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NIGMS awards three types of grants for research training and fellowships:
- Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional National Research Service Awards (pre- and postdoctoral training grants)
- Ruth L. Kirschstein Individual National Research Service Awards (pre- and postdoctoral fellowships)
- Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Awards (undergraduate student training in academic research awards, predoctoral fellowships, faculty fellowships, visiting scientist fellowships, and ancillary training awards)
In addition, NIGMS funds several career development awards.
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Updated NIGMS NRSA Guidelines
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- Institutional Training Grants
- Predoctoral
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Biostatistics
- Biotechnology
- Cellular, Biochemical, and Molecular Sciences
- Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI)
- Genetics
- Medical Scientist (M.D.- Ph.D.) Training Program (MSTP)
- Molecular Biophysics
- Pharmacological Sciences
- Systems and Integrative Biology
- Postdoctoral
- Anesthesiology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Medical Genetics
- Trauma, Burn, and Peri-operative Injury
- Individual Awards
- Predoctoral
- Fellowship Awards for Minority Students
- Fellowship Awards for Students with Disabilities
- Postdoctoral
- Anesthesiology
Biochemistry and Biorelated Chemistry
Biomedical Engineering
- Cell Biology
Clinical Pharmacology
- Genetics and Developmental Biology
Genomics
- Molecular Biophysics
- Pharmacological Sciences
Physiological Sciences
Quantitative Biology
Trauma, Burn, and Peri-operative Injury
Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U*STAR) Awards
Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Awards
MARC Predoctoral Fellowships
MARC Faculty Predoctoral Fellowships
MARC Faculty Senior Fellowships
MARC Visiting Scientist Fellowships
MARC Ancillary Training Activities
- MORE Faculty Development Awards
- MORE Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards
- Mentored Career Development Awards in Anesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology, and Trauma and Burn Injury
- Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Awards
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA)
The purpose of the NRSA program is to help ensure that highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers and in the appropriate research areas and fields to carry out the Nation's biomedical and behavioral research agenda. NIGMS offers NRSA support in the scientific areas covered by each of its divisions.
NRSA trainees must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence (i.e., be in possession of a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or must be in possession of other legal verification of such status). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible.
NRSAs may not be used to support studies leading to the M.D., D.O., D.D.S., or a similar professional degree, unless the trainee is enrolled in a combined-degree (e.g., M.D.-Ph.D.) program. In addition, NRSAs may not be used to support residencies or other non-research clinical training.
NRSA-supported predoctoral trainees and fellows whose appointments were activated after June 10, 1993, do not incur a service payback obligation. Postdoctoral trainees and fellows in the first 12 months of their postdoctoral support will incur 1 month of obligation for each month of support. Postdoctoral trainees and fellows in the 13th and subsequent months of NRSA support will incur no further payback obligations. Payback obligations may be discharged by receiving an equal number of months of postdoctoral NRSA support. Recipients may also fulfill their obligations by engaging in health-related research or health-related teaching averaging more than 20 hours a week for a full work year.
A summary of the guidelines for institutional and individual awards follows. Further information regarding application dates, notification, tenure, trainee eligibility, and required payback provisions may be found on the NIH Web site, as well as in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, May 16, 2002 for institutional awards; February 6, 2003 for individual postdoctoral awards; and August 28, 2000, for individual senior fellow awards.
The NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts is issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to convey policy and administrative information and to help interested individuals and organizations keep informed of opportunities, requirements, and changes in grant and contract activities administered by NIH components.
For institutional training grants, the PHS 398 grant application form should be used; the PHS 416 application form should be used for individual NRSA fellowships.
Institutional Training Grants
Predoctoral
The NIGMS accepts predoctoral research training grant applications from eligible institutions for support of promising students who seek research training in the basic biomedical sciences and related behavioral and clinical fields. Successful applicants are expected to provide trainees with broad access to research opportunities across disciplinary and departmental lines and to maintain high standards for intellectual rigor and creativity. Collaborative involvement of faculty members who are from several different academic units and who conduct research programs in differing disciplines is essential. The students in these training programs should come from several academic units, and each student should participate in a variety of interdisciplinary training activities that broaden research skills and approaches. Institutions are expected to select appropriate students and faculty for their training program activities. These activities should include cutting-edge research opportunities, course work and seminars that are appropriate to the focus of the training program, laboratory rotations, training in the responsible conduct of research, and proactive mentoring. Additional program activities that could enhance the training experience include retreats and journal clubs. The graduate programs are expected to monitor trainee progress carefully and to ensure timely completion of the degree requirements. Programs are required to demonstrate successful efforts to recruit and retain a diverse trainee population, including students from underrepresented minority groups. Trainees should master a core scientific area in depth while becoming conversant in related fields, and acquiring information, skills and experience that will equip them for subsequent research careers. There are varied ways to achieve these interlocking goals, and institutions should capitalize on their strengths and unique features in this pursuit.
