Mississippi INBRE would like to share an important reminder regarding National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy on foreign components associated with INBRE-supported activities.
Under the current NIH Notice of Funding Opportunity (PAR-23-100), foreign components are not allowed. The NIH Grants Policy Statement defines a foreign component as any significant scientific element or segment of a project conducted outside of the United States or involving a researcher affiliated with a foreign organization, regardless of whether grant funds are used.
Examples of activities that may be considered a foreign component include:
- Collaboration with investigators at foreign institutions that may result in co-authorship
- Use of facilities or instrumentation located outside of the United States
- Receipt of financial support or other resources from a foreign entity
- Data collection activities conducted internationally
NIH has recently increased enforcement of this policy (see NOT-OD-26-026).
What this means for Mississippi INBRE and you:
- Publications supported by Mississippi INBRE funding must acknowledge the grant
- Publications that include co-authors affiliated with foreign institutions are considered to involve a foreign component and are not allowable under Mississippi INBRE-supported activities
- Mississippi INBRE funds may not be used to support any activity or publication involving a foreign component, regardless of acknowledgment
- Investigators should ensure that all collaborations and resulting publications fully comply with NIH policy prohibiting foreign components
Mississippi INBRE will align with this policy moving forward. We encourage all investigators to carefully review current and planned collaborations to ensure compliance.
If you have questions about this guidance or need assistance evaluating a collaboration, please contact the Mississippi INBRE Administrative Core by emailing msinbre@usm.edu.