As you probably know, I am a huge proponent of establishing a relationship with your NIH Program Officer (PO), as it can yield myriad benefits. For example, POs have a pulse on their IC’s priorities and are familiar with programs that may align well with your research idea. Also, by reaching out to a PO with your Specific Aims, you may be able to gauge their enthusiasm for the concept. Additionally, they may recommend an IC that better aligns with your proposed project if their IC is not a good fit.
However…
Just as it is important to know what information to have ready when planning to speak to a PO, it is also important to know what they can and can’t do in order to make the appropriate approach and have the most effective conversation.
A recent NIH Extramural Nexus post clearly outlined what POs can and can’t do: As you can see, they can talk to you about your application generally, but can’t propose specific edits or provide advice on your design. They can advise if your application is a good fit within their IC, but can’t direct your application to a study section. Be sure to read the post for all of the details.
Additionally, they provided a link to a page that describes the roles of POs, Scientific Review Officers (SRO), Grants Management Officers (GMO), and staff. We recommend bookmarking this for quick reference!