In some cases, including efforts to establish a new training focus at an institution, a training grant program may concentrate its activities on a limited group of training grant-supported students to achieve a unique training experience. However, for both new and continuing training grants, the training program should generally be made available to students beyond those supported by the NIGMS training grant, since this approach broadens its impact and extends the benefits of the training grant activities to a wider cadre of students. While NIGMS strongly encourages innovation in its training programs, it recognizes the value of established programs which are providing effective interdisciplinary training and programmatic activities to its own trainees and are serving as models for other predoctoral training programs in the institution.
Students are typically supported by the training grant for 1 to 3 years of graduate studies in Ph.D. programs or for 2 to 6 years in M.D.-Ph.D. programs. Use of NRSA support in the early years of training is strongly encouraged in order to provide maximum flexibility in the selection of courses, rotations, research fields, and mentors. The NRSA limit of five years of support for predoctoral trainees can be waived for trainees in M.D.-Ph.D. programs.
Predoctoral training grant applications will continue to be accepted in the Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D.-Ph.D.) and in the eight Ph.D. support areas listed. In general, only one application in a given training area will be supported at an institution. In addition, NIGMS will accept applications for predoctoral training programs that combine two or more of the eight Ph.D. support areas listed. This option is intended to facilitate the merger of existing training grant programs when the applicant determines that this combination will remove barriers or improve access to multidisciplinary research training. It also will foster the development of new integrated programs from institutions that lack sufficient numbers of faculty or students in any one of the individual Ph.D. support areas. Institutions interested in following this option should contact Dr. Norvell, Dr. Cole, or other NIGMS staff listed below.
All applicants for NIGMS predoctoral institutional training grants must specifically address the following items in their applications:
- Describe the mission and objectives of the program to be supported by the training grant.
- Describe the program activities and any innovative features that will be provided for trainees.
- For ongoing training grants, has training in any scientific disciplines or fields been added or deleted?
- Do the prospective trainees have adequate quantitative backgrounds relevant to the proposed training to pursue cutting-edge biomedical research? What does the training grant/program do to ensure that students have appropriate quantitative training?
In addition, the NIGMS offers the following suggestions for training grant programs to enhance the training experience. If relevant, descriptions of these activities/opportunities in the training grant application would be appropriate.
- Graduate programs supported by these training grants are encouraged to offer opportunities for interested trainees to obtain experience in teaching.
- Graduate programs are encouraged, if appropriate, to offer opportunities for interested students to take industrial or other internships outside of the training institution.
- Graduate programs are encouraged to provide information to trainees and prospective applicants about career outcomes of recent graduates and to organize student seminars and workshops for discussions of career opportunities and options.
- Graduate programs are encouraged to recruit trainees with a variety of undergraduate science backgrounds, including mathematics, engineering, and the physical sciences.
Postdoctoral
The NIGMS provides support for a small number of postdoctoral research training grants in more clinically related areas of research training and emphasizes the selection of M.D. degree holders as trainees for these programs. These postdoctoral training grants are limited to the support areas listed below. For these postdoctoral trainees, at least 2 years of rigorous research training should be provided in basic science and clinical departments. For appropriate Ph.D. postdoctoral trainees, training should focus on advanced and specialized areas of research and offer appropriate opportunities to study problems of clinical relevance. Programs for postdoctoral trainees should offer a range of research training opportunities as outlined below. No single postdoctoral trainee may receive more than 3 years of NRSA support, unless a waiver is obtained.
All applicants for NIGMS postdoctoral institutional training grants must specifically address the following items in their applications:
- Describe the mission and objectives of the program supported by the training grant.
- Describe the program activities and any innovative features that are provided for trainees.
Application Details
All training grant applicants are expected to present detailed plans of the training program organization, criteria for trainee recruitment and selection, and mechanisms for evaluation of the quality and success of the training effort. Information should be provided on the size and quality of the applicant pool and on the qualifications of the proposed faculty participants, including their experience as trainers and their current research programs and support. Applicants must describe their program plans, efforts to recruit and retain individuals from underrepresented minority groups as well as their success in recruitment, retention, and graduation of these individuals, and must describe program plans to provide instruction in the responsible conduct of scientific research. NIGMS places special emphasis on the recruitment of underrepresented minorities. The following groups have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research nationally: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders. Additional information on the implementation of this requirement can be found at the following web sites:
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/training/nrsa_minority_recruitment.html
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/news/reports/diversity_approaches.html
http://www.nigms.nih.gov/training/minority_recruit.html
The NIGMS training grant awards do not provide support for mixed predoctoral and postdoctoral research training; an application must request support for either predoctoral or postdoctoral research training. In general, only one award in each of the areas listed below will be made to an institution. This provision includes predoctoral applications from combined support areas. Institutional training grants may be made for project periods of up to five years and may be renewable. Information regarding dates of application, trainee-related expenses, trainee eligibility, required payback provision, and current stipends may be found at the following web site: http://grants1.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm#inst.
