NINDS Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) for Training of Postdoctoral Fellows (F32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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.

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.

The proposed research and training plan should enhance the individual’s potential to develop into a productive, independent researcher by providing strong mentorship, appropriate training and career development opportunities, and strong institutional support and commitment. The training plan should explain how the proposed mentored research and training plan, in combination with the candidate's prior training and experience, will contribute to the individual’s research career goals. The training plan should be explicitly designed to facilitate the forward progress of the fellow’s research career towards the candidate's desired goals.

It is expected that the training experience will provide:

• Strong, active mentorship that will prepare the candidate to thrive in the scientific enterprise
• A rigorous approach to a significant research question;
• Expertise in a research area;
• The opportunity to publish the research findings as first author;
• A strong foundation in quantitative reasoning, research design, methods, statistics and analytic techniques appropriate to the proposed research;
• An understanding of, and adherence to, the principles of scientific investigation that will ensure robust and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation and reporting of results;
• An expert understanding of the tools and methods used;
• Opportunities to present research findings, and interact with members of the scientific community, at national meetings as the work progresses, and
• Professional skills and scientific credentials needed to transition to the next stage of the applicant’s research career

• City or township governments
• County governments
• For profit organizations other than small businesses
• Independent school districts
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)
• Small businesses
• Special district governments
• State governments