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The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Program Project Grant (P01) supports research related to fundamental processes and diseases of the heart, blood and lymphatic vessels, lungs, and blood, including transfusion medicine, blood resources, and sleep disorders other programs including implementation science, health disparities, and translation research that address the mission of the Institute. This FOA requires a minimum of three interrelated research projects that investigate a complex biomedical theme or research question. The projects may be supported by core units, if justified, to facilitate economy of effort, space, and equipment. The NHLBI provides support for Program Project Grants (PPGs) in the belief that collaborative research efforts can accelerate the acquisition of knowledge more effectively than a simple aggregate of research projects that have no interaction or thematic integration. NHLBI is particularly interested in encouraging new scientific directions in PPGs. Use of the P01 activity code is viewed as an opportunity to attract scientists who have not traditionally been supported by the NHLBI. Further, the PPG environment presents an opportunity for emerging scientific leaders to gain insight into how to lead a successful scientific Program, and applicants will have the opportunity to include a project led by an Early Stage Investigator (ESI). All projects in the Program must be interrelated and have objectives that address a central theme within the scientific mandate of the NHLBI.

The purpose of the NHLBI Emerging Investigator Award (EIA) is to promote scientific productivity and innovation by providing long-term support and increased flexibility to experienced Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) who are currently PDs/PIs on at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards and whose outstanding record of research demonstrates their ability to make major contributions to heart, lung, blood and sleep (HLBS) research. The EIA is intended to support a research program, rather than a research project, by providing the primary and most likely sole source of NHLBI funding on individual grant awards. The EIA will support the research program of NHLBI-funded investigators for up to seven years. The EIA will provide investigators increased freedom to conduct research that breaks new ground or extends previous discoveries in new directions. It will also allow PDs/PIs to take greater risks and to pursue research that requires a longer timeframe. Research supported by the EIA must be within the scope of the NHLBI mission.

The NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) promotes scientific productivity and innovation by providing long-term support and increased flexibility to experienced Program Directors/Principal Investigators who are currently on at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards and whose outstanding record demonstrates their ability to make major contributions to heart, lung, blood and sleep research. The OIA supports a research program for up to seven years, providing investigators increased freedom to conduct research that breaks new ground or extends previous discoveries in new directions. The award provides a stable funding environment to improve productivity and facilitate nimble, ambitious, creative research. It accelerates scientific innovation by enabling flexibility in pursuing new research directions as they arise, since investigators will not be bound to specific aims proposed in advance. The OIA reduces time spent writing grant applications and managing multiple awards, allowing more time for conducting research, mentoring students and junior scientists, and providing scientific service. Research supported by the OIA must be within the scope of the NHLBI mission related to heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders research. The program is intended to provide the primary and most likely sole source of NHLBI funding on individual grant awards, allowing PDs/PIs to take greater risks and pursue research that requires a longer timeframe.

The purpose of the NHLBI Career Transition Award (K22) program is to provide highly qualified postdoctoral fellows in the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research the opportunity to transition their research programs as new investigators to extramural institutions. To achieve these objectives, the NHLBI Career Transition Award will support two phases of research: a mentored intramural phase (up to two years) and an extramural phase (three years), for a total of five years of combined support. Transition from the intramural phase of support to the extramural phase is not automatic. Approval of the transition will be based on the success of the awardee's research program during the mentored phase as determined by an NHLBI progress review, which will include an evaluation of a research plan to be carried out at the extramural institution. The program focuses on research areas including blood diseases and resources, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, sleep disorders, and translation and implementation science for heart, lung, blood diseases, and sleep disorders.

This funding opportunity provides highly qualified postdoctoral fellows and other doctoral-level researchers currently in training in the NHLBI Division of Intramural Research with the opportunity to transition their research programs to extramural institutions as junior investigators. The K22 Career Transition Award is designed to support the career development of promising researchers who are transitioning from NIH intramural training positions to independent faculty positions at extramural institutions. This award facilitates the establishment of independent research programs focused on heart, lung, blood diseases, and sleep disorders research. The program aims to retain talented researchers within the biomedical research community by providing critical support during this important career transition period.