NIBR Global Scholars Program

The NIBR Global Scholars Program (NGSP) is a competitive program designed for innovators from invited institutions to gain funding for breakthrough science not covered by traditional grant support. Through this program, NIBR supports projects focused on novel science with the objective of being translated to drug discovery and/or clinical research.

In 2020, 38 institutions from nine countries were invited to participate. Novartis scientists evaluated proposals and selected six investigators and their innovative projects that push scientific boundaries.

Meet the 2020 recipients

We are honored to welcome the following innovators to the inaugural NIBR Global Scholars Program. Each Scholar will receive up to 1 mil USD funding over the next three years along with drug-hunting expertise from a dedicated NIBR scientific collaborator. Together with these distinguished Scholars, we will explore new scientific frontiers in our shared mission to improve the lives of patients.

• David Andrews (Sunnybrook Research Institute) 
• Matthew Greenblatt (Weill Cornell Medicine) 
• Junyeop Lee (Asan Medical Center)
• Alison Narayan (University of Michigan)
• Ellis Reinherz (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) 
• Jin Zhang (UC San Diego)

Access to inter-disciplinary expertise

Academic scholars have access to disease area drug-hunting and translational research expertise. Each selected scholar will join forces with other entrepreneurially motivated NIBR scientists to challenge the status quo and take bold risks for potential big rewards, and will have an opportunity to advance research into early development stages.

Resources for breakthrough science

In addition to the funding of USD 1M over three years, a dedicated alliance manager will ensure a productive collaboration environment between NIBR and the academic institution by handling all operational facets of the NGSP.