Posted by Robert Pearce on October 6, 2015

Seven scientists awarded grants for high-risk, high-return research
The awards are designed to encourage scientists to pursue creative research projects with the potential of leading to big improvements in health care.

Seven Stanford scientists have received awards totaling $11.5 million to pursue high-risk, high-reward research, the National Institutes of Health announced today.
They are among the 78 recipients of the 2015 Pioneer, New Innovator, Transformative Research and Early Independence awards from the NIH. The awards are designed to encourage scientists to pursue creative research projects with the potential of leading to big improvements in health care.
“Our scientists exemplify the spirit of excellence and innovation for which Stanford’s research program is known,” said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine, which is home to six of this year’s Stanford recipients. “I congratulate all of the award winners on this tremendous honor and thank them for helping Stanford Medicine lead the biomedical revolution in precision health.”
This year, the NIH handed out 13 Pioneer Awards, 41 New Innovator Awards, eight Transformative Research Awards and 16 Early Independence Awards. The total funding came to about $121 million.
“This program has consistently produced research that revolutionized scientific fields by giving investigators the freedom to take risks and explore potentially groundbreaking concepts,” said NIH director Francis Collins, MD, PhD. “We look forward to the remarkable advances in biomedical research the 2015 awardees will make.”