Training and Career Development in Dissemination and Implementation Science

To better understand the landscape of D&I in NIDCD mission areas of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language, a 2-day virtual workshop was held in October, 2023. One insight from the workshop is that D&I research is increasing in NIDCD mission areas, but these efforts are at an early stage. The majority of D&I studies in sensory/communication disorders published to date do not include a D&I theory, model, or framework to guide the project. A narrow range of implementation strategies are used. There also can be challenges in applying community-engaged and qualitative approaches to individuals with sensory/communication disorders because these methods have typically been developed for groups without sensory/communication disabilities. Taken together, these findings suggest a need to build expertise in D&I research skills within the NIDCD research community to advance care for individuals with sensory/communication disorders. 

NCCIH is interested in building a scientific workforce with the skills needed to study how to effectively integrate evidence-based complementary and integrative health approaches (e.g., meditation, yoga, music-based interventions, acupuncture) into healthcare and other real-world settings to improve population health (see NCCIH Interests in D&I Research). Research and training in areas including (but not limited to) integrating relevant D&I theory, models, frameworks, and outcomes into complementary and integrative health studies; use of D&I analytical methods, mixed methods approaches, and innovative study designs (e.g., hybrid designs, randomized cluster trials, pragmatic trials); and community-engaged research approaches are of interest. 

NHGRI is interested in building capacity through training in dissemination and implementation science to support the strategic vision that evidence-based genomic information is broadly accessible and effectively integrated into routine healthcare, public health, and society. 

NHGRI strongly encourages potential applicants to contact program staff in the early stages of developing an application to discuss alignment with NHGRI priorities.

NICHD seeks to support training and the development of expertise in Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) research methods among scientists working in priority areas or with priority populations aligned with NICHD’s mission.

NICHD’s priority populations include:

• Infants, children, adolescents, and individuals transitioning from adolescence to adulthood
• Pregnant, peripartum, postpartum, or lactating women
• People of reproductive age with regards to reproductive and/or gynecologic health
• People of any age with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities

Applicants are strongly encouraged to speak with an NICHD program official during concept development to discuss alignment with NICHD priorities. NOTE: Applications assigned to NICHD that address the mission and priorities of other institutes will not be prioritized for NICHD funding.

NIDA has long supported implementation science (IS) projects to address substance use (SU) prevention, misuse, addiction and recovery. While addiction IS has grown over the years, there remains a limited number of trainees, early and mid-career researchers with dual expertise in substance use and implementation science. Rigorous IS training will enable the field to identify and test strategies supporting the implementation of interventions focused on, for example, substance use prevention/early intervention, polysubstance use, retention in treatment, recovery, co-occurring HIV and SU, and linkages between services in clinical, criminal-legal, and community settings (e.g., schools, social services, recovery community centers). Additionally, more training is needed on addiction dissemination science. NIDA encourages D&I research and research training through NIH mechanisms such as Fellowships, Career Development Awards, Institutional Training Grants and Education Projects. 

NIDDK supports biomedical research on diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive and liver diseases, nutritional disorders; and obesity; and kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases, to improve people’s health and quality of life. NIDDK encourages training and career development applications that will support evaluation of approaches that improve the effectiveness of healthcare, and improve adoption, adaptation, integration, sustainability, scale-up, and spread of evidence-based interventions, strategies, programs, tools, treatments, guidelines, and policies through implementation science across populations and settings in geographic areas with high incidence and prevalence of diseases/conditions relevant to the NIDDK mission. Applications must include a primary endpoint related to an NIDDK mission disease or condition. 

NIMH is interested in training and career development (TCD) applications focused on dissemination and implementation (D&I) research, in alignment with the NIMH Strategic Plan and the NIH Strategic Plan for HIV and HIV-related Research. NIMH encourages TCD that focuses on obtaining skills in research on the adoption, scaling, and sustained implementation of evidence-based interventions or services for mental health, autism, and/or HIV—for example, training in: 

1. end-user informed approaches;
2. research-practice partnerships that leverage existing practice infrastructure (e.g., non-specialty health care, community-based mental health; Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics);
3. plans to quantify the resources needed to support sustainability; and
4. strategies that promote health for all. 

D&I research training on evidence-based preventive, therapeutic, or services interventions should conform to NIMH’s experimental therapeutics framework (see Support for Clinical Trials at NIMH).

The NINDS supports dissemination and implementation research training focused on fundamental neuroscience as well as the diagnosis, treatment, and management of neurological diseases and care across the lifespan. Some priority disease areas include stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (including frontotemporal neurodegeneration, Lewy body dementias, vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia and mixed etiology dementia), epilepsy, migraine, nervous system infections, spinal cord injury, headache, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders, brain trauma, neurodevelopmental disorders, and the neurological consequences of autoimmune diseases , of HIV/AIDS and other post-infectious chronic diseases (PASC, ME/CFS, post-Lyme, etc.). Applicants are encouraged to incorporate community engagement strategies into their study designs when appropriate. 

NINR supports training and career development opportunities that prepare scientists to conduct nursing research through individual and institutional predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships and career development awards, and other mechanisms (e.g., R25 research education programs). NINR welcomes applications that propose training in dissemination and implementation science. Areas of interest include those listed in the topic description above as they relate to NINR research priority areas of intervening on the conditions of daily life that influence health, using multilevel approaches to prevent and manage chronic conditions, promoting healthy school environments, and meaningful engagement of communities at all stages of the research process.

ODP is interested in dissemination and implementation research training, that increases adoption of evidence-based prevention interventions in a range of settings, especially multi-site or cluster randomized clinical trials. 

This office does not award grants. Applications must be relevant to the objectives of at least one of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers listed in this topic.