Institutional Support For Mentored K Awards

The NINDS encourages applicant institutions to demonstrate a commitment to providing the environment and resources needed to successfully prepare junior investigators for careers as independent academic researchers in neuroscience.

Awardees will enter the program participating in mentored research and, as a result of the experience, they are expected to have developed the competencies and skills needed to apply for independent funding. As part of the application process, institutions must define the resources and environment leading to this level of competence, and provide concrete evidence of their commitment to providing these resources. Under this award, institutions are not asked to confer an academic title that signifies independence, but they must commit to a program for training that allows awardees to successfully compete for such a position. It is anticipated that awardees will apply for independent funding during the course of their award. Institutions sponsoring them must provide the resources and title required to do so.

Institutions should consider carefully each candidate’s scientific background, especially the extent to which they have been engaged in prior research training. Resources in support of career development should be tailored to the individual candidate, taking into account special strengths and needs. Unique features of the environment, the resources to be provided and institutional/departmental track record in mentoring prior trainees should be specifically detailed.

The level of institutional commitment, as described above, will be considered during review. The extent to which this commitment will be honored if the application is not successful will also be considered.

Institutions are urged to address the following commitments to the candidate:

• The protection of a candidate’s time for research;
• An academic title consistent with the candidate’s participation in a research intensive program in which mentoring leading to independence is the primary objective; this appointment should enable the candidate to apply for independent funding;
• The provisions for ensuring that the candidate will not bear, or be asked to bear, an inappropriate load of clinical or administrative duties;
• Provision of adequate funds and space for the research program outlined;
• A plan for ensuring regular academic supervision in addition to that provided by the mentor;
• Evidence that this additional institution supervision will: include independent review of a candidate’s progress toward the goal of independence; employ metrics to judge progress; define and eliminate any deficiencies in program design, and, communicate to the mentor, whose yearly report of progress will be countersigned; and
• The assurance that a candidate may consult directly with the institutional official(s) responsible for committing the resources for the career development experience.