Attracting and Retaining World-Class Research Scientists

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a $10 million expansion of the New York Fund for Innovation in Research and Scientific Talent (NYFIRST) and the launch of the program’s latest round. The program, which is administered by Empire State Development, has successfully strengthened the State’s translational research capabilities since its launch in 2018. The program provides grants to medical schools to attract and retain world-class translational research scientists in New York State, with the broader aim of cultivating biotech startups and fostering sustained economic growth through high-skill job creation and commercial opportunities. Translational research builds on basic scientific research to find new ways to diagnose and treat medical conditions. Applications for the sixth round of the program will run a full 12 months with rolling reviews, allowing medical schools to submit applications until April 30, 2026. More information can be found on the NYFIRST page of the Empire State Development website.

“Our NYFIRST program has emerged as a transformative force for scientific advancement, turning New York's medical institutions into powerhouses that attract the brightest minds in research,” Governor Hochul said. “This $10 million investment reaffirms our dedication to fostering a dynamic life science ecosystem where groundbreaking innovations flourish and create sustainable, high-value jobs throughout our state.”

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Through strategic investments like NYFIRST, we're positioning New York as the premier destination for life science innovation worldwide. When exceptional scientific talent chooses our state, their innovative laboratory discoveries can evolve more quickly into life-changing therapies that can benefit all New Yorkers.”

The new 12-month application timeframe provides each medical school the flexibility to put forward its best candidate on a schedule that works best—particularly important when coordinating cross-country relocations of researchers and their teams. Medical schools are eligible to apply only once per application cycle. This flexibility ensures that the investigators recruited represent the top candidates in their fields, with benefits to the state's life science ecosystem continuing well beyond the grant periods. The new application forms are available on the NYFIRST page of the Empire State Development website.

NYFIRST was launched in 2018 with an initial funding of $15 million. The FY25 Enacted Budget appropriated an additional $10 million for NYFIRST recognizing its potential to drive significant life science economic development across the state. The program provides up to $1.0 million in funding to cover costs related to each investigator's research, with all funding requirements detailed in the guidelines.

Since the program's launch, 12 NYFIRST grants have been awarded to medical schools in New York, bringing new talent to the state and directly creating more than 160 new jobs, including 95 new hires from outside New York State. The recruited researchers have brought approximately $25.7 million in NIH and other funding to their respective New York institutions and have since raised an additional $93.1 million in external funding. All investigators recruited during the first five application cycles have created jobs and continue to work at the schools that recruited them, demonstrating NYFIRST is meeting its objectives.