NIH stipend levels are periodically adjusted. The stipend level for postdoctoral trainees is determined by the number of years of relevant postdoctoral experience at the time of appointment. The stipend levels for 2004 are as follows:
Training Grant Stipends
Predoctoral $20,772
Postdoctoral
Years of Relevant Postdoctoral
Experience
0 $35,568
1 $37,476
2 $41,796
3 $43,428
4 $45,048
5 $46,992
6 $48,852
7 or more $51,036
The initial review of institutional training grants is carried out in study sections organized by the NIGMS Office of Scientific Review. Site visits are employed on some occasions as part of this process; however, applicants should not assume that site visits are automatic. Information on the criteria employed for the review of training grants and suggestions for preparation of an application can be found at the following web site: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/training/nrsatablesintro.html.
For questions about review of applications, contact:
Dr. Helen Sunshine
Chief, Office of Scientific Review
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Tel: (301) 594-2881
E-mail: sunshinh@nigms.nih.gov
For general information about these institutional NRSA programs, contact:
Dr. John C. Norvell
Assistant Director for Research Training
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Tel: (301) 594-0533
E-mail: norvellj@nigms.nih.gov
or
Dr. Alison Cole
Deputy Assistant Director for Research Training
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Tel: (301) 594-3349
E-mail: colea@nigms.nih.gov
Before preparing an application, applicants are strongly urged to contact Dr. Norvell and the staff member who is responsible for the specific area of training. For financial and grants management aspects of the training grant programs, contact:
Mr. Joseph Ellis
Chief Grants Management Officer
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-6200
Tel: (301) 594-5135
E-mail: ellisj@nigms.nih.gov
Predoctoral (T32)
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Dr. John Whitmarsh -- (301) 451-6446
Programs should train students in the background theory and biological application of information sciences (including computer science, statistics, and mathematics) to problems relevant to biomedical research. Of particular interest are multi-scale and large-scale problems in biology. Training should include the use of theory and computer application to the full spectrum of basic research in the biomedical sciences, including the analysis of molecular sequence and structure, molecular function, cellular function, physiology, genomics, and genetics.
Biostatistics: Dr. John Whitmarsh -- (301) 451-6446
Provides support for predoctoral training that integrates biostatistical theory and evolving methodologies with basic biomedical research including, but not limited to, bioinformatics, genetics, molecular biology, cellular processes, and physiology, as well as epidemiological, clinical, and behavioral studies. The goal is to ensure that a workforce of biostatisticians with a deep understanding of statistical theory and new methodologies is available to assume leadership roles related to the Nation's biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research needs.
Biotechnology: Dr. Warren Jones -- (301) 594-5938
Training should be multidisciplinary and focus on the applications of engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology to areas of basic biomedical research related to biotechnology. These programs should involve the participation of faculty from several departments/schools whose research emphases are on the areas listed above. Active participation by faculty members in engineering is particularly encouraged, as is the development of mechanisms to give students experience in the biotechnology industry.
Cellular, Biochemical, and Molecular Sciences: Dr. Marion Zatz -- (301) 594-0943
Programs should be cross-disciplinary and involve in-depth study of biological problems at the level of the cellular and molecular sciences. The research training offered should encompass related disciplines, such as biochemistry, bioinformatics, biophysics, chemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, molecular medicine, neurobiology, and pathology. These research opportunities should be available in the represented disciplines with faculty mentors from interacting departments and/or interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs.
Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI): Dr. Michael E. Rogers -- (301) 594-3827
Programs in this area should provide significant biological training to students receiving in-depth training in synthetic/mechanistic chemistry and provide significant training in synthetic/mechanistic chemistry to students being trained in depth in the biological sciences. It is expected that CBI programs will consist of faculty drawn from departments of chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and/or pharmaceutical chemistry and faculty from the biological disciplines, such as biochemistry, cell biology, and immunology. Students trained at the chemistry-biology interface should be well-grounded in a core discipline and sufficiently well-trained in complementary fields to allow them to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
Genetics: Dr. Marcus M. Rhoades, Jr. -- (301) 594-0943
Programs should emphasize broad training in the principles and mechanisms of genetics and related sciences. Training in a variety of areas such as classical genetics, molecular genetics, population and behavioral genetics, and developmental genetics should be offered. Programs may also include training and research opportunities in related disciplines such as biochemistry, cell biology, and statistics. Programs are generally expected to include faculty members in disciplines other than genetics.
Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP, leading to the combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree): Dr. Bert Shapiro -- (301) 594-3830
The MSTP supports the integrated medical and graduate research training that is required for the investigation of human diseases. It assures highly selected trainees a choice of a wide range of pertinent graduate programs in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences which, when combined with training in medicine, lead to the M.D.-Ph.D. degree. Programs are encouraged to provide a breadth of doctoral research training opportunities consistent with individual institutional strengths. In addition to the above disciplines, support of trainees in other disciplines such as computer sciences, social and behavioral sciences, economics, epidemiology, public health, bioengineering, biostatistics, and bioethics is encouraged. Proposed MSTP programs should be flexible and adaptable in providing each trainee with the appropriate background in the sciences relevant to medicine, yet be rigorous enough to enable graduates to function independently in both basic research and clinical investigation.
Molecular Biophysics: Dr. Paula Flicker -- (301) 594-3828
Training in this area should be multidisciplinary and focus on the applications of physics, mathematics, and chemistry to problems of biological structure, primarily at the molecular level. These programs should bring together faculty and students from departments such as chemistry, physics, and engineering who have an interest in biologically related research with faculty and students in biological science departments whose orientation is the application of physical methods and concepts to biological systems.
Pharmacological Sciences: Dr. Peter Preusch -- (301) 594-5938
Training in this area should be multidisciplinary and should emphasize exposure to the broad field of pharmacological sciences. Individuals should receive training that will enable them to conduct research on the biological phenomena and related chemical and molecular processes involved in the actions of therapeutic drugs and their metabolites. Thesis research opportunities should be available with faculty members in a variety of disciplines, such as biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and toxicology, as well as pharmacology. Students trained in this program should be able to contribute to the design and evaluation of therapeutic strategies based upon the competence they have acquired through specialized training in the pharmacological sciences.
Systems and Integrative Biology: Dr. Alison E. Cole -- (301) 594-3349
Training in this area should be directed toward building the broad research competence required to investigate the integrative, regulatory, and developmental processes of higher organisms and the functional components of these processes. The training program should bring together varied resources, approaches, and thesis research opportunities with faculty mentors of such disciplines/departments as physiology, biomedical engineering, the neurosciences, the behavioral sciences, biochemistry, and cell and developmental biology. Graduates of the program should be well versed in quantitative approaches to biology.
Postdoctoral (T32)
Anesthesiology: Dr. Alison E. Cole -- (301) 594-3349
Programs should provide multidisciplinary research training to help develop individuals with the skills and expertise to explore problems relevant to anesthesiology, including the fundamental mechanisms of anesthetic action. The goal is to provide rigorous postdoctoral research training with an emphasis on hypothesis-driven laboratory or clinical research. Trainees, most of whom would hold the M.D. degree, will be expected to spend at least 2 years in the training program and should have the opportunity to acquire fundamental knowledge and research techniques in such disciplines as biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, molecular biology, neurobiology, pharmacology, or physiology. For trainees with the Ph.D. degree, the research and training should be specifically designed to promote a research career addressing problems in anesthesiology.
Clinical Pharmacology: Dr. Richard T. Okita -- (301) 594-1826
Individuals in these programs should receive experience in the methodology and conduct of basic and clinical research to qualify them to investigate the effects and mechanisms of drug actions in humans. Trainees, most of whom would have the M.D. degree, will be expected to spend at least 2 years in the training program and should have the opportunity to acquire fundamental scientific knowledge and research techniques in such areas as basic pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, molecular medicine and gene therapy, biostatistics, and other biomedical subdisciplines. For trainees with an M.D. degree or other professional degree, this experience should emphasize rigorous research training and complement their clinical backgrounds. For trainees with a Ph.D. degree, the research and training should be specifically designed to promote a career in clinical pharmacology research.
Medical Genetics: Dr. Marcus M. Rhoades, Jr. -- (301) 594-0943
Programs should provide advanced and specialized research training in the principles of genetics, with the goal of understanding human genetic disorders. Trainees, who will normally hold the M.D. degree, should be drawn from diverse backgrounds and should be offered opportunities for conducting research with faculty who represent a variety of approaches to genetics, ranging from molecular genetics to human population genetics. Programs should provide rigorous training in basic or applied research, with an emphasis on human or medical genetic problems. For holders of the M.D. or other professional degree, the program should provide training and research opportunities in areas of basic genetics that will build on, and complement, the trainee's clinical background. For holders of the Ph.D. degree, the research and training should be specifically designed to foster a career in human and medical genetics.
