Research Training & Career Development Newsletter, October 2019

Society for Neuroscience 2019 meeting logo depicting molecules in a synapse Image by Society for Neuroscience

This month, the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) will host its annual meeting in Chicago, IL. This is an excellent opportunity to meet with NIDA staff and learn more about NIH scientific programs and funding opportunities.

On October 18, NIDA and NIAAA will co-host a Mini-Convention on the Frontiers in Addiction Research. The Mini-Convention highlights current advancements in neuroscience and addiction research and showcases the work of premier early stage and junior investigators. This year’s scientific sessions are: 1) Sensing New Opportunities for Addiction Neuroscience; 2) Novel Technologies and Innovative Approaches for Translational Research Targeting Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders; and 3) Rewriting Genes by CRISPR for Substance Dependence and Psychiatric Disorder Research. A highlight of the event is the keynote address from the recipient of the Jacob P. Waletzky Memorial Award for Innovative Research in Drug Addiction and Alcoholism. This award recognizes research contributions made by an outstanding junior scientist in the area of drug addiction or alcoholism, and the nervous system.

Additionally, at this year’s SfN meeting, there are a variety of events planned to help you navigate your career and enhance your training opportunities

  • Scientists from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study will host a workshop on October 19 dedicated to using the web-based Data Exploration and Analysis Portal (DEAP) for analysis of ABCD data (learn more here).
  • Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (ENDURE), an NIH Blueprint program, will hold their annual meeting on October 19 and culminate in a T32 Recruitment and Networking fair for institutions interested in recruiting for predoctoral research programs.
  • At the NIDA Early Career Symposium, NIDA staff will discuss fellowship, training, career development, and independent research grant mechanisms and will be available for a question and answer session. This is your opportunity to get your questions answered by the experts! Program staff will also be available to talk about the NIH Loan Repayment Program and programs to support diversity in the neurosciences.
  • At the NIH funding and You session, NIH staff will discuss factors leading to trainee success and crafting successful grant applications.

Lastly, there are a number of diversity events including a Diversity in Neuroscience Reception and a Diversity Fellows Poster Session. Please see the events section of this newsletter for more information.

Did you know?

  • Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net) is now accepting applications!
    In response to the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, the Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net) was created to establish a clinical trials network to support early-phase clinical testing of non-addictive pain therapies. EPPIC-Net provides expert infrastructure which includes a Clinical Coordinating Center for protocol development and overall trial management; a Data Coordinating Center for data management and quality assurance; and access to Clinical Research Sites (hubs) which provide access to focused patient populations, clinical researchers with pain expertise,  and established connections with pain communities to accelerate testing of non-addictive therapeutics, including drugs and devices. Industry and academic researchers with potential phase 2-ready therapeutics interested in utilizing EPPIC-NET are encouraged to apply.
  • Request for Information: development of a prize competition for Gender Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce
    The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) is seeking feedback on a proposed prize competition to recognize institutions with transformative structures, systems, and/or processes that have successfully enhanced faculty gender equity and diversity with the goal of disseminating these effective approaches to the broader academic/research community.  The RFI seeks input on how to recognize institutions for creating supportive environments that promote workforce gender equity and diversity, how to evaluate nominations, identify barriers for applying, and determine the best media outlets to promote the prize competition among other topics. More information can be found here. Responses must be submitted by October 31, 2019.

Policy Updates

Reminder: required use of xTRACT System and ORCID iDs beginning October 1, 2019

  • Training grant recipients are required to use the xTRACT system to prepare the required data tables for Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) for pre- and postdoctoral research training grants. See NOT-OD-19-108 for more information.
  • Individuals supported by research training, fellowship, research education, and career development awards will be required to have ORCID iDs. See NOT-OD-19-109 for more information.

Funding Opportunities

For a full list of training, fellowship, career development, and research education funding opportunities, including parent announcements, please see the NIH Research Training and Career Development webpage.

Predoctoral Training

  • Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (F31-Diversity) PA-19-196
  • NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00) RFA-NS-19-011
  • Drug Abuse Dissertation Research (R36) PA-16-443

Postdoctoral Training

  • BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Clinical Trial Required) PAR-18-813
  • BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-18-814
  • Pathway to Independence Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) RFA-OD-18-008
  • Pathway to Independence Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-OD-18-007
  • BRAIN Initiative Fellows: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) RFA-MH-18-510

