Research Training & Career Development Newsletter, November 2019

Substance use disorder is a complex disorder that includes behavioral, genetic, physiological, and pharmacological components that require a multidisciplinary approach to find solutions. NIDA, along with several other NIH Institutes, has partnered with Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) to offer a one-time, 12-month administrative supplement to current T32 and TL 1 grants to integrate behavioral and social science approaches with other scientific disciplines that may include but are not limited to genetics, immunology, metabolomics, molecular biology, microbiome, biochemistry, or physiological sciences to train the next generation of researchers in multidisciplinary science.

The Notice of Special Interest: Administrative Supplements to NIH-funded T32 and TL1 Training Grants to Better Integrate Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS) with other Health-Related Sciences NOT-OD-19-147 will support activities geared toward the development of skills and expertise in integrated and multidisciplinary research and may include components which prepare trainees for research careers in various venues including industry and government. Examples of components include but are not limited to the addition of: (1) curricula from biomedical disciplines to T32s and TL1s with BSS focus; (2) BSS curricula to T32s and TL1s with biomedical focus and; (3) cross-disciplinary curricula which focuses on training in areas including discipline-specific methods, measurement approaches, research paradigms, and/or discipline subject matter expertise. Proposed components should be easily shareable with other training programs.

This 1-year administrative supplement, which allows up to $80,000 in direct costs or the amount of the current parent award, requires that all funds are spent during the award’s 12-month budget period. The budget must reflect the proposed project’s actual needs. Funds for this supplement are not intended to support trainee slots nor faculty salaries. The only permitted use of the funds is for curricula development and implementation. Applicants are encouraged to contact their program officer and refer to the NOSI, as some NIH ICs have restrictions on the year the award can be made and activities supported by this NOSI may vary by IC. The application due date is January 25, 2020 by 5 PM. Learn more.

NIH OBSSR Logo

Did you know?

NIH is aware of the research community’s concerns regarding NIH-funded electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) research. There is direct guidance from FDA’s Office of Science (OS) in the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), indicating that NIH-funded research projects on ENDS are to continue, unless specific products or attributes result in an unacceptable risk of harm to study participants.

Right now, FDA does not believe that e-cigarette research poses unacceptable risks to current adult tobacco users; however, it is critical that potential study participants are appropriately informed of the potential risks and have the opportunity to grant consent. PIs who lead studies that expose participants to ENDS (either by providing ENDs to participants or asking them to use their own ENDS) will be contacted by the appropriate NIH Institute, Center, or Office or the NIH Intramural Program and be directed to work with their IRBs to ensure there is an appropriate risk mitigation and safety monitoring plan in place commensurate with the proposed research. Additionally, ENDS PIs should contact their IRB to determine if changes are necessary to the protocol and/or consent based on the evolving information and the latest recommendations from CDC and FDA. NIH will share new information and updates as available. Please contact your program officers if you have questions.

Policy and Program Updates

NIDA has extended the expiration date of PA-16-443 “Drug Abuse Dissertation Research (R36)” by one receipt cycle. The FOA now expires on May 8, 2020. NIDA plans to reissue this FOA. More information can be found here (NOT-DA-19-073).

The Tobacco Regulatory Science Program (TRSP), an interagency partnership between the NIH and the FDA Center for Tobacco Products to foster tobacco regulatory research, will reissue its K01 and K99 FOAs in March 2020.

These career development awards support early-stage scientists conducting research that will inform the development and evaluation of regulations on tobacco product manufacturing, distribution, and marketing to help them establish their independent research programs. The Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K01) provides support and protected time (three, four, or five years) for an intensive, supervised career development experience in biomedical, behavioral, and social science research. The Pathway to Independence Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K99/R00) provides up to two years of mentored training for outstanding postdoctoral scientists with a research and/or clinical doctorate degree as they wrap-up their postdoctoral studies and secure a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position. Once the faculty position is secured, the R00 portion of this award may provide three years of research support to help the new faculty member establish a competitive, independent research program.

These opportunities will seek proposals on defined, specific topic areas as detailed in the FOAs. To jumpstart your preparation and learn more about these opportunities, please visit this Webinar, as well as the notices listed below in the Coming Soon postdoctoral training opportunities.

ResearchImaged by FDA

The NIH Director’s Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) program was established in 2013. The goal of the BEST program was to experiment with methods to enhance training opportunities for early-career scientists and prepare them for a variety of career options in the biomedical workforce that include industry, teaching, and government positions in addition to traditional academic appointments. Through BEST, 17 sites (BEST Consortium) launched unique graduate training programs at their respective universities that are described in an upcoming book.

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

  • Coming soon: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) NOT-OD-20-007
  • Coming soon: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) NOT-OD-20-008
  • Coming soon: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Pathway to Independence Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) NOT-OD-20-005
  • Coming soon: Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Pathway to Independence Award in Tobacco Regulatory Research (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) NOT-OD-20-006
  • 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
  • NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research Education Program on Translational Devices (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) RFA-NS-20-003
  • 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

  • The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) 81st Annual Meeting
    June 20-24, 2020
    Registration opens November 1, 2019
    Hollywood, FL
    CPDD provides a national and international forum for scientists of diverse backgrounds to advance the understanding and treatment of substance use disorders. NIDA will host a Grant Writing and Career Development Workshop as well as an Early Career Scholars Networking Event (information coming soon). Registration and meeting details can be found at https://cpdd.org/.
CPDD meeting graphic
  • American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting: Creating the Healthiest 
    Nation: For science. For action. For health.
    November 2-6, 2019
    Philadelphia, PA
    APHA's Annual Meeting and Expo is the largest and most influential annual gathering of public health professionals. Nearly 13,000 attendees gather each year to present, learn and find inspiration.