Key Dates

RFA-NS-17-010 - Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program (NRCDP) (K12)

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) intends to continue to support the NINDS Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program (NRCDP) by publishing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications for continuation of that program. The goal of the program is to expand the cadre of neurosurgeon-researchers who will combine their clinical and research expertise to conduct research into neurological disorders that neurosurgeons are uniquely qualified to conduct.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations, comprehensive plans and responsive projects.

The FOA is expected to be published in Spring - Summer 2021 with an expected application due date in the Fall of 2021.

This FOA will utilize the K12 activity code. This K12 will be housed at the PD/PI's institution, but will support a national program, overseen by the PD/PI (or MPIs) and a national advisory committee. For planning purposes, the general structure of the program will remain the same as described in the previous FOA (RFA-NS-17-010; but note that whereas the new FOA will be closely based on the previous FOA, it will not be identical).

Both new and renewal applications are encouraged. A maximum of one national K12 program will be supported.

Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

This Notice encourages investigators with appropriate expertise and stature to begin to consider applying for this new FOA. Potential PD/PIs should be nationally acknowledged leaders in the neurosurgery community, should have a history of active, funded research, and should have a track record in successfully training clinician-scientists. To ensure familiarity with the on-going program, it is encouraged (but not required) for the PD/PIs to have been involved with the NRCDP program at some time during the previous 10 years. For the application process, PD/PIs will have to recruit approximately 12-15 members for the national advisory committee, all of whom should be acknowledged leaders in their communities. The advisory committee should consist primarily of neurosurgeon-researchers, but should also include leading researchers from other communities, such as neurology, other clinical communities relevant to neurosurgical research and PhD neuroscientists with an understanding of disease-related research and the training of clinician-researchers. Care should be taken to ensure that the makeup of the advisory committee is diverse in all ways, including with respect to gender, underrepresented groups, clinical subspecialty, geographic location and institution where they trained.

The goals of the NRCDP program are to provide support for a period of mentored training following residency, to build networking and collaborative infrastructure, and to facilitate the transition of neurosurgeons from mentored to independent research positions. The NRCDP will provide neurosurgeons with the experience, research support, mentorship and funding necessary to initiate a vigorous, sustainable research program. The K12 program will provide support for mentored training of neurosurgeon-researchers who have moved to a new institution following residency and who are in their first year in a faculty position. In addition, competitive NRCDP applications will be expected to have strong, active plans to recruit and actively include within the program both women and underrepresented groups, including individuals from nationally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (see NIH Notice of Interest in Diversity, NOT-OD-20-031, for additional details).

Training will occur at the scholar's home institution, which may be anywhere in the U.S. A scholar may be supported at the institution that sponsors the K12, but the sponsoring institution is not intended to be a unique training location. Training will occur in two phases, a 2-year phase in which the scholar is financially supported by this K12 award and a 3-year phase in which the scholar is supported by an individual NIH K award or other source of funding. The NRCDP will support an annual meeting for all active and past scholars, as well as other junior neurosurgeon investigators, which will focus on mentorship, career development and professional growth, grant writing and networking.

Investigators interested in applying in response to this FOA are encouraged to contact Dr. Stephen Korn, Director of the NINDS Office of Training and Workforce Development, with any questions.

Applications are not being solicited at this time. 

Please direct all inquiries to:

Stephen Korn, Ph.D.
Director
Office of Training and Workforce Development
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH
301-496-4188
Email: korns@ninds.nih.gov
Website: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Funding/Training-Career-Development