NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 311

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 311

The NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PAR-20-311, is an NIH discretionary grant program designed to strengthen the pipeline of physician-scientists in neurology and stroke-related fields. Run under the NIH Research Education Program (R25) mechanism, it focuses on building high-quality research education experiences that complement clinical training and help meet national biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce needs. The central idea is to give residents and fellows structured, mentored research exposure that moves them beyond simply learning about research and toward actually developing as independent investigators in areas aligned with the NINDS mission, such as understanding disease mechanisms, causes (etiology), and treatments for neurological disorders.

A defining feature of this program is its emphasis on hands-on research experiences as the primary educational activity. Programs supported through this FOA are expected to create thoughtful, well-mentored research opportunities that fit the realities of residency and fellowship schedules while still being rigorous enough to produce meaningful scholarly development. The goal is not only to help clinicians participate in research during training, but to position them to successfully compete for the next major step in a research career, particularly NIH mentored career development awards (for example, K-series awards), and in some cases to set the stage for competing for independent research funding later on. In other words, the R25 is intended to be a bridge from clinical training into a sustained physician-scientist trajectory, with research skill-building, mentorship, and professional development intentionally built into the program design.

The FOA also includes a cohort-building and accountability component through an annual workshop requirement. Participants supported by the R25 are expected to attend and participate in an annual, FOA-specific workshop where they present their work, discuss progress, and outline plans for transitioning to the next career stage. This workshop is also meant to create networking opportunities with peers, established researchers, and leaders in relevant disciplines. That recurring touchpoint is designed to keep trainees moving forward, make career planning more concrete, and reduce the drop-off that often happens when clinicians finish residency or fellowship without a clear runway into funded research.

As indicated by the title, clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity. That means proposed activities should not include conducting clinical trials as defined by NIH policy. The supported work should remain within allowable research education and research experience activities that do not cross into running clinical trials, even if the broader program is clinically oriented. Applicants typically need to plan research experiences and mentoring that are compatible with this restriction and clearly describe how participant activities will comply.

Eligibility to apply is broad across U.S.-based organizations involved in training and research. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and other qualifying organizations. The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types that include several categories of institutions that serve populations underrepresented in biomedical research, such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). At the same time, foreign participation is restricted: non-U.S. (non-domestic) entities are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health under the NINDS mission area, with CFDA number 93.853 and a grant funding instrument type. The original closing date listed for the opportunity was January 25, 2023, and the FOA was created on October 27, 2020. While the excerpt does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the program’s intent is clear: to fund robust, creative research education programs that help residents and fellows become competitive, well-mentored, research-capable clinicians who remain in the biomedical research workforce and contribute to advances in neurological disorders and stroke.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-10-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-01-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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