with clear and strong transition plans, typically to distinct institutions.
NIGMS will prioritize programs that include a range of disciplines relevant to its mission; those that focus on a single discipline – especially those in the mission of other ICs – will be low priority for funding.
Participants
NIGMS expects research education programs to be used for the education of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The PI/PD will select the participants to be supported by the research education program. It is the responsibility of the applicant organization to establish the qualifications of the participants, consistent with applicable law, before they are supported by the program.
NIGMS will prioritize programs designed to recruit and support participants who will significantly benefit, including those:
- Without substantial previous research experience,
- From resource-limited institutions, or
- With circumstances that would otherwise prevent them from pursuing biomedical research. Such circumstances might include but are not necessarily limited to:
- Financial hardship
- Return from military service
- Career delay or change
- Family responsibilities
Information for Applicant Organizations
NIGMS will support only one award per applicant organization per career stage (e.g., high school, summer undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, master’s).
Multiple organizations may partner to submit one application.
NIGMS encourages applications from IDeA-eligible states, HBCUs, and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined under 25 U.S.C. 1603 (24).
Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO (including Related Notices in the Overview Section) and consult NIGMS staff to discuss eligibility and application requirements prior to submission at NIGMSR25research@nih.gov. The interest areas, due dates, and contacts for all NIH ICOs, including NIGMS, can be found on the Research Education Funding Considerations and Contacts page.
NIGMS R25 Program Research Experiences FAQs
Is organization eligibility limited to research-intensive or resource-limited institutions?
No. Any organization that meets the eligibility criteria in NOFO is welcome to apply.
Is there a limit to the number of departments that can participate in one application?
No. Programs are expected to have mentors from a broad range of biomedical disciplines relevant to the NIGMS mission to provide a breadth of research experiences to participants. Proposed programs focused in a single discipline (e.g., neuroscience, immunology, etc.) will be low priority for funding. Furthermore, NIGMS will likely fund only one award per organization per career stage, so the application should strive to include all relevant departments.
I was the PI on a previous NIGMS R25. Can I apply as a renewal?
Renewals are technically allowed under the parent R25 research education NOFOs. Please note, however, that PAR-27-036 is not a reissuance of any of NIGMS’s previous R25 NOFOs, and has different program goals and considerations. For a brand new NOFO it is often helpful to submit a new application that reimagines an existing program, rather than extending it.
Applications for new programs do not include a Progress Report section. However, objectives, outcomes, and lessons learned from similar programs can still be described in the Research Education Program Plan.
Can we propose a program that covers multiple career stages, for example, undergraduates and postbacs?
NIGMS will prioritize research experience programs focused on a single career stage.
What is the maximum number of participants that can be supported each year?
There is no maximum number, but NIGMS will limit budgets to $500,000 direct costs for research experiences programs for postbaccalaureate or master’s students, and $250,000 for summer programs for undergraduate students, high school students or secondary educators.
I have budget questions. Who should I contact?
Please see the NOFO and Research Education Funding Considerations and Contacts page for general budget information. Specific questions should be directed to NIGMSTWDGABNOFO@nih.gov.
Can a program support a participant for multiple years?
Programs should be designed to achieve their stated goals and objectives, and the career stage of the participants. For undergraduates, postbacs, and master’s students, NIGMS will prioritize applications that prepare cohorts of individuals to transition into and complete biomedical, research-focused Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. Supporting participants for only one year allows more individuals to be supported. However, NIGMS recognizes that each participant has individual strengths and areas of academic development, and that a one-summer or one-year program may not be sufficient for some to be competitive or thrive in a rigorous doctoral program. Applicants should describe reappointment criteria if participants are reappointed for multiple sessions or years.
What does it mean that “Programs that recruit participants from a single organization…will be low priority for funding?” What if I want to support students who are already enrolled as in a master’s program at my institution?
Programs should have broad reach with national (or regional, when appropriate) recruitment. Typically, programs that recruit participants from a single organization or focus on a single discipline – especially those in the mission of other ICs – will be low priority for funding. When appropriate, Master’s based programs can recruit current students, while also having broad national and regional outreach.
Do we include NIH Training Data Tables, like Table 8D, in the application?
There are no required Tables in PAR-27-036, nor can they be included as a separate attachment. If you wish to include NIH Training Data Tables, or similar, they must be included as part of the 25-page Research Education Program Plan. Exceeding the page limits or including extra attachments or appendix materials may result in the application being withdrawn without review.
Please carefully follow the instructions in the NOFO, the SF424 Research Instructions, and the Table of Page Limits for Research Education Applications.
Can we include faculty mentor biosketches?
Biosketches can only be included for Key Personnel. Senior/Key Personnel are defined as all individuals who contribute in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of the project, whether or not salaries are requested. A key consideration is that all individuals designated as Key Personnel will have to submit a Biographical Sketch Common Form and/or Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Form if an award is made, and if there are any changes in Current/Other Support in a reporting period.
Brief bios of faculty mentors, including scientific and training/mentoring expertise, can be included in the “Program Faculty” section of the Research Education Program Plan.
What does it mean that NIGMS prioritizes funding Research Experiences applications during October council? Which application due date should I target?
PAR-27-036 has three due dates, and you can submit to any (see “Key Dates” section in the NOFO for details). However, NIGMS may decide to make new Research Experiences awards only one time per year and will thus hold applications for consideration until fall council (listed as August in the NOFO), with the earliest possible start date of December. For your application to be considered for fall council, you need to apply for the January due date or prior.