Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T32)

PA-25-168

The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) program is to develop and/or enhance research training opportunities for individuals interested in careers in biomedical, behavioral or social sciences, and clinical research, in health services research, or in any other discipline relevant to the NIH mission. NIH encourages biomedical research training to keep pace with the rapid evolution of the biomedical research enterprise that is increasingly complex, interdisciplinary, quantitative, and collaborative. Programs should prepare trainees to effectively engage in a research enterprise characterized by increased breadth in the backgrounds of individuals participating, the approaches taken to investigate research questions, and the range of careers that biomedical doctoral recipients are pursuing. There is also increasing recognition of the need to enhance the reproducibility of biomedical research results through scientific rigor and transparency, and the skills of mentors to effectively engage a more diverse trainee population.

Each proposed program should provide rigorous research training, and mentored research experiences, and are expected to help trainees develop:

• The skills to independently acquire the knowledge needed to advance their chosen field; 
• The ability to think critically and independently, and to identify important research questions and approaches that push forward the boundaries of their areas of study;
• An understanding of the health-related sciences and the relationship of their research training to health and disease;
• A strong foundation in scientific reasoning, rigorous and reproducible research design, experimental methods, quantitative and computational approaches, and data analysis and interpretation;
• The skills to conduct research in the safest manner possible, and a commitment to approaching biomedical research responsibly, ethically, and with integrity;
• Experience initiating, conducting, interpreting and presenting rigorous and reproducible research with increasing self-direction;
• The ability to work effectively in teams with colleagues from a variety of cultural and scientific backgrounds and to promote inclusive and supportive scientific research environments;
• The skills to teach and communicate scientific research methodologies and findings to a wide variety of audiences (e.g., discipline-specific, across disciplines, and the public); and
• The knowledge, professional skills, and experiences required to identify and transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce.

Program Considerations

This NOFO is intended to support rigorous research training programs that will promote the development of a biomedical research workforce that will benefit from the full range of perspectives, experiences and backgrounds needed to advance and translate discovery for the benefit of all.  NIH expects organizations to engage in outreach and recruitment activities to encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented groups  (see the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity ) to participate in the program.  Consistent with existing NIH practices and applicable law: (1) Funded programs may not use the race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of a trainee or faculty candidate as an eligibility or selection criterion, and (2) NIH does not use the race, ethnicity, or sex of trainee candidates, trainees, or faculty in the application review process or funding decisions.   Applicants and award recipients are encouraged to consult with their General Counsel to ensure all applicable laws and regulations are being followed in program design and implementation.

Applicants are expected to identify unique training goals and objectives (i.e., specific and measurable outcomes the program intends to achieve) and develop plans to implement evidence-informed training and mentoring activities (i.e., approaches that are grounded in the literature and from evaluations of existing relevant training programs) to address those needs and objectives.

Application budgets are not limited, but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

Not Required

January 25, 2025, May 25, 2025; September 25, 2025

NIA Training Office
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Email: NIATraining@mail.nih.gov

Rob Rivers, PhD
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Telephone: 301-443-8415
Email: robert.rivers@nih.gov

Mariela Shirley, Ph.D.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-402-9389
Email: shirleym@mail.nih.gov

Alberto L Rivera- Rentas
NIDCD - NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
Phone: 301-496-1804
E-mail: riverara@mail.nih.gov