Who Conducts Research at the NIH?
Laboratories at the NIH vary greatly in size. A small lab may have only a half dozen staff members, while a large group may include thirty. A laboratory may include individuals from some or all of the following groups. Principal Investigators: Principal investigators (PIs) hold a doctoral degree. They can be either tenured investigators (also known as senior investigators) or tenure-track investigators. These individuals run their own labs and have the authority to hire all of the remaining groups of scientists. There are about 1200 PIs at the NIH, about three-fourths of them tenured. Staff Scientists: Staff scientists generally hold a doctoral degree. Although they are not principal investigators, they are extremely accomplished scientists. They often fulfill key functions such as managing the laboratory of an extremely busy PI or running a core facility that provides services to many investigators. About 1300 individuals are staff scientists at the NIH. Clinical Fellows (about 400 of
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