Significant NIH Changes to Biosketch and Other Support Affect All Applications, RPPRs, and JIT Effective May 25, 2021
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a change to the format of the Biosketch and the content of Other Support. These changes are effective for all applications, Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs), and Just-in-Time (JIT) reports with deadlines on or submitted after May 25, 2021.
What does that mean for you?
- Confirm that your Biosketch includes “all positions and scientific appointments both domestic and foreign, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary).” The new format (no section D) is not required until January 2022 but regardless of which format you use, all appointments and affiliations must be included.
- Other support must include all financial and in-kind support for any research you perform whether that is performed as part of your UF appointment, as an outside activity, as consulting or as part of any other appointment or access you have. We strongly suggest immediately inventorying all persons, materials, and equipment at any location where you perform research. Special attention should be provided to the following:
- Projects section: consulting, clinical trial steering committees, funding for any laboratory at UF or any other entity where you perform research must be included. COMPLETED support from the past three years must be included. This is in addition to current and pending sponsored projects at UF.
- In-kind section: This new section requires you to list any persons working in any lab for which you have oversight but who are not paid from UF, any high-value materials that are not freely available (e.g., biologics, chemicals, model systems, technology, etc.), and access to specialized equipment must all be included. Note: Core facilities or shared equipment that are made broadly available, should not be included in Other Support, but rather listed under Facilities and Other Resources.
- Supporting Documentation: Copies of contracts for all foreign activities and resources that are reported in Other Support are required. All copies must be provided to DSP. If they are not in English, provide a translated copy as well. Machine (not certified) translations are acceptable.
- Significant changes have been made to the way award amounts (total costs not just direct costs) and effort months (differ between pending, current and completed) are reported. Please read the instructions at: Other Support instructions
We find this simple chart helps when determining where resources in your lab should be included in your NIH application and related materials:
| Person, Equipment, Samples, Materials, etc. | Facilities & Resources | Other Support | Budget |
| Access to but not needed on this project | x | ||
| Used on this project but not charged to this project | x | ||
| Budgeted to charge to this project | x |
As you submit applications, ensure that only individuals who truly meet the definition of key personnel are included with that role. As you publish, ensure that you properly acknowledge NIH support. Additional clarifications and updates will be coming as policy clarifications and updates allow.
Resources:
UF Guidance on Disclosing Activities to NIH
NIH links:
For questions, please contact Stephanie Gray at slgray@ufl.edu or Amber Hardie at ahardie@ufl.edu.
