Announcing the 2026 RISE Program Awardees
Eight interdisciplinary teams will receive a year of seed funding for their early-stage, high-risk/high-reward projects.
Dear fellow members of the Columbia research community,
We write to express our appreciation for the resilience of the Columbia research community over the past year. Even in challenging and uncertain times, researchers continued to submit proposals, conduct research, publish, and mentor the next generation of researchers. Administrators and staff continued to process, manage, document, and take often invisible but timely action to support our research. Students and postdocs continued to pursue their curiosity, probe experiments and theories, and build professional relationships with mentors and…
Our Researcher of the Month is Nataliya L. Wright, PhD, Assistant Professor of Business at Columbia Business School
Eight interdisciplinary teams will receive a year of seed funding for their early-stage, high-risk/high-reward projects.
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Archived Announcements
Dear Colleagues,
Please be advised that the Department of Defense (DoD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) now require the use of the federal-wide Common Forms for both biosketches and current & pending (other) support in all applications. NIH-format Word templates are no longer acceptable for CDMRP submissions.
This requirement is part of CDMRP’s implementation of federal research security policy under the National Security Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33), which mandates standardized disclosure of researcher support and affiliations.
What’s New in the Common Forms:…
Dear Faculty, Researchers, and Principal Investigators,
I write to share, in a single communication, a summary of the many different actions the University is taking to support you and our entire research community during these unprecedented times. We understand how stressful the current situation is, and we know the uncertainty weighs heavily on everyone in our research community.
The University is still in active discussions with the federal government. These discussions focus not only on reinstatement of the awards terminated in March, but also on ensuring the future flow of grant support…
Vikram Gadagkar, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience
HRPO Newsletter #13 (4/2025)
- Noncompliance in Human Subjects Research: IRB Policy updated effective April 2, 2025
- What is Facilitated Review?
- Contact information for the HRPO Reliance Team processing the facilitated review of protocols reviewed by an external IRB
- New “Fac Review” Committee in Rascal
- Short Form Consent Process
On Wednesday, April 16, a federal court in Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) barring the DOE from implementing the 15% rate cap on DOE awards and/or terminating any grants based on a grantee's refusal to accept an indirect cost rate less than its negotiated rate. The TRO applies to all DOE awards impacted by the proposed rate cap, including Columbia's DOE awards. Accordingly, in the absence of any other type of communication from DOE, PIs with DOE awards should continue their research activities as usual, and the University's negotiated indirect cost will apply. As…
Dear members of our research community,
We wish to update you on work that is moving forward, continuing the path we embarked on when we first received notices of federally terminated research awards.
At the institutional level, the University continues to pursue all available channels to restore federal funding. In parallel, the Office of the Provost, joined with teams from Research and Finance, and working with the deans in each of our affected schools, developed processes to receive feedback from our principal investigators on the impact of the award terminations on research activity…
Ava Kamdem, undergraduate student in psychology at the School of General Studies
Starting with application due dates and progress reports submitted on or after May 25, 2025, it is anticipated that the NIH will continue to mandate the use of SciENcv (Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae) for creating Biographical Sketches and Other Support forms (known as the “Common Forms”).
The Common Forms are expected to be available in SciENcv by late March 2025. Additionally, NIH will require a new Biographical Sketch Supplement form, which includes the Personal Statement, Contributions to Science, and Honors. This supplement form must also be prepared using SciENcv.
For…
Dear Colleagues:
You have likely read Interim President Armstrong’s message to our community regarding federal actions to cancel a selection of grants and contracts awarded to Columbia University. Please know that we are taking this action and its impacts on our community very seriously and will be in regular communication as the situation evolves.
For now, unless you received a stop-work order or termination notice, researchers should continue to perform work on awarded federal projects. In case you receive any kind of such communication, or any questionnaire,…
HRPO newsletter number 12 (3/7/2025)
- When to submit a Closure Report?
- Automated stamping of IRB-approved documents
- Recent Rascal Enhancement: Update of the Help Text under the HazMat's attachment page.
Dear members of the Columbia research community,
As we navigate these uncertain times, I would like to share with you some updated reminders and new resources:
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The EVPR Office’s Federal Research Updates 2025 website includes general guidance for researchers and Frequently Asked Questions, among other resources. In the current, fast-changing environment, we are updating the website in roughly real time. Please visit the website frequently to see the most up-to-date information.
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Importantly, if you receive a stop-work order or a request for certification or other…
Dear Colleagues,
This evening, we were made aware of new supplemental guidance issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) revising the negotiated indirect cost rate for grant awards to a standard indirect rate of 15% across all NIH grants. We are currently evaluating this new guidance to understand the impact to the University’s portfolio of grants and to explore options on how to respond to this new guidance.
We understand this policy change will create a good deal of concern and anxiety within our research community. As we gain a better understanding of its potential impacts…
Seongyeon Bae, Associate Research Scientist at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Dear Columbia faculty, principal investigators, and research scientists,
As most of you know, on Monday the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum directing federal agencies to “temporarily pause” federal financial funding that may be implicated by the President’s executive orders. That action was then stayed in federal court on Tuesday evening and rescinded on Wednesday by the Administration. The Office of Research at Columbia has maintained a website of relevant federal communications, and will continue to keep you updated as developments continue.
Underlying…
Dear Principal Investigators,
In response to executive orders issued by the new administration, some federal agencies have begun issuing “stop-work orders,” or other policy directives, for grants and contracts. In some instances, these orders have been sent directly to principal investigators. If you receive such an order directly, please forward it to your SPA project officer immediately. SPA will work with principal investigators to interpret any orders received and provide guidance regarding how to comply.
Compliance with stop-work orders is critical. Specific requirements of…