NIH Biosketch Template

A complete NIH biosketch you can edit: personal statement, positions and honors, and contributions to science.

A complete NIH biosketch, prefilled with a realistic example you can edit

NIH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

NAME: [Last, First, Middle]
eRA COMMONS USER NAME: [username]
POSITION TITLE: [for example, Associate Professor of Bioengineering]

A. PERSONAL STATEMENT

I have the expertise, training, and motivation necessary to carry out the proposed research project on [topic, for example "scaffold-guided cartilage regeneration"]. My research program focuses on [one or two sentences on your focus and why it matters]. I have led [number] funded projects as Principal Investigator and have built the [specific skills, instruments, or collaborations] this project requires.

The proposed work builds directly on my prior studies. In [Citation 1], we demonstrated [result relevant to this application]. That finding motivates Aim 1 of the current proposal. My laboratory is equipped with [relevant capability], and I have established collaborations with [collaborator and expertise] to cover [the complementary expertise the project needs].

Beyond technical fit, I have a record of completing rigorous projects on time and mentoring trainees to independence. I am confident I can direct this project to a successful and reproducible conclusion.

Citations most relevant to this application:
1. [Author list]. [Title]. [Journal]. [Year];[Vol]:[Pages]. PMCID: [PMCXXXXXXX]
2. [Citation]
3. [Citation]
4. [Citation]

B. POSITIONS, SCIENTIFIC APPOINTMENTS, AND HONORS

Positions and Employment
2017 to 2020   Assistant Professor, [Department], [University]
2020 to present   Associate Professor, [Department], [University]

Other Experience and Professional Memberships
2015 to present   Member, [Professional Society]
2019 to present   Ad hoc reviewer, [Journal or NIH study section]

Honors
2014   [Award, for example "NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship"]
2021   [Award, for example "Early Career Investigator Award, Society for Biomaterials"]

C. CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE

1. [Theme of the contribution, for example "Defining how scaffold stiffness directs stem cell fate."]
Briefly describe the contribution: the problem, your finding, your specific role, and why it mattered to the field. Keep it to roughly half a page.
a. [Citation]. PMCID: [PMCXXXXXXX]
b. [Citation]
c. [Citation]
d. [Citation]

2. [Second contribution theme.]
[Two to four sentences.]
a. [Citation]
b. [Citation]

3. [Third contribution theme.]
[Two to four sentences.]
a. [Citation]
b. [Citation]

4. [Fourth contribution theme, optional.]
[Two to four sentences.]
a. [Citation]

Complete list of published work: [link to your My Bibliography / NCBI public page]

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HOW TO USE THIS BIOSKETCH (delete before submitting)

The NIH biosketch tells reviewers you are the right person to do this specific project. It is not a full CV. Keep these rules in mind:

1. Use the current official form. NIH updates the biosketch format periodically, and a new format applies to application due dates on or after May 25, 2025. Always download the current fillable form and instructions from grants.nih.gov before you submit, and follow the page limit and section requirements in force for your deadline. This template reflects the durable core sections, but the official form governs.
2. Tailor the Personal Statement to the application in hand. Name the project, cite the four most relevant papers, and explain why your prior work sets up these specific aims. A generic statement is a wasted opportunity.
3. Lead each Contribution to Science with the impact, not a list. State the problem, what you found, your role, and why it mattered, then list up to four citations.
4. Include PMCIDs. Papers arising from NIH funding must show a PMCID to satisfy the public access policy.
5. Respect the page limit (five pages under the current standard format). Reviewers stop reading past it.

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How to use this NIH biosketch template

This NIH biosketch template gives you a complete biographical sketch prefilled with a realistic example, ready to copy, download, and adapt. The biosketch is not a full curriculum vitae; it is a focused argument that you are the right person to carry out this specific project. Edit the example in place, replace each bracketed detail with your own, and tailor it to the application in hand rather than reusing one generic version.

The template covers the durable core sections reviewers expect: a personal statement that names the project and cites your most relevant work, your positions, scientific appointments, and honors, and your contributions to science, each led by the impact and followed by up to four citations with PMCIDs to satisfy the public access policy. The single most important rule is to use the current official form: NIH revises the biosketch periodically, and a new format applies to due dates on or after May 25, 2025, so download the current fillable form and instructions from grants.nih.gov and follow the page limit and section requirements in force for your deadline.

The biosketch is one piece of a larger research application. Pair it with a sharp specific aims template and our guide to how to write specific aims, and if you are pursuing small business research funding, see our guide to how to write an SBIR proposal.

This template is a starting point, not a promise of an award. What it does is help you present your record as evidence of fit, not just a list of accomplishments. When you are assembling an NIH or SBIR application and want it built to win, our SBIR and STTR grant writers can take it from here, or request a flat-fee quote and a certified grant professional will respond within one business day.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a new NIH biosketch format?+

Yes. NIH updates the biosketch format periodically, and a revised format applies to application due dates on or after May 25, 2025. Because the required version depends on your deadline, always download the current fillable form and instructions from grants.nih.gov before you submit. This template reflects the durable core sections, but the official form in force for your due date governs.

How to write a good NIH biosketch?+

Tailor it to the specific application rather than reusing a generic version. Write a personal statement that names the project and cites your four most relevant papers, then explain why your prior work sets up these aims. In Contributions to Science, lead each entry with the impact, the problem you solved, your role, and why it mattered, followed by up to four citations with PMCIDs. Keep it within the page limit.

What are the changes in the NIH biosketch format?+

NIH revises the biosketch from time to time, adjusting sections, length, and required content, with the current format applying to due dates on or after May 25, 2025. Rather than rely on a summary that can go out of date, confirm the exact requirements for your deadline in the current form and instructions at grants.nih.gov, since the official version always overrides any template.

How long should an NIH biosketch be?+

Under the current standard format the NIH biosketch is limited to five pages. Reviewers stop reading past the limit, so keep the personal statement focused, cite only the most relevant work, and resist turning the document into a full curriculum vitae. Always confirm the page limit for your specific form at grants.nih.gov.

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