Trauma, Burn, and Peri-operative Injury: Dr. Scott D. Somers -- (301) 594-5560
Programs should provide multidisciplinary research training for postdoctoral scientists who seek to improve the understanding of the body's systemic responses to major injury and to foster the more rapid application of this knowledge to the treatment of trauma and burn-injury victims. The supervisory staff should include trauma surgeons and/or burn specialists, as well as basic scientists. Trainees, most of whom would hold the M.D. degree, will be expected to spend at least 2 years in the training program and to apply such basic disciplines as biochemistry, physiology, immunology, microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, or behavioral sciences to the study of trauma.
Individual Awards (F31)
Predoctoral
Fellowship Awards for Minority Students: Dr. Adolphus P. Toliver -- (301) 594-3900
NIGMS participates in an NIH-wide program of individual predoctoral fellowship awards for minority students. These awards provide up to 5 years of support for research training leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent research degree, a combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree, or another combined professional doctorate-research Ph.D. degree in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. Eligible for this award are highly qualified students who are members of minority groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical or behavioral sciences in the United States. These groups include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans (including Alaska Natives), and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands. The intent of this fellowship program is to encourage students from minority groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to seek graduate degrees, and thus further the goal of increasing the number of minority scientists who are prepared to pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral research.
The fellowship provides an annual stipend of $20,772; a tuition and fee allowance; and an annual institutional allowance of $2,750, which may be used for travel to scientific meetings and for laboratory and other training expenses. This program is described in detail in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, February 24, 2000 (PA-00-069).
For information on the MARC Predoctoral Fellowships for minority students who are graduates of the MARC Honors Undergraduate Research Training Program or the Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research Program, see the MARC section below or call (301) 594-3900.
Fellowship Awards for Students with Disabilities: Dr. Anthony A. René -- (301) 594-3833
NIGMS participates in an NIH-wide program of individual predoctoral fellowship awards for students with disabilities. These awards provide up to 5 years of support for research training leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent research degree, a combined M.D.-Ph.D. degree, or another combined professional doctorate-research Ph.D. degree in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. The intent of this fellowship program is to encourage students with disabilities to seek graduate degrees, and thus further the goal of increasing the number of scientists with disabilities who are prepared to pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral research.
The fellowship provides an annual stipend of $20,772; a tuition and fee allowance; and an annual institutional allowance of $2,750, which may be used for travel to scientific meetings and for laboratory and other training expenses. Additional funds may be requested to make changes or adjustments in the academic research environment that will make it possible for an otherwise qualified individual to perform the work necessary to meet the requirements of the degree program in which he or she is enrolled. This program is described in detail in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, February 24, 2000 (PA-00-068).
Postdoctoral (F32)
NIGMS welcomes NRSA applications from eligible individuals who seek postdoctoral biomedical research training in areas related to the scientific programs of the Institute. Applicants must have received the doctoral degree (Ph.D., Sc.D., D.Eng., M.D., D.D.S., D.O., D.V.M., O.D., D.N.S., or equivalent, domestic or foreign) by the beginning date of the proposed award. For applicants holding the Ph.D. degree, this award is designed to provide support for advanced and specialized training in basic research, in basic research associated with clinical problems, or in clinical research. For applicants holding the M.D. or other clinical-professional degree, this program is intended to provide at least 2 years of rigorous basic or clinical research training.
An applicant's proposed study must include the conduct of research with supervision or other opportunity for guidance appropriate to his or her background and objectives. Prior to submitting an application, an applicant must arrange for acceptance at an appropriate training institution by a responsible sponsor. The institutional setting may be domestic or foreign, private or public. The application must document the availability of staff and facilities required for the proposed research and for accomplishing the applicant's training objectives. Recipients are limited to a maximum of 3 years of any NRSA postdoctoral support. NIGMS policy is to provide support for 3 years minus any time that the fellow has already spent in the sponsor's laboratory at the time of the award. This program is described in detail in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, February 6, 2003 (PA-03-067).
NIGMS staff will consider many factors (e.g., priority score, training potential, details of the training program, time already spent in the sponsor’s laboratory, program relevance, and the summary statement narrative) when making funding decisions. Stipend levels will be determined by the length of postdoctoral experience at the time of the award.
Information regarding dates of application and notification, tenure, eligibility, payback requirements, and stipends may be found at the NIH Research Training Web site.
NIGMS also awards a limited number of senior fellowships to established independent investigators. These fellowships do not support typical sabbatical research, which is closely related to the investigator’s area of expertise. Rather, they are intended to allow investigators to make major changes in the direction of their research careers by providing them with opportunities to spend a short period of time (typically 12 months) training with an appropriate sponsor. Senior fellowships support research in all areas of interest to NIGMS, including those described in special initiatives. The sponsor’s field and area of expertise must be significantly different from that of the applicant, and should be optimal for the proposed training. Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed training will redirect, revitalize, or restart their research careers once they return to their home institutions. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to call one of the staff members listed at the end of this section to discuss their interest in these senior fellowships.