Career Development

  • Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Researchers (LRP-CR) (L30) NOT-OD-19-116
  • Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Pediatric Research (LRP-PR) (L40) NOT-OD-19-117
  • Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR) (L60) NOT-OD-19-118
  • Short-term Mentored Career Enhancement Awards in Mobile and Wireless Health Technology and Data Analytics: Cross-Training at the intersection of Behavioral and Social Sciences and STEM Disciplines (K18 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-18-881
  • Short-term Mentored Career Enhancement Awards in Mobile and Wireless Health Technology and Data Analytics: Cross-Training at the intersection of Behavioral and Social Sciences and STEM Disciplines (K18 Independent Clinical Trial Required) PAR-18-882
  • Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-OD-18-005
  • Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K01 -  Independent Clinical Trial Required) RFA-OD-18-006
  • NIDA Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program Award in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder Research (K12 Clinical Trial Optional) PAR-18-746

Research Education

  • Coming soon: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) NOT-NS-20-009
  • Workshops on the Use of Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Data (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-DA-20-001
  • NIDA Research Education Program for Clinical Researchers and Clinicians (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-19-258
  • Providing Research Education Experiences to Enhance Diversity in the Next Generation of Substance Abuse and Addiction Scientists (R25 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) PAR-19-246
  • Alcohol and Other Substance Use Research Education Programs for Health Professionals (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-19-207
  • Summer Research Education Experience Program (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-19-197

Upcoming Events

  • NIDA-NIAAA Mini-Convention: Frontiers in Addiction Research
    October 18, 2019
    Chicago, IL
    The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), both part of the National Institutes of Health, will host a one-day mini-convention, (satellite event) at the 2019 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.
Early Career Reviewer (ECR) program in the Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
  •  ABCD Data Workshop at SfN: Diving DEAP into Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study Data
    October 19, 2019, 6:30-9:30 pm
    Chicago, IL
    Participate in an interactive ABCD study design and data analysis workshop at this year’s Society for Neuroscience annual meeting October 19, 6:30 – 9:30 pm, featuring tutorials on the use of the web-based Data Exploration and Analysis Portal (DEAP) for analysis of ABCD data. The workshop will include information about how to access ABCD data through the NIMH Data Archive, as well as presentations on ABCD study design and measures, brain imaging and other data processing pipelines, statistical analysis using DEAP, vertex-based brain imaging analysis, and tools for analyzing ABCD data through cloud computing.  To register, email AdolescentBrain@mail.nih.gov. Visit https://abcdstudy.org/scientists/data-sharing/ to view the workshop agenda.
  • Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (ENDURE) 9th Annual Meeting
    October 19, 2019
    Chicago, IL
    The Blueprint initiative ENDURE program provides opportunities for individuals who are typically underrepresented in the neurosciences to gain research experience. The annual meeting brings together institutional training directors and ENDURE students to discuss best practices and academic enhancement activities as well as provides an opportunity for all to network and collaborate. The meeting will end with a T32 Recruitment and Networking Fair.
  • NIDA Early Career Symposium – SfN Satellite Event
    October 21, 2019, 6:30-9:30 pm
    Chicago, IL
    This symposium will feature presentations from staff at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describing training and career development opportunities for both domestic and international scientists of all career stages, as well as opportunities for research training at the NIH. Staff will also be available to talk about the NIH/NIDA Loan Repayment Program and programs to enhance diversity in the sciences. Presentations are accompanied by a Q&A session with an opportunity to interact directly with NIDA staff. More information can be found here.
  • NIH Funding and You: A Practical Guide for a Trainee to Survive and Thrive in Your Research Career – SfN Satellite Event
    October 20, 2019 6:30-8:30 pm
    Chicago, IL
    This workshop will discuss strategies to succeed in both research training/career development and grant writing. Funding opportunities for all career stages and approaches that contribute to successful grant applications will be discussed. Brief talks will be followed by an extensive question and answer session. More information can be found here.
  • Diversity Poster Session – SfN
    October 19, 2019, 6:30-8:30 pm
    Chicago, IL
    Join a special poster session and networking event featuring participants of the Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP), ENDURE, D-SPAN, and SPINES. The Neuroscience Scholars Program (NSP) is a two-year training program open to underrepresented graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. More information can be found here.
  • Diversity in Neuroscience Reception – SfN
    October 21, 2019 7:00-8:00 pm
    McCormick Place Room: Regency CDE
    Chicago, IL
    Join colleagues for a celebration and opportunity to meet others involved and interested in SfN diversity programs and activities.
  • NIH Regional Seminar
    November 6-8, 2019
    Phoenix, AZ
    NIH Regional Seminars provide a wonderful opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the grant application and review process. This seminar is highly recommended for anyone (students and scientists of all stages) new to the NIH grant process as well as institutional administrators who management these awards. Register here.
Promotion image for the NIH Regional Seminar with nighttime Phoenix skyline