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Biographical Sketch

Biographical Sketch

The NIH biographical sketch (commonly called biosketch) describes an individual's qualifications and experience for a specific role on the grant or project. It is required for all Key Personnel

How To:

The biosketch can be roughly broken down into four components:

Header (Name, ERA commons name, position title, education and training)

  • Fill in the name of the senior/key person or other significant contributor in the “Name” and add the required eRA Commons User Name

  • Fill in the position title of the senior/key person or other significant contributor in the “Position Title” field

  • Complete the education block. Begin with the baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing. Include postdoctoral, residency, and clinical fellowship training, as applicable, listing each separately. Items to list include:

    • the name and location of the institution

    • the degree received (if applicable)

    • the month and year of end date (or expected end date). For fellowship applicants only, also include the month and year of start date.

    • the field of study (for residency entries, the field of study should reflect the area of residency training)

Personal Statement

Briefly describe why you are well-suited for your role(s) in this project. Relevant factors may include: aspects of your training; your previous experimental work on this specific topic or related topics; your technical expertise; your collaborators or scientific environment; and/or your past performance in this or related fields, including ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years that you want to draw attention to (previously known as research support).

Other Notes:

  • If you wish to explain factors that affected your past productivity, such as family care responsibilities, illness, disability, or military service, you may address them in this “A. Personal Statement” section.

  • Indicate whether you have published or created research products under another name.

  • You may mention specific contributions to science that are not included in Section C. Do not present or expand on materials that should be described in other sections of this Biosketch or application.

  • Figures, tables, or graphics are not allowed.

Positions and Honors

List in reverse chronological order all positions and scientific appointments both domestic and foreign, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary). High school students and undergraduates may include any previous positions. For individuals who are not currently located at the applicant organization, include the expected position at the applicant organization and the expected start date

  • List any relevant academic and professional achievements and honors. In particular:
    Students, postdoctorates, and junior faculty should include scholarships, traineeships, fellowships, and development awards, as applicable.

  • Clinicians should include information on any clinical licensures and specialty board certifications that they have achieved.

For each contribution, indicate the following:

  • the historical background that frames the scientific problem

  • the central finding(s)

  • the influence of the finding(s) on the progress of science or the application of those finding(s) to health or technology

  • your specific role in the described work.

  • Figures, tables, or graphics are not allowed


For each contribution, you may cite up to four publications or research products that are relevant to the contribution. If you are not the author of the product, indicate what your role or contribution was. Note that while you may mention manuscripts that have not yet been accepted for publication as part of your contribution, you may cite only published papers to support each contribution. Research products can include audio or video products (see the NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 2.3.7.7: Post-Submission Grant Application Materials); conference proceedings such as meeting abstracts, posters, or other presentations; patents; data and research materials; databases; educational aids or curricula; instruments or equipment; models; protocols; and software or netware. Use of hyperlinks and URLs to cite these items is not allowed.


You are allowed to cite interim research products. Note: interim research products have specific citation requirements. See related Frequently Asked Questions for more information.


You may provide a hyperlinked URL to a full list of your published work. This hyperlinked URL must be to a Federal Government website (a .gov suffix). NIH recommends using My Bibliography. Providing a URL to a list of published work is not required.


Descriptions of contributions may include a mention of research products under development, such as manuscripts that have not yet been accepted for publication. These contributions do not have to be related to the project proposed in this application.

 

 

Resources:

For Johns Hopkins Related resources

SciENcv can help you develop your biosketch and automatically format it according to NIH requirements. You will need an ERA commons id.

NCBI - WWW Error Blocked Diagnostic

Biosketch Format Pages, Instructions, and Samples | Grants & Funding

Format Attachments | Grants & Funding

Create your My Bibliography

Contacts:

nihosbiosketch@nih.gov

Related Links:

Budget Templates

 

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