Structure of Research Training
Overview
The goal of the research training arm of the fellowship program is to produce investigators, whether they focus on clinical, basic, or translational research, who will be effectively trained to pursue their own academic careers after the completion of their fellowship. Fellows spend a minimum of two years in research, and often stay for additional years to work on their projects. We offer both basic and clinical research opportunities, with a strong emphasis on translational research. Fellows typically decide what kind of research they will be conducting by the middle of the first year. Those who elect to do clinical research are encouraged to apply for the Training Program in Clinical Research (TPCR) offered at NIH in collaboration with Duke University.
Graduate-level courses in microbiology, immunology and molecular biology are offered on site by the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences. Coursework leading to an MPH is available through Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In the second and third years, fellows undertake clinical, bench, or combined clinical and bench research projects under the direct supervision of senior staff members. Fellows may choose to work in any of the laboratories of the NIH. Laboratories in the NIAID are involved in investigations of all aspects of infectious diseases and immunology. Research projects range in scope from clinical trials to overseas research projects to the most basic aspects of cell and molecular biology.
back to top