Weekly Research Updates & Guidance
Please check this page regularly for guidance and research updates.
Last updated: 9/08/25
NIH General Announcements and Notices of Special Interest
Notice of an Update to the OLAW Guidance Disclaimer
(NOT-OD-25-145)
Office of the Director, NIH
The purpose of this notice is to provide an update to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) guidance disclaimer. The Health Research Extension Act of 1985, Public Law 99-158, Sec. 495, Animals in Research, (HREA) provides the statutory mandate for the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Policy).
Nutrition for OUR Immune System Health (NOURISH): Autoimmunity Challenge Prize Competition
(NOT-OD-25-141)
Office of the Director, NIH
The Office of Autoimmune Disease Research is pleased to announce an upcoming Prize Competition to solicit entries for the Nutrition for OUR Immune System Health (NOURISH): Autoimmunity Challenge. The objective of this crowdsourcing competition is to generate a cadre of innovative ideas on how to best integrate diet and nutrition studies into autoimmune disease research with a focus on identifying dietary interventions that are feasible, testable, scalable, and will have broad impact across the broad autoimmune disease portfolio.
(NOT-OD-25-152)
National Institutes of Health
This Guide Notice informs the extramural community that NIH plans to launch preview versions of the NIH Common Forms within Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv). Users should be able to access these preview versions of the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support Common Forms and the NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement (along with the corresponding instructions) on or before September 15, 2025.
NSF – National Science Foundation General Announcements
Wednesday, September 10, 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.
Thursday, September 18, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The NSF Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (NSF IOS) holds virtual office hours monthly, usually on the third Thursday of each month from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time. These sessions provide information and Q&A on various topics, including funding opportunities, proposal guidance and tips, and other NSF IOS-related topics.
Office Hours and Teaming Opportunity: NSF PCL Test Bed
Friday, September 26, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
In this webinar series, NSF program officers will introduce the NSF PCL Test Bed program and explain the goals, eligibility and procedures for proposal submission. The session will feature a moderated Q&A. Participants can then join breakout sessions to connect and explore teaming opportunities.
Department of Defense (DOD)
BrightFocus Foundation
September 15, 2025 – Prague, Czech Republican
BrightFocus Foundation’s Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Fast Track workshop helps speed progress toward a cure for AMD by investing in promising young scientists in the field of vision research. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other early-stage scientists focused on macular degeneration research, or those who want to enter the field can take 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 macular degeneration research and
- connecting with preeminent macular degeneration scientists and fellow early-stage researchers in the U.S. and around the world.
Contact researchgrants@brightfocus.org with questions.
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
Strengthen Your Letter of Intent and Watch the Town Hall Recordings
Several new research PCORI Funding Announcements (PFAs) opened Aug. 12 and PCORI is hosting virtual applicant town halls for prospective applicants to learn more about the PFAs. Click on the PFA names below.
Attendees will hear from PCORI staff about the PFAs and gain insights on submitting responsive Letters of Intent (LOIs) and applications for high-quality patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research and related projects. LOIs for the PFAs are due Sept. 23 by 5 pm (ET).
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.
