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Shakira Nelson

Shakira is a Program Officer in the Division of Training and Workforce Development (TWD). With a background in immunology and infectious diseases, she oversees several T32 basic biomedical programs, and has a small portfolio in Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry (PPBC) focusing on systemic immune and inflammatory responses.

Request for Information: Initiatives That Improve Research Training, Career Progression, or the Educational Environment in the Biomedical Research Enterprise

April 12, 2022

NIGMS supports individuals and institutions that foster research training and a strong and diverse biomedical research workforce through a variety of programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. We’re seeking input from trainees (undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral scientists), biomedical faculty, and research education program participants (e.g., postbaccalaureates), on initiatives that can help us improve research training, career progression, or the educational environment. NIGMS is especially interested in hearing about trainee-initiated activities—particularly from the trainees themselves—in NIGMS-funded training programs, including U-RISE, MARC, BUILD, PREP, G-RISE, IMSD, Bridges to the Baccalaureate, Bridges to the Doctorate, IRACDA, MOSAIC, basic biomedical T32, and MSTP.

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NIGMS Diversity Supplements Available to Support Master’s Degree Students

April 6, 2022

NIGMS is accepting diversity supplement applications to support master’s degree students who are planning to apply to Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. This opportunity is part of our Diversity Supplements Program, which facilitates the recruitment and training of promising scientists from diverse backgrounds (including individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce). The broader goal of this program is to enhance the diversity of the biomedical research enterprise.

The duration of supplement support is normally 1 year but can be extended for up to 1 additional year, for a total of 24 months. Program directors (PDs)/principal investigators (PIs) with active NIGMS research grants, program project grants, center grants, or cooperative agreements are eligible to apply if there are at least 12 months remaining on the grant.

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Webinar for G-RISE and IMSD Research Training Program (T32) Applicants

November 18, 2021

Are you preparing a grant application for the Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (G-RISE) or the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) predoctoral institutional research training program? If so, please join our informational webinar to learn about the programs and application components. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask us questions:

Friday, December 3, 1:30-3:00 p.m. ET

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New Research on Interventions R01 Funding Announcement and Upcoming Webinar

July 13, 2021

UPDATE: The video from the Interventions webinar is now available.

NIGMS has reissued its funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for Research on Interventions that Promote the Careers of Individuals in the Biomedical Research Enterprise (R01) (PAR-21-269). In line with a key mission area of the Institute—ensuring the vitality and continued productivity of the research enterprise—the FOA encourages studies on interventions aimed to enhance research-oriented individuals’ interest, motivation, persistence, and preparedness for careers in the biomedical research workforce. Potential intervention focus areas include, but are not limited to, networking and mentoring, institutional climate, harassment, and structural racism and discrimination.

The new FOA no longer includes research designed solely to inform interventions; applicants must also conduct and test an intervention. Proposals must test the effectiveness of an intervention using robust experimental designs, such as randomized control trial approaches, case controls, matched pair design, or other designs appropriate to perform rigorous research on effective interventions aiming to increase success in the biomedical research workforce.

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NIGMS Diversity Supplements Available to Support Faculty Members

January 25, 2021

We’re pleased to announce that NIGMS is now accepting diversity supplement applications to support faculty-level investigators developing independent research careers (NOT-GM-21-014). This opportunity is part of our Diversity Supplements Program, which facilitates the recruitment and training of promising scientists from diverse backgrounds (e.g., individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce).

The supplements provide either short- or long-term research support to early career faculty members wishing to participate in ongoing research projects while further developing their research skills and establishing an independent research career.

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