NINDS Institutional Research Training Program (T32 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 149

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 149

The NINDS Institutional Research Training Program (T32 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed), PAR-21-149, is a National Institutes of Health grant opportunity designed to fund institution-led research training programs that align with the mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The central goal is to build high-quality, structured training environments that reliably produce well-prepared neuroscientists who can make meaningful, long-term contributions to neuroscience research. Rather than supporting individual trainees one at a time, this mechanism supports a coordinated program with a clear training vision, a defined scientific theme, and a deliberate set of training activities that combine coursework, mentored research, and career development.

A key expectation is that the training program meaningfully strengthens participants scientific foundations and practical research readiness. Programs are expected to teach strong experimental design principles, ensure trainees develop solid statistical and analytical skills, and provide repeated practice in communicating science clearly in both written and oral formats for different audiences (for example, specialists, interdisciplinary collaborators, and broader nontechnical audiences). Another core emphasis is quantitative literacy. Regardless of the specific neuroscience theme, the program should create real opportunities for trainees to apply quantitative approaches in their own work, not just learn about them in a classroom. In practice, this often implies intentional training in areas like data interpretation, computational thinking, reproducibility, and rigorous analytic planning, embedded in the research experience.

The FOA supports training programs that may be basic, clinical, and/or translational in nature, as long as they are consistent with NINDS priorities. However, the announcement explicitly indicates that clinical trials are not allowed under this funding opportunity, meaning the training activities and research experiences supported by the program should not include conducting an NIH-defined clinical trial as part of the funded work. Institutions typically respond to this by designing research training projects and mentored experiences that may be clinically relevant but do not cross into clinical trial conduct.

In terms of who can be trained, the program is designed to support appointments that are generally 1 to 2 years in duration and may include one or more trainee groups: dissertation-stage predoctoral students (specifically those in their third and/or fourth year of graduate school), postdoctoral fellows, and fellowship-stage clinicians. The FOA makes a point of excluding early-stage graduate students from NINDS support under this particular program announcement, stating that first- and second-year graduate students are not supported through this PAR. That framing underscores that the program is meant for trainees who are ready to deepen research expertise and productivity through intensive mentored work and advanced training rather than those still completing early foundational graduate milestones.

Eligibility to apply is geared toward U.S.-based institutions and organizations capable of running an institutional training program. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), among others. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly states that non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible either, reinforcing that the funded training and supported program activities must be domestically based.

Administratively, this opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant in the health category under CFDA 93.853, offered by the National Institutes of Health. The FOA was created on February 24, 2021, and the original closing date shown in the provided record is May 25, 2023 (applicants would still need to verify the current status and any subsequent receipt dates in the full FOA). Overall, the program is best understood as support for well-organized, theme-driven neuroscience training pipelines that combine rigorous research practice with strong methodological, quantitative, and communication training, aimed at preparing advanced predoctoral trainees, postdocs, and clinicians for impactful research careers in NINDS-relevant areas.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Institutional Research Training Program (T32 - 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 2021-02-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-25. (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, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, Others.

Apply for PAR 21 149

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