An applicant for a senior fellowship must have received a doctoral degree (Ph.D., Sc.D., D.Eng., M.D., D.D.S., D.O., D.V.M., O.D., D.N.S., or equivalent, domestic or foreign). Applicants must have had at least 7 subsequent years of relevant research or professional experience, and they must have a permanent position to which they expect to return when the training is complete. The stipend awarded to a senior fellow may range up to $51,036 (FY2004), based on the salary of the applicant at the time of the award.
For fellowship information specific to the program areas listed below, call the indicated staff member.
For additional general information about individual postdoctoral National Research Service Awards, contact Dr. Alison Cole at (301) 594-3349.
Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC)
MARC is a special research training support activity of NIGMS. Its goals are to increase the number and capabilities of scientists from underrepresented minority groups who are engaged in biomedical research and to strengthen science curricula and student research opportunities at institutions with substantial minority enrollments in order to prepare minority students for research careers.
MARC Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U*STAR) Awards (T34) provide support for students who are members of minority groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences to improve their preparation for graduate training in biomedical research. These minority groups include, but are not limited to, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans (including Alaska Natives), and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands. The program can also support efforts to strengthen the faculty, science course curricula, and biomedical research training programs and infrastructure at institutions with significant enrollments of minority students.
Awards are made to colleges and universities that offer the baccalaureate degree. Only one grant per eligible institution will be awarded. The institutions select the trainees to be supported. Trainees must be honors students majoring in the sciences who have an expressed interest in a biomedical research career and who intend to pursue postgraduate education leading to the Ph.D., M.D.-Ph.D., or other combined professional degree-Ph.D. The period of appointment to the MARC U*STAR Program is 2 years at the junior/senior level.
Each institution is encouraged to design a program that emphasizes its environment, mission, and strengths, and to set measurable goals and specific objectives against which the program will be evaluated when it recompetes for continued funding. Academic institutions that are not research-intensive may establish linkages with research-intensive institutions. Although variation among programs is expected, all programs are expected to provide trainees with a summer research experience outside the home institution and with research opportunities during the academic year at the home institution or at another institution to which the U*STAR Program has established linkages. In addition to annual student stipends of $10,956, funds may be requested for tuition, fees, and research supplies for trainees, limited travel for trainees and faculty, and program evaluation. Certain other training-related costs, such as support for pre-MARC student development activities, may be requested with strong justification. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, December 6, 2001 (PAR-02-033). Click here for a list of MARC U*STAR institutions.
Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Awards (R25) encourage underrepresented minorities who hold a recent baccalaureate degree in a biomedically relevant science to pursue a research doctorate. PREP scholars work as apprentice scientists in a preceptor's laboratory and participate in student development and education activities. This program is expected to strengthen the research skills and competitiveness of participants for pursuit of a graduate degree while also stimulating them to have an interest in addressing the health problems that disproportionately affect minorities and the medically underserved in the United States.
Grants are made to domestic, private and public universities or research institutions with graduate programs in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. An institution may submit only one application for this program. PREP scholars must have graduated with a baccalaureate degree in a biomedically related science no more than 36 months prior to their selection for participation in the program. Individuals selected as PREP scholars must intend to apply, within 2 years, for graduate education that will eventually lead to the research doctorate. In addition, PREP scholars must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The period of appointment is up to 2 years.
Beginning PREP scholars will be paid a salary of $21,000 per year. Costs for the overall administration of the program, including coordination and program evaluation, are allowable. Such costs include salary support for the program director for the portion of time devoted to administering the program, and salary support for secretarial or clerical help when directly related to the program. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, June 17, 2003 (PAR-03-140). Click here for a list of PREP institutions.
MARC Predoctoral Fellowships (F31) are Individual National Research Service Awards made to outstanding graduates of the MARC U*STAR Program to help them pursue a graduate degree in the biomedical sciences. Support is not available for individuals enrolled in medical or other professional schools unless they are enrolled in a combined-degree (e.g., M.D.-Ph.D., D.D.S.-Ph.D., or D.V.M.-Ph.D.) program.
The annual stipend for MARC predoctoral fellows is $20,772. A maximum of 5 years of support is available. NIGMS will also provide tuition, fees, and up to $2,750 per 12-month period to the predoctoral fellow's sponsoring institution to help defray such trainee expenses as research supplies and equipment. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, April 29, 2003 (PAR-03-114).
MARC Faculty Predoctoral Fellowships (F34) are awarded to faculty members of colleges or universities with significant minority enrollments. Awards provide an opportunity for eligible faculty who lack the Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) to obtain the research doctorate. Applicants must be full-time, permanent faculty in a biomedically related science or mathematics program and must have been at the minority or minority-serving institution for at least 3 years at the time of application. Candidates must be enrolled in or have been accepted into a Ph.D. or combined M.D.-Ph.D. training program in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. The applicant must intend to return to the minority institution at the end of the training period.
