Modification of Eligibility Criteria for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (Parent F32)

Notice Number:  NOT-OD-11-097

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

• October 20, 2011 - See Notice NOT-OD-12-003. Publication of the Revised NIH Grants Policy Statement (Rev. 10/1/2011): Policy Changes, Clarifications and Document Enhancements.

Release Date:  July 15, 2011

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

This Notice modifies instructions under “Eligible Organizations” for the NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship program, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (Parent F32) (PA-11-113).

Modified (updated) Instructions:

The fellowship is designed to support research training experiences in new settings in order to maximize the acquisition of new skills and knowledge. In most cases, therefore, the sponsoring institution should be a site other than where the applicant fellow has trained as a graduate student. However, if the applicant fellow is proposing postdoctoral training at his/her doctoral institution, the application must carefully document the opportunities for new research training experiences specifically designed to broaden his/her scientific background. In addition, the application should propose research experiences that will allow the fellow to acquire new knowledge and/or technical skills that will enhance his/her potential to become a productive, independent investigator.

The above instructions replace the original (old) instructions:

The fellowship is designed to support research training experiences in new settings in order to maximize the acquisition of new skills and knowledge; in most cases, therefore, the sponsoring institution must not be an institution where the applicant fellow has trained for more than a year. However, in unusual circumstances, applicant fellows may propose postdoctoral training experiences at an institution where they have been training for more than a year. In such cases, the applicant fellow must carefully document the opportunities for new research training experiences specifically designed to broaden his/her scientific background.

Please direct all inquiries to:

Rodney Ulane, Ph.D.
NIH Research Training Officer
Email: nihtrain@mail.nih.gov