FABBS is working to keep our members informed about all the moving parts and consequences of policy changes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). New data coming out of the agency has revealed the total number of awards granted to early-career researchers has decreased. Additionally, two more institutes and centers (ICs) are set to lose their directors by the end of the month, leaving 15 of 27 ICs with acting directors.
Drop in Awards for Early-Career Researchers
At the December meeting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Advisory Council, Director Gary Gibbons shared data examining trends in the number of early-career researchers successfully applying for R01-equivalent grants. At NHLBI, just 20.9 percent of early-career researchers were successful in 2025, an 8 percent drop from their success rate in 2024 (28.9 precent). A similar trend emerges when considering grants across all NIH ICs: 18.5 percent of early-career applicants succeeded in 2025 compared to 26.1 percent in 2024. Some researchers point to the increase in multiyear awards—in which the grantee receives all their award’s money upfront—as an explanation for this trend: providing more money upfront to individual grants leaves fewer funds to distribute to other awards.
These declines are even more striking given NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya’s intention to make supporting early-career researchers an agency priority. This group already faces significant challenges in securing NIH funding; by further limiting the number of awards available, multiyear funding will only compound these challenges.
Two More Institutes Lose Directors
NIH recently announced that the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and NHLBI will lose their directors by the end of the month, adding to the flood of vacancies in leadership positions at the agency (see previous FABBS article).
According to a memo to staff sent in late December, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declined to renew the contract of Dr. Walter Koroshetz, who has led NINDS for the past ten years. In the memo – shared on Bluesky by former Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Dr. Jeremy Berg – Bhattacharya stated, “Dr. Koroshetz’s performance as Director has been exceptional; however, the Department of Health and Human Services has elected to pursue a leadership transition,” raising questions about how much control Bhattacharya has over his own agency. On January 12, Dr. Gary Gibbons, Director of NHLBI since 2012, announced his plans to retire at the end of the month. FABBS is grateful to both Dr. Koroshetz and Dr. Gibbons for their dedication and years of leadership.
NIH has named acting directors for these institutes but has not released any information about when searches for new directors will begin. With these departures, 15 of the 27 ICs will having acting directors, a number that may continue to grow as Dr. Michael Chiang, Director of the National Eye Institute (NEI) since 2020, is also up for renewal.
FABBS has been in regular contact with Hill offices to express our concerns about the leadership vacuum at NIH and the process to fill these roles. We will continue to advocate for congressional oversight on this and other issues related to NIH.
