Forum on stimulus and the NIH set for Wednesday

Read the full notice Click here to see a memorandum from acting NIH director Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D., about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and funding for biomedical research.

UNMC researchers are invited Wednesday to a forum, “The Stimulus, the NIH and What You Need to Know,” to learn about funding opportunities now available because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The forum is set for 10 a.m. in the Durham Research Center Auditorium.

Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research, and Mark Bowen, director of government relations, will present information about how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will distribute $10.4 billion allocated by the U.S. Congress in the stimulus package within the next two years.

“This influx of money represents one-third of the total NIH budget,” Dr. Rosenquist said. “This is unprecedented spending for the NIH and a wonderful opportunity to increase our extramural funding. Our fair share of the stimulus would represent a $15 million boost to our research initiative.”

On Friday, Dr. Rosenquist sent UNMC scientists a memo that outlined how the NIH plans to distribute the money for research.

“This is unprecedented spending for the NIH and a wonderful opportunity to increase our extramural funding. Our fair share of the stimulus would represent a $15 million boost to our research initiative.” Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D.

Of the $10.4 billion allocation, the NIH will divide $7.4 billion among the 27 institutes and centers that make up the NIH, and assign $800 million to the NIH director. This money will be available to UNMC researchers in three ways:

• RO1 proposals that were submitted and scored well in the previous cycle, but did not get funded. UNMC scientists with such proposals should contact their program officer and Dr. Rosenquist.
  
• Supplements to existing grants.
  
• Challenge grants — two-year, $1 million grants for projects directed toward the priorities of the NIH institutes and centers.

“Money given to researchers with existing grants can help the economy right away,” Dr. Rosenquist said. “We can start hiring people tomorrow.”

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities cites figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that shows every $1 million spent on research and development generates 36 jobs.

Together, UNMC and The Nebraska Medical Center are the fourth largest employer in Nebraska with a combined workforce of approximately 9,000 employees.

The NIH also will spend part of the stimulus money on equipment and construction and repair of buildings. Dr. Rosenquist said he would solicit suggestions on equipment needed for UNMC research, but that funding requests would be made at the chancellor’s administrative level.

“This forum is just the first step for us,” Dr. Rosenquist said. “As we learn more, we will continue to update our faculty on funding opportunities. My office is open to researchers who need help in navigating through this process.”