NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)

The NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) aims to boost scientific productivity and innovation by offering long-term financial aid to experienced Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs). This award is granted to those PD/PIs who already manage at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards and have shown their capacity in contributing significantly to heart, lung, blood and sleep (HLBS) research.

Instead of funding a specific research project, the OIA supports an entire research program and usually becomes the sole source of NHLBI funding on individual grant awards. The award promises seven years of uninterrupted support, enabling investigators to break new grounds or take previous discoveries further in innovative ways. OIA allows researchers to undertake more risks, explore novel ideas and work on projects that require a longer timeframe. Research programs should align with NHLBI’s mission statement for approval.

The OIA offers a stable funding environment, which facilitates dynamic, bold, and inventive research, boosting productivity within the scientific community. It provides flexibility to shift research directions as required and without being tied down to previously proposed objectives.

Moreover, OIA reduces administrative burdens on researchers, such as application writing and grant management, allowing them to focus on research. The consistent funding encourages researchers to increase their commitment to their studies. Lastly, OIA enables PD/PIs to invest more time and energy into mentoring emerging scientists, thereby enhancing scientific service.