NOT-MH-10-003: Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25)

Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25)

Notice Number: NOT-MH-10-003

Key Dates
Release Date: October 9, 2009

Issued by
NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research (http://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov)
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), (http://www.nccam.nih.gov)
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), (http://www.ncrr.nih.gov)
National Eye Institute (NEI), (http://www.nei.nih.gov)
National Institute on Aging (NIA), (http://www.nia.nih.gov)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), (http://www.niaaa.nih.gov)
National Institute on Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), (http://www.nibib.nih.gov)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), (http://www.nichd.nih.gov)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), (http://www.nidcd.nih.gov)
National Institute on Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), (http://www.nidcr.nih.gov)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), (http://www.nida.nih.gov)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), (http://www.niehs.nih.gov)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), (http://www.nigms.nih.gov)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), (http://www.nimh.nih.gov)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), (http://www.ninds.nih.gov)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), (http://www.ninr.nih.gov)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), (http://obssr.od.nih.gov)

Purpose

The National Institute of Mental Health, on behalf of the Institutes and Centers (ICs) of the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Request for Applications (RFA) to solicit applications that will support the development of collaborative, multi-institutional undergraduate research education and research training programs for the purpose of increasing the number of students who are well-prepared and motivated to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences. The initiative will focus on junior and senior undergraduate students who are from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds).

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME. This Notice is to encourage investigators with expertise in the areas of neuroscience research, research education, and research training to consider applying for this new RFA and to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.

The RFA, which will utilize the Research Education Projects (R25) award mechanism, is expected to be published in the Fall of 2009 with an expected receipt date in Winter or Spring of 2010.

Research Initiative Details

This RFA will support the development of collaborative research education partnerships that will increase the participants’ awareness and interest in the neurosciences, develop participants’ scientific knowledge and research skills that will allow them to progress and transition to more advanced neuroscience related research education and research training activities, and to establish networks with Ph.D. degree granting and NIH-supported Predoctoral Institutional Research Training (T32) programs in the neurosciences.

Components of the collaborative research education programs should include:

A research-intensive institution, defined as having an existing neuroscience or neuroscience related program, and a significant number of potential mentors with NIH R01 or equivalent extramural research support;
One or more institutions that have a substantial enrollment of undergraduates from backgrounds underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences majoring in areas relevant to the neurosciences;
Curriculum and academic enhancement activities integrated across the partnering institutions that are uniquely designed to increase the students interest and preparation to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences;
Part-time neuroscience research training experiences in extramurally funded laboratories during the academic year to be carried out within one of the partnering institutions;
Full-time summer neuroscience research training experiences in laboratories that are part of existing neuroscience-focused NIH Predoctoral Institutional Research Training (T32) programs;
Formal alliances with neuroscience-focused NIH Predoctoral Institutional Research Training (T32) programs that agree to provide summer research training experiences for students participating in this initiative. These alliances are expected to facilitate early communication and interaction between participating students and NIH Predoctoral Institutional Research Training program directors.

Inquiries

Interested parties may contact:

Mark Chavez, Ph.D.
Division of Adult Translational Research & Treatment Development
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7107
Bethesda, MD 20892-9632
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service)
Telephone: (301); 443-8942
FAX: (301) 443-4611
Email: [email protected]