The investigator's guide to the new NIA website
September 27, 2017

Olivia KENT [Former NIA Staff],
Office of Communications & Public Liaison (OCPL).

If you’re a faithful reader of the blog, you may have noticed things looking a little different around here in the past couple of months. You’re not imagining things! You are, indeed, on a brand-new NIA website! This summer, NIA revealed a site full of features designed to help new and seasoned researchers and trainees find the information you need.

Now, we’re mobile responsive, so you’ll be able to browse the site on your phone, tablet, or laptop with ease. Building on best practices in web design, using federal web design standards, and employing analytics on how researchers visit NIA online, we’ve developed a site that is easier to search and navigate. It’s also optimized for Google and other search engines.

New features for researchers

In addition to an updated look and feel, we’ve revised or added a few new features—in addition to the content you are familiar with—aimed at your research interests.

One of the most important changes to each division page is the addition of specific information of interest to that division’s current and potential grantees. For example, the Division of Aging Biology page has information on geroscience and the Nathan Shock Centers. Check out the Division of Behavioral and Social Research page for data resources and links to publications and workshop reports. The Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology describes its research goals and priorities. And, the Division of Neuroscience page has information on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias initiatives and collaborations; it’s important to note that these initiatives are open to the entire research community.

Other highlights of the new site include:

• Grants & Funding – Visit the Grants & Funding portal for information on NIA funding policies, pay lines, scientific review, and resources to support researchers seeking support. As ever, you can find NIA funding opportunities in the NIH Grants Guide. If you’re looking for FOAs in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, you can find a listing here. And don’t forget to read the blog for the latest updates!
• Training & Career Development – The Training & Career Development pages are a one-stop shop for information on training opportunities funded by and at NIA, including opportunities for post-bac, pre-doc, post-doc, and other training programs.
• Connect with resources from the Intramural Research Program (IRP) – The NIA IRP website has been integrated into the main NIA site. This makes it easier to find information on IRP labs and research, including recent findings and publications, information about the core facilities, as well as training and job opportunities.
• Research resources – With the new Scientific Resources Database, researchers, trainees, and students can find information about and links to NIA-supported resources and datasets in a single place. Users can search by keyword, division, or category. This database includes the many valuable biological, clinical, and data resources available for your use.

We also want to point out—particularly for those of you who see patients or interact with study participants on a regular basis—that the NIA website is a premium resource for evidence-based consumer information on health and aging. Web content focuses on aspects of healthy aging, including the benefits of physical activity and exercise through NIA’s Go4Life campaign. We also feature in-depth information on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, from basic facts to caregiving approaches. You or your patients can order print copies of these materials, as well.

Let us hear from you!

We hope you find the new site easy to use and fun to browse, but this is a living and ongoing effort, with room to profit from your input. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below, or email NIAWebsiteFeedback@mail.nih.gov.