NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Program

Purpose

The NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Grant supports Training Programs that equip trainees with the knowledge and skills needed to advance basic research toward clinical application. The Programs provide outstanding research training to prepare advanced predoctoral (years 3 and 4) student and/or postdoctoral trainees conducting basic, disease-relevant research in an environment that includes 1) basic scientists and clinicians who are actively engaged in collaboratives research projects, 2) neuroscientists with expertise in translational processes who are conducting research designed to move basic discoveries toward clinical application and 3) trainees engaged in relationships with industry and government regulatory agencies. Programs supported by this mechanism include activities that ensure a thorough understanding of experimental design strong quantitative and analytical skills, and a deep understanding of statistical methodology.

Program Announcement

PA-25-168 (Parent T32). Instructions available in the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts under "NINDS".

Note: NINDS will no longer be able to provide 1.2 person months salary support per year for a faculty-level statistician and $8,000 per year to invite outside experts to conduct seminars or workshops due to cost caps built into the Parent T32 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Due Dates for all Applications

May 25

PD/PI Eligibility

Established investigators

Appointee Eligibility

U.S. citizens or permanent residents; research doctoral program; clinical doctoral program; research postdoctoral program; clinical postdoctoral program

Institution Eligibility

U.S. domestic institutions

Additional Information

The objective of this NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Program is to support outstanding training for advanced predoctoral (years 3 and 4) and postdoctoral scientists.

Programs should provide comprehensive training within an environment rich in translational research in which trainees will conduct basic, disease-related studies with an understanding of the requirements for translating discoveries into viable therapies. These programs should prepare trainees to become successful scientists equipped to pursue neuroscience research that is informed by translational considerations and principles. Moreover, these programs must provide strong foundational skills in experimental design, statistical methodology, and quantitative reasoning.

Programs may support predoctoral students, PhD postdoctoral fellows, fellowship-stage clinicians, or any combination of trainees from these three groups. For institutions that have MSTP programs and intend to support MD/PhD students with this mechanism, the PD/PI should ensure that the majority of trainees supported by the program are those seeking a PhD rather than an MD/PhD. Training Programs that will support both predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows should have a single program in with both groups of trainees participate together and interact.

Awards will typically be made for a maximum of 4 trainee slots per year, although an exception may be made in rare circumstances for up to 8 slots. Those interested in applying for more than 4 slots of support per year are advised to contact K. Paul Rezaizadeh, Ph.D. at NINDS Training Office. Applicants may request support for advanced (dissertation stage) predoctoral Ph.D. and M.D. students, postdoctoral fellows, or a mix of both. (NINDS does not support 1^st or 2^nd year graduate students under this PA). Applications must specify the anticipated predoctoral to postdoctoral ratio.

After a training grant has been awarded, T32 directors who wish to make changes in this ratio must obtain prior approval from K. Paul Rezaizadeh, Ph.D. at NINDS Training Office. If the original application requested support exclusively for either predoctoral or postdoctoral trainees, the general policy will be to not allow trainees in another category to receive support (as such support has not been through the peer review process). However, exceptions are possible and will require that additional information be provided for administrative review and prior approval.

Applicants for the NINDS Institutional Research Training Grant program are strongly encouraged to contact NINDS Training Office no later than 30 days prior to the application deadline to confirm the relevance and responsiveness of their proposed training program.

List of funded awards under this mechanism