Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 10 002

  • 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 Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuropathology and Neuroradiology (R25)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jun 10, 2009 and posted on Jun 10, 2009.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 10, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education.
  • Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) .
Apply for RFA NS 10 002

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Opportunity Summary:

The NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuropathology, and Neuroradiology (R25) is a National Institutes of Health grant opportunity created to strengthen the pipeline of clinician-scientists in the neurosciences. Run by the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the program supports structured, mentored research education experiences that are meant to fit into clinical training years. The central purpose is to help produce highly trained investigators who can drive future discoveries that reduce the burden of neurological disease, while also giving trainees a realistic, supported path from clinical residency or fellowship into a research career.

At its core, the R25 mechanism is described as flexible and specialized, meaning institutions can design educational programs that are creative and tailored to their trainees and research environment, rather than forcing a single rigid template. The program is built around giving medical residents and fellows a protected, intensive research experience lasting roughly 9 to 24 months during residency or fellowship. That time is intended to be substantial enough for trainees to do more than a short rotation: they should be able to learn how a research program actually runs, build competence with hands-on laboratory or other research methods, and gain the confidence and judgment needed to ask good scientific questions.

A major emphasis of the opportunity is career development toward independence. The supported research education period is meant to provide the training and preparation needed to compete successfully for independent mentored research awards later on (for example, NIH mentored career development pathways), and to make the jump from resident or fellow to clinician-scientist more achievable. In practical terms, this means trainees are expected to leave the program with a stronger research foundation, a clearer trajectory, and tangible outputs that position them for the next funding step.

The announcement highlights several specific trainee outcomes. Participants are expected to collect preliminary data that can be used in future grant applications, which is often a critical barrier for clinicians trying to enter research. They are also expected to develop laboratory research skills (and, by extension, broader research competencies), along with the critical skills needed to design and conduct research experiments. Another explicit goal is improving grant-writing ability so that trainees can produce competitive applications, reflecting the reality that long-term success in academic research depends heavily on being able to develop fundable ideas and communicate them clearly.

This opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under the health activity area, tied to CFDA 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders). It does not require cost sharing or matching, which reduces institutional barriers to applying and can make it easier to build training time into clinically demanding programs. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status). The eligibility language also explicitly includes institutions serving specific populations, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, signaling an openness to diverse institutional settings and, potentially, a broader reach to trainees from varied backgrounds.

The funding opportunity number is RFA-NS-10-002, with the original posting date of June 10, 2009, and a closing date of September 10, 2009 (the record indicates the opportunity was archived on October 11, 2009). The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants system, and contact information in the listing points applicants to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) web support contacts for technical access or linking issues.

Overall, this R25 opportunity is best understood as institutional support to create or run a mentored research education track embedded within neurology-related residency and fellowship training. It is designed to give residents and fellows enough time, mentorship, and structured education to generate early data, learn rigorous research practices, and become credible candidates for the next stage of mentored career funding, ultimately increasing the number of clinicians prepared to lead neuroscience research programs.

FAQs: NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows (R25)

What is the NINDS R25 Research Education Program for Residents and Fellows?

It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity run by the National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) that supports structured, mentored research education experiences for medical residents and fellows in neurology-related fields. The overall aim is to strengthen the pipeline of clinician-scientists in the neurosciences.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The central purpose is to help produce highly trained investigators who can drive future discoveries that reduce the burden of neurological disease, while giving trainees a realistic, supported path from clinical residency or fellowship into a research career.

Which clinical specialties does this program focus on?

The opportunity is designed for residents and fellows in neurology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, and neuroradiology.

What kind of grant mechanism is used?

This opportunity uses the NIH R25 mechanism (a research education program), described in the listing as flexible and specialized, allowing institutions to design programs that fit their trainees and local research environment rather than following a single rigid template.

What does “flexible and specialized” mean in the context of this R25?

It means institutions have room to create a research education program that is tailored to their specific clinical training structure, mentoring capacity, and research strengths, rather than being forced into a uniform program design.

How does the research experience fit into residency or fellowship training?

The program supports a protected, intensive research education experience that is intended to be embedded within the clinical training years, so residents or fellows can build research skills without stepping completely outside their training pathway.

How long is the protected research experience expected to last?

The supported research education period is described as roughly 9 to 24 months during residency or fellowship.

Why is the program designed for an intensive 9 to 24 month period instead of a short rotation?

The intent is to provide enough sustained time for trainees to learn how a research program actually operates, build hands-on competence with research methods, and develop the judgment needed to ask strong scientific questions, which is difficult to achieve in brief rotations.

What types of research skills or competencies are emphasized for trainees?

The announcement highlights development of laboratory research skills (and broader research competencies), along with critical skills needed to design and conduct research experiments.

Does this program emphasize career development toward research independence?

Yes. A major emphasis is career development toward independence, with the research education period intended to prepare trainees to compete successfully for independent mentored research awards later on and to make the transition to a clinician-scientist career more achievable.

What trainee outcomes are specifically expected by the program?

The listing identifies several expected outcomes, including collecting preliminary data for future grant applications, developing research skills and competencies (including skills to design and conduct experiments), and improving grant-writing ability so trainees can produce competitive applications.

Why is collecting preliminary data an explicit goal?

The program explicitly expects trainees to collect preliminary data that can be used in future grant applications, addressing a common barrier for clinicians entering research: generating the early evidence needed to support competitive funding proposals.

Does the program include grant-writing development?

Yes. Improving grant-writing ability is an explicit goal, reflecting the importance of developing fundable research ideas and communicating them effectively for long-term success in academic research.

Is this opportunity intended to support individuals directly or institutions that run training programs?

Based on the description, it is best understood as institutional support to create or run a mentored research education track embedded within neurology-related residency and fellowship training.

Who can apply as an eligible applicant organization?

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status).

Are institutions serving specific populations explicitly included in eligibility?

Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The listing states that cost sharing or matching is not required.

How is this opportunity categorized in terms of funding type and activity area?

It is categorized as a discretionary grant under the health activity area.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is tied to CFDA 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders).

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is RFA-NS-10-002.

When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

The original posting date was June 10, 2009, and the closing date was September 10, 2009. The record also indicates it was archived on October 11, 2009.

Where was the full announcement hosted?

The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants system.

Who is listed as a contact for technical issues related to access or linking?

The listing points applicants to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) web support contacts for technical access or linking issues.

In practical terms, what does success look like for a trainee finishing this R25-supported experience?

The opportunity describes success as leaving with a stronger research foundation, a clearer trajectory toward a research career, and tangible outputs such as preliminary data and improved grant-writing capability that position the trainee for the next funding step in mentored career development.

What is the broader impact NINDS is trying to achieve through this program?

The broader impact is to increase the number of clinicians prepared to lead neuroscience research programs and drive discoveries that reduce the burden of neurological disease.

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