An applicant may request a stipend equal to his or her annual salary, but not to exceed the stipend of a level 1 postdoctoral fellow (currently $37,476). The applicant may also request tuition and fees as determined by the training institution as well as an institutional allowance of $2,750 per year. A maximum of 5 years of support is available. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 23, No. 7, December 31, 2002 (PAR-03-048).
MARC Faculty Senior Fellowships (F33) are awarded to eligible faculty at minority institutions to give them the opportunity to update their research skills and/or move into new areas of research through a year-long period of intensive research in a state of-the-art research environment. An applicant must be a full-time faculty member in a biomedically related science or mathematics program for at least 3 years at the time of submission of the application. The candidate must have received the Ph.D. or equivalent degree at least 7 years before the date of application. The candidate must intend to return to the minority institution at the end of the training period. The applicant may request no less than one academic year (9 months) and no more than 2 years of support.
A stipend equal to the applicant's salary may be requested, but it should not exceed the stipend of a level 7 postdoctoral fellow (currently $51,036). If the award is for less than 12 months, the actual amount will be prorated by the length of the award. The applicant may also request an institutional allowance of $5,500 a year to be used for expenses directly related to the training. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, August 8, 2002 (PAR-02-145).
MARC Visiting Scientist Fellowships (F36) are awarded for periods of up to 1 year to support outstanding scientist-teachers serving as visiting faculty at eligible minority institutions. Stipends are determined on an individual basis. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 6, No. 1, January 7, 1977.
MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36) grants provide support for meetings, conferences, technical workshops, and any other training activities that are harmonious with the overall objective of the MARC Branch, which is increasing the number of underrepresented minorities engaged in biomedical research. Applications may be submitted by U.S. institutions, including scientific or professional societies. The responsibility for planning, managing, and conducting of the meeting lies solely with the applicant organization. See the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, November 14, 2002
(PAR-03-026), and November 18, 2003 (NOT-GM-04-105).
Click here for additional information about MARC programs or call Dr. Adolphus P. Toliver at (301) 594-3900.
Fore information on application receipt dates for all of the above programs, see http://www.nigms.nih.gov/funding/appdate.html.
Career Development Awards
MORE Faculty Development Awards
The Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) Faculty Development Award (K01) provides support for eligible faculty at institutions with substantial minority enrollments to spend the summer (or one academic term) every year for 2 to 5 years in full-time research in a research-intensive laboratory. The purpose of the award is to enhance the research and research training capabilities of the minority institution by offering faculty who have the Ph.D. degree or equivalent an opportunity to update or enhance their research skills through high-quality research experiences. The awardee will also have the opportunity to enroll in one course per academic term in fields directly related to the research in order to update his or her theoretical background. Ideally, the experience would lead to long-term collaborations between the awardee and the faculty of the research institution.
An applicant may request a salary equal to his or her actual annual salary and appropriate fringe benefits, prorated for the period of time during which the applicant is engaged in full-time research at the research institution. Salary support will not be provided for the time an awardee is enrolled in an academic course. An applicant may also request up to $3,000 a year for supplies, equipment, and other expenses, which may include travel. The direct cost request may not exceed $50,000 in any year. The applicant's home institution will serve as the grantee institution.
For more information about this award, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vol. 24, No. 14, April 14, 1995 (PAR-95-048), or call Dr. Adolphus P. Toliver at (301) 594-3900.
MORE Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards
The MORE Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (K12) combines a traditional mentored postdoctoral research experience with an opportunity to develop teaching skills through mentored assignments at a minority-serving institution. This program is expected to facilitate the progress of postdoctoral candidates toward research and teaching careers in academia. Other goals are to provide a resource to motivate the next generation of scientists at minority-serving institutions, and to promote linkages between research-intensive institutions and minority-serving institutions that can lead to further collaborations in research and teaching.
Applications must be submitted on behalf of a consortium of domestic, private or public, educational institutions. The applicant institution should serve as the primary site of the postdoctoral research experience, and the consortium must include one or more minority-serving institutions. The minority-serving institution may be a public or private, 2- or 4-year college, university, or health professional school with a significant enrollment of underrepresented minority students.
The total project period may not exceed 5 years, and projects are renewable. Institutions that receive awards may recruit and select candidates directly into their programs, rather than submitting a separate application on behalf of each prospective candidate. Applicants may request salary and fringe benefits to support the full-time effort of the candidates, as well as funds for tuition, fees, and books related to career development; supplies and other research expenses; travel to one training or scientific meeting per year; and statistical services, including personnel and computer time. Funds may also be requested to support mentoring activities at the minority-serving institution and program administration. As with other MORE grant programs, institutions are expected to set specific goals and measurable objectives against which they will be evaluated when they recompete for continued funding.
