On Oct. 6, 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it had awarded 85 grants through its High-Risk, High-Reward Research (HRHR) Program that will fund highly innovative and unusually impactful biomedical or behavioral research proposed by extraordinarily creative scientists. The 85 awards total approximately $251 million over five years, pending available funds.

The High-Risk, High-Reward Research program catalyzes scientific discovery by supporting research proposals that, due to their inherent risk, may struggle in the traditional peer-review process despite their transformative potential. Program applicants are encouraged to think “outside the box” and to pursue trailblazing ideas in any area of research relevant to the NIH’s mission to advance knowledge and enhance health.

NIH issued 10 Pioneer awards, 53 New Innovator awards, nine Transformative Research awards, and 13 Early Independence awards for 2020. Funding for the awards comes from the NIH Common Fund; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; National Cancer Institute; National Human Genome Research Institute; National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; National Institute of General Medical Sciences; National Institute of Mental Health; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; and National Institute on Aging.