The NIH Activity Code R35 belongs to a category of research projects awarded to outstanding investigators. The intent of an R35 award is to provide recipients with long-term support for any research in their laboratory (so long as it’s in keeping with the awarding IC’s mission) instead of a specific project. The funding and flexibility will allow them to pursue more high-risk, adventurous research and pivot to follow developing research directions. This can lead to increased scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs. R35 applications must be single PI only and an investigator must dedicate 50% of research time.
Only some institutes and centers (ICs) issue R35 awards and each one varies slightly. We summarize these below.
Please be aware that each IC’s R35 submission deadline is not on the standard NIH due date cycle. Check the NOFO for the deadline.
NIGMS
The NIGMS R35 is the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA). NIGMS has MIRA NOFOs for (1) Early-Stage Investigators (ESI), and (2) Established Investigators (EI)/New Investigators (NI). ESI awards are $250,000 per year for 5 years. Awards for established and new investigators can range from $250,000 to $750,000 per year for 5 years. Investigators with existing NIGMS funding are required to relinquish other NIGMS support before accepting a MIRA award (with some exceptions, e.g., resource, training, small business grants)
NIGMS MIRAs have some unique requirements. Here are a few:
- MIRA award levels are based on an investigator’s current funding support.
- There are no Specific Aims, thus supporting a broader range of research instead of project-specific research.
- NI/EI applications require a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP)
- Submission deadlines differ from the standard NIH due dates. Check the NOFO.
- MIRAs are not all-or-none (funded or not funded). If a PI’s productivity suffered in the previous funding period, that investigator can still be funded at a reduced level.
- MIRAS require that at least half of an investigator’s research effort be dedicated to the MIRA. For example, if an investigator has 50% dedicated research time, effort on the MIRA must be 25%.
Investigators cannot simultaneously hold another award that requires 50 percent research effort (such as an R35 from another institute of the NIH or a DP1 Pioneer Award)
Since a MIRA award is typically 5 years in duration as opposed to the typical 4 years for NIGMS R01s, NIGMS touts MIRAs as being a lower administrative burden to investigators, who would write applications less frequently; and to reviewers, who would review applications less frequently. In FY2022, success rates for new MIRA applications were 46.5% for ESIs (269 awards, 579 applications) and 54.2% (154 awards, 284 applications) for established investigators (EIs). Renewal applications had a success rate of 78.9% (103 awards, 131 applications). NIGMS intends to have at least 60% of the R01-equivalent pool eventually be MIRAs by FY 2025, per the NIGMS strategic plan.
NCI
NCI’s R35 is called the Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA). The award is made to any level investigator who has at least 5 years of outstanding research productivity. The applicant organization must nominate the OIA candidate.
The OIA provides recipients with up to $600,000 in direct costs per year for 7 years. The OIA will consolidate all an investigator’s single-PI NCI grants into one award with a 7-year project period. The OIA replaces current NCI funding on individual (single) PI grants to meet the 50% time and effort on the OIA.
OIA deadlines vary from NIH standard deadlines. Therefore, potential nominees should check NCI’s OIA page for deadlines and details.
NHLBI
NHLBI awards two types of R35: the Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) and the Emerging Investigator Award (EIA). The main difference between the two awards is that the OIA is meant to support PD/PIs who currently have at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards or are in the 6th or 7th year of support of an NHLBI R35 award. The EIA supports investigators who are PD/PIs on at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards, of which one must be an NHLBI-funded NIH Early Stage Investigator R01 award. Both the OIA and EIA provide up to $700,000 in direct costs per year for up to seven years. NHLBI’s R35 page has a detailed Q&A section.
NINDS
The NINDS R35 is the Research Program Award (RPA). It provides up to $750,000 in direct costs per year for up to 7 years. PIs who have had at least one NINDS R00, R01, R35, R37, R56, DP1, or DP2 in the last 5 years are eligible.
