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NIH Centralizes Grant Application Review Process, Responding to 2025 Shutdown Disruptions

NIH Centralizes Grant Application Review Process, Responding to 2025 Shutdown Disruptions

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has centralized its grant application review process within the Center for Scientific Review (CSR), effective June 1, 2025. This change means that CSR now manages the review of all NIH grant applications, a significant shift from the previous system where CSR handled 77% of applications and 23% were managed by individual NIH institute and center (IC) review branches. The centralization was announced on March 6, 2025, and was fully implemented within three months. This move follows disruptions experienced during a 43-day shutdown in 2025, which led to the cancellation of over 500 meetings and required an emergency review measure. During this emergency, only about one-third of applications were discussed, with another third labeled 'Competitive but not discussed,' and institutes considered the top two-thirds for funding. The CSR's role remains focused solely on organizing peer review, with funding decisions still resting with the individual NIH institutes and centers.

Guidehouse Seeks Data Analyst for NIH Support in Bethesda, Maryland

Guidehouse Seeks Data Analyst for NIH Support in Bethesda, Maryland

Guidehouse is actively seeking a Data Analyst to provide support services to the Division of Construction and Instruments (DCI) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This full-time, on-site position is located in Bethesda, Maryland. The primary objective of this role is to assist DCI in achieving its operational goals through various support services. Responsibilities include developing and maintaining a structured program planning, analysis, and reporting framework to track program achievements, progress, gaps, risks, and opportunities. The Data Analyst will assess program effectiveness against established goals, interpret analytical findings, and develop recommendations for program officials. The role also involves conducting portfolio, needs, and gap analyses related to comparative medicine resources, human disease models, and AI/ML-enabled approaches. Candidates are expected to collect, reconcile, validate, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data from various sources such as grants, con...

NIH Emphasizes Need for Diverse Peer Reviewers to Support Scientific Discovery

NIH Emphasizes Need for Diverse Peer Reviewers to Support Scientific Discovery

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is actively seeking a broad range of scientific expertise for its peer review process, which is crucial for evaluating research proposals and making funding decisions. With record application volumes, the NIH highlights the importance of qualified reviewers to ensure rigorous and timely assessment of scientific and technical merit. The agency is particularly interested in reviewers with expertise in novel alternative methods, including human-based models and technologies, computational approaches, and real-world data. This initiative aims to uphold scientific standards, identify innovative research, and shape the future of biomedical research by defining scientific standards and methodological rigor in emerging fields. Reviewers play a vital role in informing NIH funding decisions and contributing to the integrity of biomedical research.

Cellophane Bees Inspire Research for Biodegradable Plastics

Cellophane Bees Inspire Research for Biodegradable Plastics

Researchers from Virginia Tech, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Minnesota have discovered that the plastic-like lining produced by cellophane bees breaks down in ordinary soil within months. This natural material, which resembles polyethylene, offers a potential solution to the challenge of creating durable yet biodegradable plastics. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate that the bee's polyester lining, despite its structural similarities to human-made plastics that persist for centuries, degrades significantly faster. The team studied nests of the unequal cellophane bee (Colletes inaequalis), a common North American species, and observed that the linings remained intact for about four months, then cracked by seven months, and crumbled within approximately a year. This rapid degradation is unexpected given the material's semicrystalline nature and chemical cross-links, features typically associated with slower breakdown in synthetic pla...

New Plasticizer Dinch Linked to Lower Birth Weight and Fetal Complications in U.S. Study

New Plasticizer Dinch Linked to Lower Birth Weight and Fetal Complications in U.S. Study

A new peer-reviewed study from New York University Langone Health has linked exposure to Dinch, a plasticizer widely used in food packaging and consumer goods, to lower birth weights and fetal development complications. Dinch was introduced by industry as a 'high safety,' non-toxic alternative after health risks associated with common phthalate plasticizers became apparent. The chemical, formally known as 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester, is used to make plastic more flexible and durable and is found in items like cling film, plastic wine corks, children's toys, and medical devices. Researchers analyzed data from over 6,600 pregnancies within the National Institutes of Health Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (Echo) Program. The study found that up to 70% of women had Dinch in their urine, and higher levels increased the risk of their child being classified as 'small for gestational age.' Each tenfold increase in Dinch exposure correlated with a 27-gram reduction in newbor...

Senator Gary Peters' Net Worth Estimated Between $4.3 Million and $12 Million in 2025 Financial Disclosure

Senator Gary Peters' Net Worth Estimated Between $4.3 Million and $12 Million in 2025 Financial Disclosure

Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) reported a net worth estimated between $4.3 million and $12 million, with a midpoint of $8.1 million, according to his 2025 annual financial disclosure filed on May 14, 2026. This disclosure, the most recent on file with the Secretary of the Senate, lists 246 assets valued within this range and no liabilities exceeding $10,000. Senator Peters ranks 32nd among 100 senators by estimated net worth and 51st among 262 Democrats. His largest holdings include a UBS Retirement Account with UBS Bank USA Core Savings valued between $500,000 and $1 million, a Congressional Federal account with various deposits between $250,000 and $500,000, and an Ascensus Individual 401(K) with Vanguard Wellington Fund (VWELX) also valued between $250,000 and $500,000, held by his spouse.