For more information about this award, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, August 22, 2002 (PAR-02-152), or contact Dr. Clifton A. Poodry at (301) 594-3900. Click here for a list of IRACDA institutions.
Mentored Career Development Awards in Anesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology, and Trauma and Burn Injury
NIGMS offers the Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08) and the Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) in the areas of anesthesiology, clinical pharmacology, and trauma and burn injury to support the development of outstanding academic physician-scientists. These awards provide support for a period of 3 to 5 years of supervised research and study to clinically trained professionals who have the commitment and potential to develop into productive, independent investigators. The awards support developmental experiences in either a laboratory or a clinical research setting.
Eligible candidates must have an M.D. degree or its equivalent, must have completed postgraduate clinical training and have secured a faculty appointment in an appropriate research-intensive environment, must identify a mentor with extensive research experience, and must be willing to spend a minimum of 75 percent of full-time professional effort conducting research and research career development. Former principal investigators on NIH research project grants, FIRST awards, subprojects of program project or center grants, or the equivalent are not eligible. Because of the focus on a progression to independence as a researcher, candidates should propose a period of development consistent with this goal and with their previous research and clinical experiences.
Applications may be submitted on behalf of candidates by domestic, public or private, non-Federal organizations. NIGMS will provide salary for the recipient at a maximum of $75,000 per year plus appropriate fringe benefits. The institution may supplement the NIGMS contribution up to a level that is consistent with the institution's salary scale; however, supplementation may not be from Federal funds unless specifically authorized. In addition, NIGMS will provide up to $20,000 per year to support tuition, fees, and books related to career development; supplies, equipment, and other research expenses; travel to research meetings or training; and statistical services, including personnel and computer time. Awards are not renewable.
For more information about the Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, June 23, 1998 (PAR-98-084), and September 4, 1998. For more information about the Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, October 8, 1999 (PA-00-004). Contact the following NIGMS staff members for more information about either award.
Anesthesiology
Dr. Alison E. Cole -- (301) 594-3349
Clinical Pharmacology
Dr. Richard Okita -- (301) 594-1826
Trauma and Burn Injury Research
Dr. Scott D. Somers -- (301) 594-5560
Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Awards
The Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award (K25) supports the career development of investigators with quantitative scientific and engineering backgrounds outside of biology or medicine who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on biomedical and behavioral research (basic or clinical). Examples of quantitative scientific and technical backgrounds outside of biology or medicine considered appropriate for this award include, but are not limited to, mathematics, statistics, computer science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering.
The award is aimed at research-oriented quantitative scientists and engineers from the postdoctoral level to the level of senior faculty and provides support for a period of supervised study and research. The objectives of the award are to encourage researchers with little or no experience in biology or biomedicine to develop independent research skills and to gain experience in the advanced methods and experimental approaches that will allow them to conduct basic or clinical research or to play leading roles on multidisciplinary research teams; and to increase the pool of quantitative researchers who can conduct biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering studies, capitalizing on the quantitative backgrounds of the investigators to inform new directions in biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering research.
Applications may be submitted on behalf of candidates by public or private domestic organizations such as research foundations; research institutions; commercial entities; medical, dental, or nursing schools; Federal national laboratories (except for NIH laboratories); or other institutions of higher education. Successful candidates must have a demonstrated research interest with an advanced degree in a quantitative area of science or engineering, such as an M.S.E.E., Ph.D., or D.Sc. In addition, candidates must identify a mentor with extensive biomedical or behavioral research experience.
The project period may be for up to five years with a minimum of three years. Awards are not renewable. The NIH will provide salary for up to 100% of the Principal Investigator's institutional base annual salary in any given year plus commensurate fringe benefits, as well as up to $40,000 per year for such expenses as tuition, fees, and books related to career development; supplies, equipment, and technical personnel; travel to research meetings or training; and research support services including personnel and computer time. None of the funds in this award shall be used to pay the salary of an individual at a rate in excess of Executive Level I of the Federal Executive Pay Scale (for FY 2004, $175,700/year; see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-od-04-034.html). Candidates must make a commitment of at least 75% effort to research and research career development activities of this award, and the remainder of the effort must be committed to other career development activities consistent with the overall purpose of the award. The total salary requested must be based on a full-time, 12-month staff appointment and must be consistent both with the established salary structure at your institution and with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own or other non-federal funds to other staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the department concerned. If full-time, 12-month salaries are not currently paid to comparable staff members, the salary proposed must be appropriately related to the existing salary structure.
For more information about this award, see the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, July 10, 2002 (PA-02-127), or contact Dr. James Cassatt at (301) 594-0828.
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