2025 Federal Administration Transition Information & Resources - This will be updated as new information is available.

Stanford
Office of Research Administration

NIH Biosketches - Current Guidance

Biosketch Resources

A biographical sketch (also referred to as biosketch) documents an individual's qualifications and experience for a specific role in a project. NIH requires submission of a biosketch for each proposed senior/key personnel and other significant contributor on a grant application. Some funding opportunities or programs may also request biosketches for additional personnel (e.g., Participating Faculty Biosketch attachment for institutional training awards). Applicants and recipients are required to submit biosketches:

  • in competing applications for all types of grant programs,
  • in progress reports when new senior/key personnel or other significant contributors are identified, and
  • to support prior approval requests for changes in senior/key personnel status and changes of recipient organization.

NIH staff and peer reviewers utilize the biosketch to ensure that individuals included on the applications are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research.   

NIH biosketches must conform to NIH approved formats.  Applicants and recipients can use the NIH provided format pages or the NIH biosketch template within SciENcv.

Scientific Appointments

NIH biosketches must include all current 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).

Stanford has defined “scientific appointments” to include appointments at any institution (regardless of the title of the appointment), where you are directly involved in any of the following activities:

  • the design, conduct, or reporting of academic activities either independently or in support of someone at the other institution.
  • providing advice for establishing research programs or laboratories.
  • the preparation of proposals, progress, and final reports.
  • assisting in the guidance or training of postdoctoral scholars, graduate, and undergraduate students.
  • or helping other researchers in attaining the goals of research projects 

Also report all appointments at foreign institutions given for the purpose of serving on a thesis committee or a peer review committee.

Additional Biosketch Resources

Need further assistance? Have questions and/or feedback? Please submit questions and/or feedback and a member of the ORA-RMG Disclosures Team will respond to you shortly.