Alert: For due dates on or after Jan 25, 2025 – changes coming to how most research grant applications will be reviewed. Learn about the new simplified review framework.
Reviewer Guidelines and Instructions
Useful links for NIDA reviewers.
- Information for Reviewers (NIH)
- Reviewer Guidelines (NIH)
- Peer Review Policies and Practices (NIH)
- NIH Rigor and Transparency Guidance (NIH)
- Guide to Internet Assisted Review Module (NIH)
- Top Peer Review Q&As for NIH Reviewers (NIH)
Your Responsibilities as a Reviewer
As a Peer Reviewer, you are an expert in a scientific or technical field related to the application(s)/proposal(s) to which you are assigned. Your role is to provide expert advice on the scientific and technical merit of applications/proposals.
Your responsibilities include:
- Checking for conflicts in applications/proposals and certifying your pre-meeting conflict of interest form;
- Reading the review instructions and applications/proposals;
- Writing preliminary critiques and submitting the completed critique by the stipulated deadline;
- Participating in the peer review meeting: present your evaluation for the assigned applications/proposals, contributing as appropriate to the discussion, and providing final scores;
- Certifying the post-meeting conflict of interest form after the review;
- Editing and submitting your final critiques for applications incorporating any change in opinion about the scientific and technical merit from the peer review meeting;
- Maintaining the confidentiality of the review proceedings, before, during, and after the meeting.
See also: NIH Reviewer Orientation (NIH)
The Scientific Review Officer (SRO)
The SRO is the Designated Federal Official (DFO) with legal responsibility for managing the review. No review proceedings or discussion of applications may take place unless the SRO is present.
The SRO’s responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Performing an administrative check of each application/proposal to ensure completeness and compliance with NIH application instructions and responsiveness to the funding opportunity. Applications that are incomplete or non-compliant may not be reviewed;
- Identifying, recruiting, and assigning reviewers based on scientific and technical qualifications;
- Documenting and managing conflicts of interests;
- Orienting reviewers on the NIH peer review process, applicable policies and procedures;
- Arranging and managing all aspects of the review and its documentation;
- Monitoring the review process to ensure fair, unbiased and scientifically/technically appropriate evaluation of the application/proposal;
- Preparing the summary statements for applications and technical evaluation reports for proposals reviewed.
See also from CSR: Role of the SRO (NIH)
Interested in serving on NIDA Peer Review panel or becoming an SRO?
Please contact:
- Dr. Dharmendar Rathore
Chief, Scientific Review Branch
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health
Email: rathored@nih.gov
Phone: (301) 402-6965 - See also: Becoming a peer reviewer at NIH (NIH)
Looking to Apply for NIDA Funding?
- NIDA Funding Opportunities
- NIDA Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)
- NIH Funding Opportunities (NIH)
- Grants Process Overview (NIH)
- Application Process for Grants and Contracts
- Notices of NIH Policy Changes (NIH)
- Grants Compliance and Oversight (NIH)
- Clinical Trial Requirements (NIH)
- Communicating and Acknowledging Federal Funding (NIH)
- Public Access Policy (NIH)
- Research Integrity (NIH)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (NIH)