Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-25-234
The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32) is to support promising candidates during their mentored postdoctoral training under the guidance of experienced faculty sponsors. The integrated program of research and training should enhance the individual’s potential to develop into a productive, independent researcher. The research and training plans are expected to provide the candidate with a strong understanding of the rigorous research design, experimental methods, quantitative approaches, and data analysis. The training plan should document the need for, and the anticipated value of, the proposed mentored training in relationship to the individual’s research career goals. The training plan should also facilitate the fellow’s transition to the next stage of their career.
This NINDS F32 is designed specifically to support postdoctorates who are just beginning a postdoctoral training period in a given laboratory or research environment (support from this F32 NOFO may be requested for either a first or subsequent postdoctoral mentored training position, but a subsequent postdoctoral position will only be supported if the laboratory, research environment and mentor(s) are completely different from those of the applicant’s first postdoctoral position). The window during which applicants are eligible to apply (from approximately 12 months prior to starting in the proposed postdoctoral position to within 12 months of starting the postdoctoral position; resubmissions are allowed up to 18 months after starting the postdoctoral position) precludes the expectation of applicant-generated preliminary data, and thus encourages projects that rely on creative, innovative ideas that address highly significant questions. Due to the early application window, it is expected that there will be no preliminary data in the application and applicants are strongly encouraged NOT to include preliminary data in the application. Further, this F32 will only support postdoctorates who are within the first 4 years of training in a specific laboratory or scientific environment (or with a specific mentor). Candidates seeking support for completion of postdoctoral career development and transition to a faculty position can apply for a K99/R00.
Projects are encouraged at all levels of investigation, including basic science that is targeted to understanding central and/or peripheral nervous system processes but may not have direct disease-relevance, basic science with direct relevance to one or more neurological diseases or disorders, clinical (patient-oriented) research or translational research (studies designed to move compounds or devices towards clinical use). The integrated program of research and training is expected to provide applicants with training at the forefront of science that will prepare them to launch independent research careers in areas that will advance the goals of the NINDS mission.
For more information please see the opportunity webpage.