Research Security
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) NOT-OD-26-079, ‘Announcement of Upcoming System Enforcement of Common Forms and End of NIH’s Leniency Period’ included an update regarding the research security training certification. SciENcv added ‘the Research Security Training (RST) Certification back to the Common Forms’ on April 22, 2026 for compliance with the application submission requirements for due dates on or after May 25, 2026. For certified Common Forms prior to the April 22, 2026 change; researchers who have not yet submitted their applications for a due date on or after May 25, 2026 should regenerate their Common Form PDF(s) prior to submission. If researchers have already submitted their applications for the due date on or after May 25, 2026, they will not need to resubmit with a regenerated Common Form. ‘For applications that include Common Forms with the RST Certification, but are submitted for due dates on or before May 24, 2026, NIH will not hold individuals accountable for the portion of the certification statement related to the research security training that complies with the CHIPS and Science Act due to the training requirement being effective for due dates on or after May 25, 2026’.
Replication and Reproducibility
In an Extramural News blog post, the NIH expanded on the topic of replication and reproducibility, ‘Embedding Replication and Reproducibility Throughout NIH Research: Key Reminders for Applications, Awards, and a New Highlighted Topic’. Specifically, the research community is reminded regarding the NIH’s Replication and Reproducibility Imitative which includes five subject areas: 1) Grants and Funding: Highlighted Topic on Reproducibility; 2) Grants and Funding: Enhancing Reproducibility through Rigor and Transparency; 3) NIH’s Gold Standard Science Implementation Plan; 4) NIH Replication Prize Winners: Virtual Awards Ceremony May 13 and 5) NIH Common Fund: Replication to Enhance Research Impact Initiative.
Grant Applications
The same NIH NOT-OD-26-079 listed above, ‘Announcement of Upcoming System Enforcement of Common Forms and End of NIH’s Leniency Period’ is effective on May 7, 2026. ‘Use of the Common Forms for Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support, and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement will be required for all application due dates and Just-In-Time (JIT), Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR), and Prior Approval submissions on or after May 8, 2026.’ This notice includes updates and reminders regarding: 1) entry of zero effort on Current and Pending (Other) Support; 2) Research Security Training Certification (outlined above); 3) NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS); and 4) RPPR, JIT and Prior Approval Modules.
Peer Review Practices
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a notice, ‘Continuation of Modifications to Peer Review Practices (NOT-OD-26-069)’. These modifications are applicable to the May and October 2026 Advisory Councils.
