Transition to Aging Research for Predoctoral Students
NIA invites outstanding graduate students from a wide range of broad research areas including, but not limited to, statistics, neuroscience, physics, immunology, microbiology, informatics, data sciences, and engineering who are interested in receiving aging-related postdoctoral training to apply for this award.
The purpose of the Transition to Aging Research Award for Predoctoral Students is to increase, retain, and diversify the pool of trainees in aging and geriatric research.
This two-phase award will allow awardees to complete doctoral dissertation projects and provide a variety of training supports to facilitate smooth transition of doctoral graduates into competitive, aging-focused postdoctoral positions.
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) does not allow applicants to propose to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow applicants to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor or co-sponsor.
The F99/K00 award is meant to provide up to six years of support in two phases. The F99 phase provides up to two years of support to doctoral students to complete their dissertation research projects before transitioning into the aging-focused post-doctoral phase (K00). Please note that the K00 phase supports the awardees for up to four years of mentored post-doctoral training; however, the fourth year of award is contingent upon submission of any career development award application (e.g. K99, K01, etc.) before the end of the third year of K00 phase.
For the F99 phase, award budgets are composed of stipends, tuition and fees, an institutional allowance, and some travel costs as described below.
For the K00 phase, award budgets are composed of salary and fringe benefits, research and career development support, indirect costs, and travel costs as described below.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-20-009.html
Any predoctoral candidate with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her sponsor and organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed.
By the time of award, the individual must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Permanent Resident Card USCIS Form I-551, or other legal verification of such status), or be a non-U.S. citizen with a valid U.S. visa. For applications submitted on behalf of non-U.S. citizens with valid U.S. visas, the visa status during each phase of the F99/K00 award must allow the PD/PI to conduct the proposed research at the applicant institution. For the F99 phase of the award, the applicant F99 institution is responsible for determining and documenting, in the nomination letter, that the applicant’s visa will allow the applicant to remain in the U.S. to complete the F99 phase of the award and that there are no known obstacles that would prevent the applicant from obtaining a visa for the K00 phase. For the K00 phase of the award, the U.S institution at which the K00 phase of the award will be conducted is responsible for determining and documenting, in the transition application, that the PD/PI’s visa will allow the PD/PI to remain in the U.S. for the duration of the K00 award. NIA may request verifying information as part of the pre-award process.
The applicant must have a baccalaureate degree and be currently enrolled as a graduate student in the third or fourth year of a mentored PhD or equivalent research degree program (e.g., DrPH, ScD) at a domestic institution. The applicant must be at the dissertation research stage of training at the time of award, show evidence of high academic performance, and provide a comprehensive plan to successfully transition into and advance aging research.
The F99/K00 award may not be used to support studies leading to an MD, DDS, or other clinical, health-professional degree (e.g., DC, DMD, DNP, DO, DPM, DVM, ND, OD, AuD). Students matriculated in a dual-degree program (e.g. MD/PhD, DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, or DVM/PhD) are not eligible for the F99/K00 program.