NIH Extramural Nexus (News)

NIH remains committed to integrity and fairness in peer review, as well as to transparency and listening to the research community. Applicants, reviewers, researchers, and other members of the research community who have concerns about unfair peer review at NIH or potential review integrity concerns can report them to NIH through dedicated channels.

You have likely come across the Public Health Service (PHS) assignment request form when putting together your grant application. It’s optional, but we encourage applicants to fill it out. This form is available in nearly all competing NIH application form packages and allows you to provide specific application assignment and review information to referral and review staff. 

If you’re planning to apply for an NIH fellowship (F), career development award (K), or training grant (T), staying informed about recent NIH efforts to centralize peer review can help you understand how your application may be assigned and reviewed. 

We invite you to join a conversation between NIH leadership on NIH’s Unified Funding Strategy. Our Unified Funding Strategy is designed to support NIH Institutes and Centers to make informed, transparent, and flexible funding decisions. During their conversation, NIH leadership will clarify the approach’s rationale, goals, and implementation across NIH; address misconceptions; and help foster communication between NIH staff and research community.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., announced the selection of Raymond H. Jacobson, Ph.D., as the director of NIH’s Center for Scientific Review (CSR), which ensures expert and fair review of the tens of thousands of grant applications received by the agency each year. 

In March 2025, NIH announced that all peer review would be centralized within the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) (see also this NIH Guide Notice). As the one-year anniversary approaches, we are providing an update on the consolidation and its initial effects on the peer-review process. 

NIH implemented its Simplified Review Framework (SRF) for the peer review of the majority of competing research project grant (RPG) applications in summer 2025. How is it going?

NIH plans to review all applications submitted for the January 2026 Councils (e.g., applications that were submitted to due dates in summer 2025) and maintain the quality of review.

Today, NIH has implemented steps towards a unified strategy that will help guide clearer and consistent funding decisions across all Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs). Building on the August NIH Director’s statement, this framework (effective January 2026 Council round) will help ensure we continue to support the most scientifically meritorious research ideas possible, address health priorities, and support a robust biomedical workforce.

NIH has simplified peer review for most research project grants for application due dates of January 25, 2025 or later to address the complexity of the peer review process and the potential for reputational bias to affect peer review outcomes. The initial applications are under review during summer study section meetings within the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR).