Deadline: 14-Sep-2025
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has introduced the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) program, designed to support institutions in building structured, mentored research pathways for residents.
This program creates opportunities for physician, dental, and veterinary residents to dedicate significant time to research while advancing their clinical training. It is a strategic initiative to strengthen the pipeline of clinician-investigators who can contribute to biomedical research and innovation.
The program offers institutions the ability to support residents with up to two years of protected research time, covering 80 percent of salary and related expenses. The goal is to equip residents with research skills and mentorship that prepare them for career development awards and academic positions. Institutions are expected to demonstrate strong infrastructure, mentoring capacity, and pathways that integrate research with board certification requirements.
The scope of the awards includes support for salaries, professional development, supplies, mentorship training, and research-related activities. Each institution may support between two and four residents annually, ensuring that participants gain intensive research exposure during their residency. Applications must clearly distinguish their proposals from existing federally funded training programs while complementing the overall research training landscape within the institution.
Funds available for this initiative are significant. The NHLBI intends to commit more than $5.8 million between 2026 and 2028 to support up to seven new awards each year. NIAID will contribute over $4.3 million across the same period to fund up to four awards annually. NIA plans to invest over $1.6 million, supporting up to two awards each year, while NEI will dedicate more than $2.5 million to fund up to three awards annually. The number of awards ultimately depends on NIH appropriations and the quality of applications submitted.
Eligible applicants include a wide range of institutions such as higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, for-profit organizations, and tribal governments. Local and state governments, school districts, regional organizations, and community-based groups may also apply. Institutions must demonstrate appropriate commitment by providing adequate staff, facilities, and resources to ensure the success of the program. Entities with existing NIH-funded training programs may also apply, provided that their proposals represent distinct and complementary educational experiences.
While the eligibility criteria are broad within the United States, foreign organizations and non-U.S. components of U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply. The focus of this initiative remains on strengthening research capacity within U.S.-based residency programs, creating sustainable opportunities for future clinician-researchers, and ultimately advancing biomedical science and healthcare outcomes.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
