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Intramural Research Fellowships for NICHD Postdoctoral and Clinical Fellows

A competitive internal funding opportunity for NICHD postdoctoral and clinical fellows.

The purpose of this research award is to promote grant writing among our intramural fellows while enhancing awareness of various application components for an NIH grant.

Eligibility

These research fellowships are specifically for NICHD intramural fellows within their second and third year of training, preparing them for the process of applying to an NIH grant.

  • All NICHD postdocs and clinical fellows can apply regardless of citizenship
  • To apply, an NICHD fellow must be in their second or third training year
  • If awarded, a fellow cannot reapply for this fellowship

We ask that the application be prepared by the fellow, but the mentor is expected to offer guidance and input throughout the writing process. The SF424 instruction guide (Version H, for fellowship applications) for NIH grants will provide additional information for all of the required sections, and other specifications can be found at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide.html.

Please note that attending the application training session is a requirement for submission. Led by the Office of Education, the session will cover various parts of an NIH grant and the review process for this fellowship. The training session will be held on Thursday, June 13, 10 - 11:30 a.m. (via Zoom).

Awards

For applications that result in an award, the appointed lab will receive $25K for one fiscal year, towards the fellow’s stipend and equipment and/or travel to a scientific conference related to their proposed work.

Up to four fellowships will be awarded depending on funding availability.

Review Process & Scoring

  • Applications will be electronically reviewed by an internal selection committee. Each application will be assigned to two reviewers.
  • Along with comments, reviewers will provide an overall impact score based on their assessment of the following criteria: the fellowship applicant (biosketch, diversity statement), sponsor (sponsor statement), the research training plan (specific aims, significance and approach), training potential (goals for fellowship training ), and the institutional environment and commitment to training (selection of sponsor and institution, sponsor statement).
  • The reviewers will also be asked to provide a summary of their thoughts for each application.

Important Dates for 2024

  • Training Session for Potential Applicants: June 13
  • Official Submission Deadline: September 13
  • Application assignments and study section: September & October
  • Final Decisions Announced: By Early FY25

Official Submission:

To apply, applicants must submit a single PDF file of the following documents ( in the specified order ) to the Office of Education, NICHD:

Biographical sketch for the fellow (NIH format, 5 page limit)

Diversity Leadership Statement (1 page limit)

  • Include a description of your commitment to DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) in the biomedical sciences, and any examples of your leadership, mentoring and outreach activities for promoting and enhancing DEIA–especially involving groups underrepresented in the biomedical research enterprise.

  • Describe proposed activities for the fellowship timeline for developing or enhancing your leadership skills and experiences in the area of DEIA. Specifically, those activities that will allow you to work effectively with scientists from a wide variety of backgrounds and promote inclusive and equitable scientific biomedical research environments.  (e.g. leading teams, outreach and engagement opportunities, training, etc.).

Goals for Fellowship Training (1 page limit)

  • Describe your overall training goals for the duration of the fellowship and how the proposed fellowship will enable the attainment of these goals. Identify the skills, theories, conceptual approaches, etc., to be learned or enhanced during the award, including, as applicable, expertise in rigorous research design, experimental methods, quantitative approaches, and data analysis and interpretation, as applicable. l Discuss how the proposed research will facilitate your transition to the next career stage.
  • Describe the activities (research, coursework, professional development, clinical activities, etc.) you will be involved in during the proposed award. Estimate the percentage of time to be devoted to each activity. Describe the research skills and techniques that you intend to learn during the award period.
  • You may find it helpful to review the guidelines on page F-59 of the SF424, specifically pertaining to goals and activities.

Selection of Sponsor and Institution (1 page limit)

  • Describe the rationale/justification for the selection of both the sponsor and the institution.
  • Explain why the sponsor and institution were selected to accomplish the research training goals.
  • Refer to page F-63 in the SF424

Statement of Support from the NICHD mentor (1 page limit)

  • In one page or less, discuss the qualities and research potential of the candidate. The letter should describe in detail the fellow’s commitment to their training and its relationship with their career goals.  The mentor should also describe their commitment and role in the proposed research training and the career goals of the fellow. There should also be a discussion of the impact of the research environment, available facilities, and resources on these goals.

Specific Aims for 1 year of training (NIH format, 1 page limit)

  • Refer to the SF424, starting on page F-60.

Significance and Approach (NIH format, 4 page limit)

  • Significance: Does the project address an important problem in the field? How will scientific and medical knowledge and technical capability be improved?
  • Approach: Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project?
  • References Cited should be a separate document, and it is not included in the four-page limit.
  • Refer to the SF424, starting on page F-61, for significance and approach.

Budget Justification (1 page limit)

  • Provide a detailed budget in relation to the proposed research, for 1 year of training, including equipment, travel/training, and stipend cost.
    (a) Equipment: any laboratory equipment that is not already available to conduct the proposed work, with a justification for each. List the estimated cost of each item, including shipping and any maintenance costs.
    (b) Travel/Training: A description of one scientific conference and/or one training activity (include purpose, location, dates, total estimated cost), and how it will enhance your research and/or career training experiences at NICHD.
    (c) Trainee Support Cost: State the allotment of funds for your annual stipend

References Cited (No page limit)

An application with missing or incomplete documentation will not move forward for review.

Contact Information

Any questions regarding this announcement and application process may be directed to Dr. Erin Walsh, Office of Education, NICHD at erin.walsh@nih.gov.