Weekly Research Updates & Guidance
Please check this page regularly for guidance and research updates.
Last updated: 9/29/25
NIH General Announcements and Notices of Special Interest
NIH Disposition of Biospecimens Collected from Tribal Populations
(NOT-OD-25-153)
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) remains committed to ensuring research fairness and respect for Tribal customs and research practices. NIH is notifying the community of how the agency will ensure that Tribal disposition preferences are respected when de-identified biospecimens are collected from Tribal populations. While these options are developed specifically for those biospecimens held at NIH facilities or at facilities on behalf of NIH (referred to as NIH held), all researchers are encouraged to review and adopt where practical.
Required Security and Operational Standards for NIH Controlled-Access Data Repositories
(NOT-OD-25-159)
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is implementing consistent and robust protocols to ensure NIH controlled-access data are appropriately safeguarded, consistent with Executive Order 14117 and 28 CFR Part 202, "Preventing Access to U.S. Sensitive Personal Data and Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern or Covered Persons." In addition to further protecting Americans' sensitive personal health-related data from misuse by foreign adversaries, these security and operational standards are intended to enhance the efficacy of controls for protecting the privacy and autonomy of research participants, harmonize NIH controlled-access data repositories’ submission and access processes, standardize user terms of access, establish specific security requirements for repositories and users, and set requirements for public transparency.
NIH Policy on Enhancing Security Measures for Human Biospecimens
(NOT-OD-25-160)
National Institutes of Health
NIH is implementing additional policies and standard practices to protect Americans’ sensitive and personal health-related data from foreign adversary misuse. This NIH Policy on Enhancing Security Measures for Human Biospecimens (herein referred to as NIH Biospecimens Security Policy) establishes expectations for ensuring the security of human biospecimens whose collection, obtainment, storage, use, or distribution are supported by NIH funds. The policy ensures protections for human participants and vital national security interests, consistent with EO 14117 and 28 CFR Part 202 “Preventing Access to U.S. Sensitive Personal Data and Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern or Covered Persons".
Updated NIH Policy on Allowable Costs for Animals
(NOT-OD-25-163)
National Institutes of Health
This notice alerts the extramural research community of updates to the NIH Grants Policy Statement 7.9.1, Selected Items of Cost. Effective October 1, 2025, NIH will allow recipients to charge costs for rehoming/retirement of experimental animals.
(NOT-DE-26-012)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) will host two pre-application technical assistance webinars for individuals interested in applying for Career Development (K) or Fellowship (F) Awards to pursue research training in dental, oral, and craniofacial research. Mentors of prospective applicants are also encouraged to attend. The webinars will provide programmatic, peer review and award information, as well as guidance on the application process and grant writing strategies. Participation in the webinar, although encouraged, is not required for the submission of an application.
(NOT-LM-25-005)
National Library of Medicine
Office of Research on Women's Health
This Notice is to inform potential applicants that the National Library of Medicine, Division of Extramural Programs will host a public pre-application technical assistance webinar to provide an overview of Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): PAR-23-183: NLM Grants for Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
This Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) solicits grant applications for the preparation of book-length manuscripts and other works of academic and/or public health policy value to U.S. health professionals, public health officials, biomedical researchers and historians of the health sciences.
NSF – National Science Foundation General Announcements
Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The NSF Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (NSF MCB) holds virtual office hours monthly, usually on the second Wednesday of each month from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. These sessions provide information and Q&A on various topics, including funding opportunities, proposal guidance and tips, and other NSF MCB-related topics.
For additional assistance with Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodations, contact rarequest@nsf.gov or call 703-292-8020 to request support. Please contact NSF at least 14 days before your meeting or event date for sessions lasting one day or less and 30 days in advance for sessions lasting two or more consecutive days to allow sufficient time to coordinate arrangements.
Department of Defense (DOD)
BrightFocus Foundation
October 8, 2025 – Atlanta, Georgia
BrightFocus Foundation’s Glaucoma Fast Track workshop helps speed progress toward a cure for glaucoma by investing in promising young scientists in the field of vision research. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or other early-stage scientists focused on glaucoma research, or those who want to enter the field, took advantage of this unique opportunity to accelerate their path towards becoming an expert in this exciting field by:
- immersing themselves in the background knowledge and latest discoveries in glaucoma research,
- connecting with preeminent glaucoma experts and fellow early-stage researchers based in the U.S. and around the world, and
- engaging in scientific debates.
November 12th-14th, 2025 – San Diego, California
Learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias at the Alzheimer’s Fast Track workshop. Designed for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other early-career scientists focused on Alzheimer’s disease research, this immersive learning experience will accelerate your knowledge, expertise, and visibility in this exciting field.
American Heart Association
Proposal deadline: Thursday, December 2, 2025
Supports highly promising healthcare and academic professionals in the early years of first professional appointment to assure the applicant’s future success as a research scientist in the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular disease research.
PCORI – Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Date:
- Oct. 21 - 22, 2025, All Day (ET)
Location:
JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20004, United States
Join us in Washington, D.C., Oct. 21-22 for the 2025 PCORI Annual Meeting, the premier event in patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research.
This two-day program brings together patients, caregivers and the broader healthcare community to learn about the latest findings from PCORI-funded research and research-related projects, network and share in rich discussions to advance patient-centered research.
We look forward to sharing these two incredible days with you, as we explore ways to advance toward a more patient-centered approach to health care.
#PCORI25 Sessions: Turning Evidence Into Action
Date:
- Oct. 21-22, 2025
Mark your calendar for the 2025 PCORI Annual Meeting, taking place Oct. 21-22 in Washington, D.C. This dynamic two-day event will bring together patients, caregivers, researchers and hundreds of people from the broader healthcare community to explore the latest developments in patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER).
Register here.
