NIH Directors Pioneer Award Program (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional)
This award funds exceptionally creative scientists proposing bold, innovative biomedical research with major impact, supporting projects distinct from their current work.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: September 9, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Amounts: $700,000 per year for up to 5 years; estimated total program funding $8.1 million; ~8 awards
Summary: Supports exceptionally creative scientists proposing bold, innovative biomedical research with potential for major impact.
Key Information: Forecasted opportunity—dates and details subject to change; check program page for updates.
Description
The NIH Director’s Pioneer Award is designed to support individual scientists of outstanding creativity who propose pioneering and highly innovative research projects in biomedical science. The award seeks bold, unconventional ideas that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important areas relevant to the mission of the NIH. Projects must represent substantially different scientific directions from those currently pursued by the investigator or elsewhere. This program is part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research (HRHR) Program of the NIH Common Fund and welcomes applications from all areas within the biomedical sciences.
