FONIA Blog

NIH Releases Agency-Wide DEIA Strategic Plan

The NIH released its FYs 2023-2027 NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) on March 20. In his blog, Dr. Mark Lauer, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research noted that the plan articulates NIH’s overarching vision to embracing, strengthening, and integrating DEIA across all NIH activities. Dr. Marie A. Bernard, NIH Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity, stated in her blog that the Strategic Plan aligns with the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2021–2025 and the NIH UNITE initiative and responds to the Presidential Executive Order to enhance DEIA in the federal workforce. Together, these resources facilitate and accelerate sustainable organizational change throughout the biomedical and behavioral research enterprise.

NIH created a two-page overview that summarizes the content of the plan.

On April 4, 2023, NIH announced the Institutional Excellence in DEIA in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize Competition that aims to recognize and reward effective strategies for enhancing DEIA in research environments across the United States. NIH will award up to 10 prizes of $100,000 each through the competition. Up to half of the prizes will be set aside for consideration for limited-resourced institutions. . To participate, registration is required by Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at 5:00 pm ET. Visit the prize competition website for information about eligibility, participation, and submission requirements. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend an informational webinar for the prize competition on May 17 at 1pm ET. For additional information visit https://www.nihdeiaprize.org/ and you may direct questions to [email protected].

NIA Funding Line Policy for FY 2023

NIA and NIH received an appropriation through the H.R.2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 which provides full-year funding through September 30, 2023.

NIA will now pay FY 2022 non-competing awards at 100% of the committed level as shown in the Notice of Award.

Information about the new NIA paylines is available at: NIA Funding Line Policy for FY 2023 | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov).

FY 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Bypass Budget Released

At today’s meeting of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services, NIA Director Dr. Richard Hodes presented the NIH FY 2024 Professional Judgment Budget, “Looking Forward: Opportunities to Accelerate Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Research.” For FY 2024, the content and structure of the Professional Judgment Budget, or “Alzheimer’s Disease Bypass Budget” (ADBB), have been updated. Previous ADBB narratives focused on scientific accomplishments in AD/ADRD research. The FY 2024 ADBB narrative outlines examples of prospective research opportunities that could be supported with additional funds in FY 2024. Examples of future research opportunities are organized across six broad scientific categories:

Epidemiology/Population Studies
Disease Mechanisms
Diagnosis, Assessment, & Disease Monitoring
Translational Research & Clinical Interventions
Dementia Care & Impact of Disease
Research Resources

The FY 2024 ADBB also emphasizes significant cross-cutting research efforts centered on health equity and inclusion. For FY 2024, additional NIH resources needed for new Alzheimer’s and related dementias research are $321 million, which would bring the total FY 2024 NIH resource needs for AD/ADRD research to $3.87 billion.

NIA’s Office of Legislation, Policy, and International Activities will hold a webinar for stakeholders on Thursday, August 11^th, from 11:00 am—12:00 pm ET to review the FY 2024 ADBB and answer any questions you may have. To register, please visit the webinar registration page.

#ResearchDiversity Day – October 21st

Join NIA and other institutes across NIH to celebrate #ResearchDiversity Day. The event will take place on October 21^st from 1:00-2:00 PM ET. This year, NIA will focus on diversity supplements and the grantees who have been awarded them. Follow along on Twitter using #ResearchDiversity to hear directly from awardees about their research, experiences, and how having a diversity supplement has helped advance their research careers.

Remembering Miriam Kelty, PhD

We join our colleagues at NIA in expressing condolences at the passing of Dr. Miriam Kelty.

Miriam Kelty, Ph.D., former associate director at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and founder of the NIH Bioethics Interest Group, died June 6, 2021. A trained psychologist, Kelty held many leadership positions in her nearly 40 years at NIH. Her areas of interest included bioethics, clinical research policy, mentorship, and behavioral research.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/nia-remembers-miriam-kelty-former-associate-director