September 2026 Notes from the Director

First, I am happy to announce that the P30 renewal notice of award was received in July. The A1 application was funded for a total cost of $7.6M funding us until April 30, 2031. We have set up the basic accounts for the cores and received initial institutional support funds. We issued RFAs for Pilot Project and Core Utilization Subsidy Program awards and are busy getting those reviewed. The plan is to get the awards announced as soon as possible. In addition, the quarterly invited speaker program is back.

There are new rules from NIH on how to cite grants in publications inserted at the end of the Reminder – Definition of Foreign Components (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-26-084.html ). The last NIEHS Center Directors virtual meeting was spend almost entirely on the directive: “Recipients are required to state (1) the percentage and dollar amounts of the total program or project costs financed with Federal money and (2) for NIH programs requiring cost sharing, the dollar amount of the total costs financed by non-governmental sources (i.e., percentage and dollar amount of support from federal and non-federal sources).” At this point, it is unclear how to calculate the percentage and dollar amounts particularly for the P30’s. If there is guidance at the upcoming NIEHS Centers Meeting in mid-September, we will broadcast the guidance.

Be aware of the new rules on foreign collaborations. In addition to consulting the NIH notice cited above, the Office of Research Integrity has prepared guidance for faculty with federal awards. The guidance and templates can be found at: Foreign-Co-Authors-and-Federal-Awards.aspx.

Commencing with NIH Forms J in Fiscal year 2027, the NIH will no longer allow letters of support but will instead require letters of collaboration to document any collaborative relationships with individuals that are not identified in the application as senior/key personnel or other significant contributors. Consult the Notice https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-26-094.html for details on Letters of Collaboration that will replace Letters of Support.

After being with CIEHS from the very beginning of P30 funding in July 2020, Colleen Quinter has taken another position. The new position offers her substantial career advancement that she deserves. Colleen has been instrumental in the success of CIEHS. We thank Colleen for all her service to CIEHS and wish her the best in her new position. We have posted for a new Business Administrator and hope to find someone to take the position soon.