The NIH Common Fund has teamed up with NASA’s Tournament Lab to launch the Replication Prize, a competition to advance scientific research by collecting ideas and strategies to make important lines of biomedical research more replicable.

Scientific rigor is the strict application of the scientific method to ensure unbiased and well-controlled experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation and reporting of results. The use of rigorous design and research principles combined with transparency in reporting methods and outcomes enables important lines of biomedical research to be repeated by other researchers. Replication studies are a core part of the scientific process and critical in assessing the validity of novel research outcomes, particularly those that form the basis of evidence-based practices to improve public health.

Despite standing scientific standards in experimental rigor and reproducibility, there is evidence that many peer-reviewed research studies are not replicable. Large scale replicability studies have shown that there are many challenges in performing replication studies. Issues such as incomplete documentation, lack of transparency in results and protocols, failures to share data, reagents, and other materials, and experimental method difficulty can lead to inconsistent results across research groups. Performing replication research advances scientific knowledge while increasing confidence in the reliability and validity of different research methods and scientific ideas, however, the best methods of incorporating replication studies into daily scientific practice are still being explored.

The Replication Prize will crowdsource ideas to identify high impact areas of science for future replication efforts and to reward efforts in increasing replicability in important areas of biomedical research. The goal of this prize competition is to boost current replication efforts and encourage a culture change in biomedical research where replication activities are a routine part of conducting research.

Submissions will address at least one of two tracks:

• Track One (Replication Ideas): Submissions will identify high impact areas of research that are in need of replication studies.
• Track Two (Replication Exemplars): Submissions will highlight the strategies used to integrate replication into ongoing research activities. The winning strategies will be compiled as a publicly available reference. 

By improving rigor and transparency in science, researchers will be able to understand the limits of original results and expand upon existing scientific theories. This sets the stage for advancing scientific discovery and technologies that can be applied to improving the health and well-being of the population. 

The total cash prize purse for this competition is $850,000 to be shared among winners. 

Submit your ideas by Dec 19, 2025 at 8:00PM EST

To accept the challenge, visit: https://bit.ly/3ICAkc1 

Do you have questions? Reach out to email: [email protected]