Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)

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Description

The Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) provides substantial, flexible support for early career researchers to establish and maintain a research program within the mission of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The program is designed to increase funding stability, encourage scientific creativity, and reduce administrative burden by supporting a broad, evolving research agenda rather than a single project.

MIRA awards are intended to:

• Enable early career investigators to secure funding earlier and sustain productive research careers.
• Allow flexibility to pursue new research directions as opportunities arise.
• Reduce time spent on grant writing and reviewing, freeing more time for research and mentoring.
• Distribute funding more broadly among promising investigators.

The program supports basic, translational, and certain clinical research areas relevant to NIGMS, including mechanistic clinical trials (but not efficacy/safety trials or large multi-site studies).

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Due Dates

• Next application deadlines:
  • October 3, 2025
  • February 3, 2026
• All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
• No letter of intent is required.

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Funding Amount

• Direct costs: Up to $250,000 per year.
• Project period: Up to 5 years.
• Total annual costs (including indirects): May reach $275,000.
• No cost sharing or matching required.
• Number of awards depends on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications.

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Eligibility

• Who can apply:

  • Only NIH-defined Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) at the time of application.
  • ESIs are new investigators within 10 years of completing their terminal research degree or medical residency (extensions possible for certain life events).
  • Only single PD/PI applications are allowed (no multiple PI applications).
  • Applicants must devote at least 51% of their total research effort to the MIRA award.

• Eligible organizations:

  • Public and private institutions of higher education
  • Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
  • For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
  • State, county, city, township, and special district governments
  • Native American tribal governments and organizations
  • Independent school districts
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Faith-based and community-based organizations
  • Regional organizations
  • U.S. territories and possessions

• Ineligible:

  • Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations (foreign components may be included as collaborators if essential).

• Other restrictions:

  • Applicants cannot hold or receive certain other NIH research project grants (e.g., R01, DP1, DP2, RM1, SC1) prior to MIRA award issuance.
  • MIRA replaces most current NIGMS research funding in the PI's lab (exceptions apply; see full NOFO for details).

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Application Process

• Submission:

  • Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or an institutional system-to-system solution.
  • Follow the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the program-specific instructions in the NOFO.

• Key application features:

  • No Specific Aims page; do not include specific aims in the abstract or research strategy.
  • Research strategy should describe the overall vision, key questions, and general strategies for the research program (not detailed experimental plans).
  • Preliminary data are not required or expected.
  • A letter of support from the department chair, dean, or equivalent academic leader is required, describing institutional commitment.
  • Biosketches are required only for the PD/PI (and rare collaborators receiving MIRA funds).
  • Budget: Request total direct costs per year (no itemized budget required except for equipment/consortium justifications).
  • Data Management and Sharing Plan required.

• Review:

  • Applications are reviewed for overall impact, significance, investigator, innovation, approach, and environment.
  • No resubmissions allowed, but new applications may be submitted if ESI status is retained.

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Additional Information

• Effort requirement:
  • The PD/PI must devote at least 51% of their total research effort to the MIRA award.
• Overlap with other grants:
  • Most other NIGMS research grants must be relinquished upon receipt of a MIRA.
  • Some exceptions apply (e.g., training grants, certain collaborative or resource grants).
• Clinical trials:
  • Mechanistic clinical trials are allowed if essential to the research program.
  • Efficacy/safety trials and large multi-site clinical studies are not permitted.
• Renewals:
  • ESI MIRA recipients may apply for renewal through the established investigator MIRA NOFOs.
• Supplements:
  • Administrative supplements for equipment and other purposes may be available.

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External Links

• NIH MIRA for Early Stage Investigators (PAR-23-145) – Full Announcement
• NIGMS MIRA Program Overview
• Apply via Grants.gov
• NIH Early Stage Investigator Policy
• SF424 (R&R) Application Guide

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Contact Information

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