Beginning in October 2020, NINR grant applicants may see their applications assigned to a different NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) study section.
Below are some common questions you may have related to these changes. For any additional questions, please contact your NINR Program Officer.
Why Are These CSR Changes Being Made?
The NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) is undergoing a multi-year effort to evaluate all CSR study sections, with about 20% of the sections evaluated each year through its ENQUIRE process.
In 2019, 42 study sections were reviewed to determine whether the scientific scope of these sections continued to be aligned with the scientific fields they served.
How Will These CSR Changes Impact NINR Grant Applicants?
Based on the 2019 CSR Evaluation, several study sections were reorganized into new study sections. One study section impacted was the Nursing and Related Clinical Sciences (NRCS) study section, to which many NINR researchers have had their grant applications assigned.
A large portion of NINR applications will likely go to newly formed patient care and biobehavioral health sections that are broader than nursing.
The four new study sections most relevant to nursing science are:
- Biobehavioral Medicine and Health Outcomes (BMHO)
- Clinical Management in General Care Settings (CMGC)
- Interdisciplinary Clinical Care in Specialty Care Settings (ICSC)
- Lifestyle Change and Behavioral Health (LCBH)
What Are the Advantages of These Updated Study Sections?
One of the primary goals of this study section reorganization is to integrate expertise in key areas across several study sections, including nursing science, bioinformatics, mHealth, big data, machine learning, health disparities and vulnerable populations, and implementation science.
NINR applicants should benefit from these changes. Their applications will be reviewed by experts closer to the relevant research area, resulting in scores that better reflect the quality of the science, and with reviewer feedback that is more useful to applicants.
NINR will monitor the impact of these changes and continue to work with CSR to ensure the strength of NINR application reviews.
Who Do I Contact if I Have Questions About These Changes?
See Program Contacts on NINR’s website.
Where Can I Go to Learn More About These CSR Study Section Updates?
