Published August 3, 2026, via Research News
This digest highlights recent announcements and updates issued by federal agencies, but is not comprehensive. Regularly check sponsor websites to see all announcements.
The White House
July 21, 2026
Science: A New Golden Age, a report to the President
- White House OSTP Director Michael Kratsios wrote this report proposing an overhaul of U.S. federal research and development. The report organizes its recommendations to government, industry, academia, and philanthropy around four key pillars:
- Revitalize America’s Science and Technology Enterprise
- Secure U.S. Dominance in Critical and Emerging Technologies
- Launch a New Golden Age Powered by AI for Science
- Ensure That Science and Technology Better the Lives of All Americans
OMB – the Office of Management and Budget
Proposed Changes to the Uniform Guidance
- On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed significant revisions to the Uniform Guidance. Several of the most consequential proposed changes to research are summarized here.
- WashU has submitted a formal letter expressing concerns and opposition to these changes.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Starting on September 15, 2026, the US will admit student visa holders for a fixed period of time according to the length of their program, which cannot exceed four years. This process replaces the “duration of status” (D/S) system that previously allowed student visa holders to remain in the US for the duration of their time as a student.
- Going forward, if a student needs more than four years to finish their program, they must now apply through an immigration officer to stay beyond their originally approved “admit until” date or leave the country and apply for an entirely new visa. Students who are in the middle of their degree will be able to remain in the country until their program end date, provided that date is not later than November 14, 2030. Otherwise, existing visa holders will need to apply for an extension of stay. The rule also reduces the amount of time visa holders have to leave the country once their program ends from two months to one.
HHS – Health and Human Services
June 22, 2026
Operation TrialBlazer: HHS Roadmap to Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Early Clinical Research and Development
- Operation TrialBlazer is a coordinated FDA and NIH effort to reduce US trial friction and counter China’s growing clinical research share. The initiative includes an Expedited IND pilot with rolling institutional submissions, a Phase I Contact Center, updated CMC guidance for early-stage trials, and single-trial approval flexibility for late-stage programs.
NIH – National Institutes of Health
July 29, 2026
NOT-OD-26-100: Implementation Update: NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan Requirements
- Beginning in FY 2027, NIH will require all existing awards and applications subject to the NIH Data Management Sharing (DMS) Policy to transition and align with the updated DMS Plan format. This requirement applies regardless of when the competing application was submitted.
- Consistent with NIH burden reduction efforts and the implementation of the updated DMS Plan format, recipients will no longer be required to obtain prior approval to modify an approved DMS Plan. As such, NIH plans to retire the DMS Prior Approval Request type in the eRA Commons Prior Approval Module.
- Effective October 1, 2026, recipients must use the RPPR (Section C.5.c.) to report progress on data sharing activities and notify NIH of changes to an approved DMS Plan, such as changes in scientific direction, data repositories, or sharing timelines.
July 28, 2026
Announcement: Release of the U.S. Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research
- The U.S. Government Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research implements a ban on federal funding for Dangerous Gain-of-Function (DGOF) research, fulfilling Executive Order 14292. The directive establishes a centralized, risk-based framework requiring independent review for potential DGOF studies, strict oversight of international research, and mandatory compliance for investigators.
NOT-OD-26-101: USG Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research
- The federal government is issuing a United States Government (USG) Policy for Stopping High-Risk Life Sciences Research. This policy focuses on two broad areas:
- Dangerous gain-of-function (DGOF) research. Research with a biological agent that seeks, achieves, or has a substantial risk of achieving one or more of the outcomes listed in the Policy and could result in significant negative societal consequences.
- International research of concern (IROC). Research conducted in a country of concern or outside of the United States by individuals or institutions of concern; or research that could reasonably pose a threat to public health, public safety, and economic or national security conducted in a country with inadequate oversight.
July 27, 2026
NOT-OD-26-094: NIH Is Replacing Letters of Support with Letters of Collaboration to Reduce Administrative Burden
- With the implementation of Forms J in Fiscal Year 2027, the NIH will follow the format of the NSF and will no longer allow letters of support but will instead require letters of collaboration to document any collaborative relationships with individuals that are not identified in the application as senior/key personnel or other significant contributors. Because senior/key personnel and other significant contributors must provide biosketches in the application, letters of collaboration from them are unnecessary and burdensome.
- Letters designed to endorse the application without an intent to collaborate or provide material support will no longer be permitted in NIH grant applications. Letters of collaboration should not be provided from trainees or staff in the laboratory of the Program Director/Principal Investigator(s), including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and technicians.
- Letters of collaboration should be limited to stating the intent to collaborate or provide material support as described in the application and should not contain endorsements or additional information about or evaluations of the proposed project. An individual letter of collaboration must not exceed 100 words. View the notice for NIH’s recommendations for letters of collaboration.
NSF – National Science Foundation
July 8, 2026
Dear Colleague Letter: Prohibition on Collaborations with Restricted Entities
- This policy bans using NSF funds for research with groups on federal restricted lists, stops key researchers from taking money or jobs from those groups, and shifts policy from case reviews to a full ban.
- NSF plans to revise its current guidance to include the following:
- NSF appropriated funds shall not be used for grants, contracts, other transactions or other assistance to an organization if the purpose is to conduct research in collaboration with restricted entities. This funding prohibition also extends to the employees of such restricted entities.
- Senior/key personnel are prohibited from holding an appointment or position with, or receiving research support from, a restricted entity. Further, senior/key personnel are prohibited from collaborating with a restricted entity, or employee thereof, on research funded by their NSF award.
- NSF is announcing plans to renew and revise its collection for its financial assistance policies and procedures. NSF is providing the opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting OMB clearance of this collection for no longer than three years.
- Written comments on this notice must be submitted by August 24, 2026, to be considered.
& In Case You Missed It…
- Effective August 5, 2026, covered individuals on federal financial assistance awards must certify to NASA they have taken research security training prior to submission of proposals.
- As of June 25, 2026, applicants for NASA grants and cooperative agreements can complete biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support disclosure forms directly within the SciENcv platform. Until August 31, 2026, NASA will accept either the existing Word fillable forms or SciENcv-generated forms. Starting September 1, 2026, NASA will only accept the NASA-specific, SciENcv-developed forms for all proposals.
If you have agency updates you would like to add to future digests, email rei@wusm.wustl.edu.