BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics & Policy

NIH to implement recommendations to increase workforce

December 11, 2012 2:12 AM UTC

NIH plans to implement recommendations aimed at increasing the number of new biomedical researchers in non-academic positions. The recommendations were detailed in a June report from a working group created last year to examine the future of the biomedical research workforce in the U.S. NIH plans to set a 30% success rate target for its Pathway to Independence awards, which provide two years of mentored funding to postdocs followed by three years of independent funding contingent on securing a faculty position. In 2011, the program had a 22% success rate for applications. NIH also plans to increase to 15 from 10 the number of Early Independence Awards, which provide up to $250,000 of support over five years. The program was launched in 2010 to allow students to bypass a postdoc and immediately begin independent research. NIH plans to create a unit to "coordinate activities" across the agency to provide a "unified source of information/data on workforce issues." The agency also plans to create a grant program focused on "innovative approaches to expand and complement existing research training to include science-related career outcomes at institutions that receive NIH funding.

The working group was co-chaired by Sally Rockey, deputy directory for extramural research at NIH. The agency said it is still finalizing the details and timing of its implementation of the recommendations. ...