Zoo Atlanta Unveils Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove, Welcoming New Giant Pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang

Zoo Atlanta Unveils Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove, Welcoming New Giant Pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang

Zoo Atlanta officially opened the Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove on November 6, 2026, marking the public debut of its two new giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang. These 6-year-old pandas, a male and a female, arrived in Atlanta on September 27 from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. Their arrival follows a month-long quarantine period to allow them to adjust to their new environment. The new habitat is the result of a $6 million renovation, funded by a grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, which expanded and upgraded the original giant panda spaces. The Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove features new climbing structures, pools in the dayrooms, water features with aquatic flora, and a redesigned tranquil complex. Zoo Atlanta is now one of only three zoos in the U.S. to house giant pandas and the sole zoological organization in the Southeast with the species. This new pair is in Atlanta under a new International Cooperative Research Agreement on Giant Panda Conservation between Zoo A...

Federal Agencies Outline Varied Policies for ChatGPT Use in Grant Writing

Federal Agencies Outline Varied Policies for ChatGPT Use in Grant Writing

Federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and NASA's Science Mission Directorate have issued diverse guidelines regarding the use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools in grant applications. While generally permitted as an assistant, each agency sets specific limits on AI's role and disclosure requirements. For instance, NIH restricts AI-developed content, stating that applications substantially created by AI will not be considered original ideas. NASA's Science Mission Directorate mandates citation for AI use, while DOE and NEH require disclosure. NSF encourages disclosure, emphasizing that applicants remain responsible for the accuracy and authenticity of their proposals. Funders like Wellcome and the Spencer Foundation also require disclosure for substantive AI use beyond basic editing. These policies highlight a common concern across agencies: maintaining human author...

EPA Seeks Research Applications for In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Models to Enhance Chemical Screening

EPA Seeks Research Applications for In Vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Models to Enhance Chemical Screening

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is actively seeking applications for a research project focused on developing and qualifying in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models. This initiative, based in Durham, North Carolina, is part of the EPA's broader effort to advance New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for evaluating the risks associated with environmental chemical exposures. The Risk Assessment Support Division (RASD) within the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) aims to utilize these models to generate human-relevant information for chemical hazard and risk assessment. The project emphasizes reducing or replacing vertebrate animal testing while ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data used to safeguard human health and the environment. Researchers will gain experience in establishing and optimizing in vitro BBB model systems, conducting chemical exposure assays, and performing permeability and transport studies. The data collected will inform in vitro-to-in vi...

NIH Funding Cuts Lead to Financial Strain and Staff Reductions at Clinical Research Sites

NIH Funding Cuts Lead to Financial Strain and Staff Reductions at Clinical Research Sites

Clinical research sites are experiencing increased operational challenges, with trial complexity identified as the top problem by 41% of sites, up from 35% a year ago. Two-thirds of sites report their teams are overloaded or at risk of burnout, and less than a third find their current workload sustainable, according to WCG’s fourth annual Clinical Research Site Challenges Report. Protocol design is a primary source of difficulty, with 66% of sites rating protocol complexity as a high driver of overall trial difficulty. Sponsor-driven design changes lead to amendments at 78% of sites, consuming a significant portion of study start-up time. Furthermore, NIH funding cuts have exacerbated financial pressures, with nearly two-thirds of sites reporting negative impacts on their financial performance. In response, many sites have implemented hiring freezes or staff reductions, which further intensifies staffing strain, ranked second in the survey at 38%. Contract and budget delays also contribute significantly to...

TWAS Elects New Fellows for 2027 Class, Including U.S. Scientists

TWAS Elects New Fellows for 2027 Class, Including U.S. Scientists

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) has announced the election of 87 new Fellows as regular members and, for the first time, four honorary members for its 2027 class. These individuals will be officially inducted on January 1, 2027. Among the regular members, 58 are men and 29 are women, with 77 hailing from the global South. Fifteen new Fellows are from science- and technology-lagging countries. The honorary members include two men and two women, recognized for their exceptional contributions to science, technology, and education in the global South, particularly those with significant societal impact. U.S. scientists Asad M. Madni and Aziza Rahman (née Salam) are among the newly elected honorary members. The new Fellows span various scientific subject divisions, including Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems Sciences, Biological Sciences, Medical & Health Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Information and Data Sciences & Technologies, Earth, Climate and Environmental Sciences, Mathemati...

Falling Walls Science Summit 2026 Highlights Challenges and Opportunities in Global Science and Technology

Falling Walls Science Summit 2026 Highlights Challenges and Opportunities in Global Science and Technology

The Falling Walls Science Summit 2026, held in Berlin, Germany, brought together scientists, investors, and policymakers to discuss critical issues in scientific research, innovation, and their societal impact. Key discussions revolved around Europe's position in the global AI landscape, the challenges of translating deep-tech research into commercial success, and the importance of academic freedom and scientific collaboration in a fragmented world. Speakers emphasized the need for increased risk tolerance in funding, improved mechanisms for scaling innovation, and a more unified European approach to compete with global leaders like the U.S. in areas such as AI compute power. The summit also touched upon the ethical implications of AI, the need for better science communication, and the importance of fostering curiosity in education.