NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)
The NHLBI OIA supports experienced researchers with exceptional HLBS research records, offering long-term funding for innovative research programs, enhancing productivity, fostering creativity, and supporting mentorship.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: January 20, 2025 (Letter of Intent) | February 19, 2025 (New Application) | March 29, 2025 (AIDS LOI) | April 28, 2025 (AIDS Application) | Annual cycles through April 28, 2027
Funding Amounts: Up to $700,000 direct costs/year for up to 7 years; up to 20 new awards/year; total NHLBI commitment up to $20M/year
Summary: Long-term, flexible funding for established investigators with outstanding records in heart, lung, blood, and sleep research to support innovative research programs.
Key Information: Applicants must be current PDs/PIs on at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards or in the 6th/7th year of an NHLBI R35; OIA replaces most NHLBI individual research grants.
Description
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) provides experienced investigators with stable, long-term support to pursue innovative and ambitious research programs in heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) science. The OIA is designed to fund a research program—rather than a single project—by serving as the primary and typically sole source of NHLBI funding for the recipient’s individual research. This mechanism aims to foster scientific creativity, reduce administrative burden, and enable investigators to take greater risks and pursue new research directions as opportunities arise.
The OIA is intended for established investigators with a demonstrated record of impactful HLBS research and is highly competitive. Recipients are expected to devote significant effort to research and mentoring, and to relinquish most other NHLBI individual research project grants upon receipt of the OIA.
