NIH announces changes to peer review

NIH on Friday unveiled a plan to change the peer review process for grant applications for biomedical and behavioral research. The changes are intended to reduce the administrative burden on applicants, reviewers and NIH staff; to improve review and reviewer quality; and to optimize support for researchers who are at different career stages and who are taking different approaches to science. The plan, which will be implemented over the next 12-18 months, is the result of a year-long effort and draws on recommendations made in February (See BioCentury Extra, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008). ...