FY 2012 Request for National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

“The mission of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies. The Institute is committed to integrating the physical and engineering sciences with the life sciences to advance basic research and medical care.” ~NIBIB’s mission overview

The budget for NIBIB would increase by 1.8 percent or $5.7 million from $316.4 million to $322.1 million under the FY 2012 budget request submitted by President Obama to Congress. NIBIB is a part of the National Institutes of Health, for which the Administration requested a $745 million increase to $32 billion.

Please note that all comparisons given are based on the FY 2010 enacted levels because no full-year FY 2011 appropriations bills have been passed by Congress.

NIBIB’s budget document explains the changes requested as follows:

“Research Project Grants (RPGs; -$1.096 million; total $231.454 million):

“NIBIB will continue to fund a substantial number of RPGs, 545 awards in FY 2012 (a decrease of 44 from FY 2010).”

“Training (+$0.442 million; total $11.510 million):

“NIH will provide an across-the-board increase in FY 2012 of four percent for stipends levels under the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award training program to continue efforts to attain the stipend levels recommended by the National Academy of Sciences. This will build on the two percent increase in stipend levels for FY 2011. Stipend levels were nearly flat for several years and the requested increase will help to sustain the development of a highly qualified biomedical research workforce. Training costs are also reflected in the FY 2012 Technological Competitiveness - Bridging the Sciences program total, as all NIBIB training activities are within that program.”

“Research & Development Contracts (+$4.669 million; total $17.706 million):

“NIBIB’s R&D contracts total includes NIBIB’s share of several trans-NIH initiatives, such as the Therapies for Rare and Neglected Diseases program, the Basic Behavioral and Social Sciences Opportunity Network (OppNet), and support for a new synchrotron at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.”