Frequently asked questions about NIA’s training and career development programs

Applying for a grant can be a challenging process, particularly for early-career investigators who are navigating the variety of fellowship and career development programs offered by NIA. To help, we’ve collected answers to some of the most common applicant questions.

Q: Which career stages are supported by NIA’s training and career development awards?

A: NIA is proud to offer career development opportunities for the full spectrum of trainees, from K-12 students to established investigators. Our training and career development landscape graphic breaks down the available programs at each career stage. These awards include fellowships (F), career development (K) awards, and research (R) grants for individual investigators as well as support for institutions to develop training and research education programs. Check out our recent blog post on developing the aging research workforce from the earliest career stages for more details.

Q: Does NIA support initiatives to enhance research workforce diversity?

A: Yes. Members of groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences are encouraged to apply for any of NIA’s grant programs. NIA participates in NIH-wide initiatives aimed at diversifying the research workforce, including an F31 for predoctoral students and diversity and other supplements. In addition, NIA has created our own suite of programs at different career stages, including an aging research dissertation award as well as predoctoral, postdoctoral, and career transition awards focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias translational research.

We also support institutions seeking to diversify the aging research workforce via R25 research education programs in aging research for undergraduates and for summer and postbaccalaureate experiences in Alzheimer’s and related dementias research. Moreover, NIA’s Butler-Williams Scholars Program provides opportunities for early-stage investigators who are faculty or conducting research in a lab to establish an independent career in aging research.

Q: Are international students or postdocs pursuing research in the United States eligible to apply for NIA training and career development programs?

A: Yes. International graduate students who plan to pursue both their graduate degree and their postdoctoral research in the U.S. can consider the F99/K00 predoctoral to postdoctoral transition award. Similarly, international postdocs working in the U.S. who are interested in a future tenure-track position in the U.S. can consider the K99/R00 postdoctoral to independent research transition award. An applicant for these awards may be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. non-citizen national who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possesses 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. There is no U.S. citizenship requirement for most R grants; international scientists can apply for research project grants such as the R01, R03, or R21, if their institutions are willing to support them.

Q: Does NIA support career development programs for clinician-scientists?

A: Yes. NIA offers several mentored career development programs for clinician-scientists, including the K08 to provide training in basic aging research, the K23 to provide training in patient-oriented research, and the K76 Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging. The Beeson K76 is unique in that it supports early-stage clinician-investigators who have begun to establish research programs and demonstrate leadership in the field of aging research.

NIA also offers the K24 to support mid-career clinician-scientists as they mentor early-stage investigators and advance their own patient-oriented research efforts. Additionally, the Early Medical/Surgical Specialists’ Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) is NIA’s signature program supporting physicians who have recently completed clinical training and are interested in pursuing an aging research career related to their specialty.

Connect with us for help!

We hope this FAQ is helpful, but if you have additional questions, please visit the NIA Training and Career Development homepage to sign up for the latest updates, email [email protected], or leave a comment below. If you have questions regarding the NIA Butler-Williams Scholars Program, please email the NIA Office of Special Populations at [email protected].