Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence: Expansion/Sustainability Phases (COBRE E/S)

The Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence: Expansion/Sustainability Phases (COBRE-E/S) program, under Notice of Funding Opportunity PAR-27-055, is a limited competition initiative by the National Institutes of Health designed to build biomedical research capacity in states that historically receive low levels of NIH funding. The program consists of two primary phases: COBRE-E, which focuses on expanding research capacity by growing the institutional faculty base and supporting research projects and core facilities, and COBRE-S, which aims to sustain that infrastructure and consolidate research cores. A critical requirement for COBRE-E applicants is the submission of a sustainability plan to be implemented during the subsequent COBRE-S phase. Funding is subject to a multi-stage review process evaluating scientific merit, programmatic priorities, and administrative factors. Key priorities include the scientific breadth of the center, the inclusion of New and Early Stage Investigators, and the alignment with institutional strategic goals. Awards are limited to a five-year project period with a maximum annual direct cost limit of 1.5 million dollars, plus a potential one-time alteration and renovation fund request of up to 300,000 dollars. Applicants must maintain active registrations in the System for Award Management and eRA Commons and provide essential documentation, including a Letter of Institutional Support and a Data Management and Sharing Plan. The program structure requires an Administrative Core for oversight and a Scientific Research Program, with optional Research Cores. Performance is monitored through an Advisory Committee that must meet at least twice per year and the implementation of a Career Development Plan for investigators. Additionally, recipients must adhere to strict cybersecurity standards modeled after the NIST framework, including multifactor authentication and a 48-hour incident notification requirement, as well as rigorous research safety compliance for human subjects and vertebrate animals.