January 25, 2016, may not ring a bell, but it was the day NIH implemented its new requirements for rigor and transparency in grant applications. The new instructions and concordant review criteria are intended to enhance the reproducibility of research findings. The four key areas deemed critical for Rigor, Reproducibility, and Transparency (R2T) include: (1) the scientific premise of the proposed research (2) authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources (3) consideration of relevant biological variables and (4) rigorous experimental design for robust and unbiased results. New specific scored criteria tied to R2T await the June crop of grants, regardless of study design or discipline, so don’t delay. Contact CCTS Research Commons (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for guidance on how to ensure your grant meets this critical new set of requirements.

To learn more, check out our resources on R2T.