Peer Review of Research Grant Applications NIH employs a two-tiered review system. The second level of review is performed by the National Advisory Council or Board of the potential awarding component. Council or Board recommendations are based not only on considerations of scientific and technical merit, as judged in the initial review, but also on the relevance of the proposed study to an NIH institute's programs and priorities. The first level of review is performed by an scientific review group , often called a study section or review committee. Descriptions of the Center for Scientific Review IRGs and their rosters can be found on the CSR Referral and Review page .
ICs also maintain their own review personnel and committees .
Scientific Review Groups, consisting of between 15 and 30 scientists, meet three times a year to evaluate the scientific merit of each application assigned to them. These scored applications are subsequently given a percentile ranking against all applications reviewed by that study section at its last three meetings. Review groups make recommendations on the budget and length of support requested. They also review, and when necessary comment on, the appropriateness of proposed procedures for the protection of human subjects and the treatment of animals. Following the meeting, a confidential evaluative statement, called a summary statement, is written for each application.