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Research With Special Considerations

Human Subjects

Learn whether your research falls under the definitions for human subjects and clinical trial research. If it does, get NIAID’s advice and information on how to comply with rules at all phases of application and award. Start with the broader topic, Research Using Human Subjects. After that, check Clinical Trial Research and NIAID’s required process for Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials (IICTs).

Vertebrate Animals

If you are a principal investigator planning to use live vertebrate animals for research, research training, or biological testing, this page explains how to adhere to requirements, prepare a strong application, and manage your grant.

Select Agents

A select agent is a biological agent or toxin that has the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety, animal or plant health, or animal or plant product. All domestic and foreign grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts that possess, use, or transfer select agents comply with NIAID and federal select agent policies as described here. 

Other Special Rules and Policies

You must follow special NIH or NIAID requirements for some other types of research—e.g., Genomic Data Sharing (GDS), Data Management and Sharing (DMS), and Foreign and International Applications

Find additional topics and guidance in NIAID’s Grants and Funding Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Have Questions?

A program officer in your area of science can give you application advice, NIAID's perspective on your research, and confirmation that NIAID will accept your application.

Find contacts and instructions at When to Contact an NIAID Program Officer.

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