Fellowships - INVEST/CTN Drug Abuse Research Fellowship

In addition to the normal cohort of INVEST Fellows, the NIDA International Program and Clinical Trials Network (CTN) are joining forces to offer INVEST/CTN Fellowships to non-U.S. scientists who will work with a mentor affiliated with 1 of the 16 CTN Regional Research and Training Centers.

The INVEST/CTN Drug Abuse Research Fellowship combines postdoctoral research training in the United States with professional development activities and grant-writing guidance to form a unique program for drug abuse scientists. Fellows may conduct their research in any aspect of the CTN research agenda on drug abuse and addiction, such as intervention research, clinical trials methodology, or drug abuse treatment as HIV/AIDS prevention. Fellows and their mentors are encouraged to develop jointly and seek funding for a collaborative research project to be conducted in the Fellow's home country. Fellows and their U.S. mentors are part of a network of international scientists who exchange information and collaborate on drug abuse research nationally, regionally, and globally.

What Does the Fellowship Include?

The 12-month fellowship provides –

• Rigorous postdoctoral research training with a NIDA grantee at 1 of the 16 CTN Regional Research and Training Centers.
• Professional development activities that help you establish personal relationships with NIDA grantees and NIDA officials who are willing to continue working with you after you return home.
• A stipend of $36,000US for living and personal expenses, round-trip travel, and a $4,000US allowance to cover the cost of health insurance and professional development activities.

Who Is Eligible?

The requirements for INVEST/CTN applicants are –

• An earned doctoral degree in medicine, public health, biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences.
• A minimum of 2 years of postdoctoral research experience, including a demonstrated ability to engage in independent research.
• Written assurance from an institution in the home country that there is a position to which the applicant can return after completing the fellowship.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Citizenship or permanent residency in a country other than the United States.
• Status of living and working outside the United States at the time the application is submitted.
• Eligibility for the J-1 visa to enter the United States.

The requirements for INVEST/CTN mentors include –

• A current NIDA grant that will be active throughout the fellowship period.
• Affiliation with 1 of the Regional Research and Training Centers in the 16 CTN Nodes.

How Should I Apply?

The INVEST/CTN Drug Abuse Research Fellowship application requires careful and thorough coordination between the applicant and mentor:

• Contact a NIDA-supported researcher affiliated with 1 of the 16 CTN Regional Research and Training Centers who is willing to serve as a mentor. The mentor must be a current NIDA grantee.
• Notify the NIDA International Program of your plans to apply.
• Write a detailed research plan for working with the U.S. mentor on biomedical or behavioral research investigating the causes, consequences, prevention, or treatment of drug abuse and addiction.
• Complete and submit your application to the NIDA International Program.

How Can I Get Help in Finding a Mentor?

To find the mentor who's right for you, contact one of the Regional Research and Training Centers within the 16 CTN Nodes. To further refine your search, consult the online database of research projects supported by NIH at http://crisp.cit.nih.gov, review journals online at PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), or email the NIDA International Program (ip@nida.nih.gov) or the CTN (pj104b@nih.gov) for assistance.

Extended Application Deadline: November 24, 2008
Notification of Award: January 23, 2009

The INVEST-CTN and INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellowships use the same application forms, although there are separate instructions. Instruction and application materials can be downloaded from this Web site in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF format:

• INVEST/CTN Drug Abuse Research Fellowship Instruction Packet
  PDF Format     (61KB)
  MS Word Format   (106KB)
• INVEST Drug Abuse Research Fellowship Application Packet
  PDF Format     (205KB)
  MS Word Format   (262KB)
  

Who has been an INVEST/CTN Drug Abuse Research Fellow and Mentor?

Year	Fellow	Mentor
2007- 2008	Dr. Amit Chakrabarti India	Dr. Roger Weiss McLean Hospital
	Dr. Gvantsa Piralishvili Georgia	Dr. George E. Woody University of Pennsylvania
	Dr. Chen Hanhui China	Dr. Walter Ling University of California, Los Angeles