NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurological Disorders and Stroke (UE5 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 24 079

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 079

The NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurological Disorders and Stroke (UE5, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is an NIH R25 research education opportunity designed to strengthen the pipeline of physicians who become research scientists in areas aligned with the mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The program focuses on building a workforce capable of meeting national biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs, with a specific emphasis on neurology, neurological disorders, and stroke. Rather than functioning like a standard research project grant, this opportunity supports structured educational programming that adds to or enhances the research training environment for residents and fellows, with the intent of accelerating their development into competitive physician-scientists.

A central feature of the program is hands-on, mentored research experiences for physicians in residency and fellowship training. Funded programs are expected to provide meaningful research exposure that helps participants build the skills, productivity, and professional trajectory needed to compete successfully for the next stage of NIH funding. The stated goal is to prepare participants to apply for individual NIH mentored career development awards (such as K-series mechanisms), and in some cases to progress toward independent research awards when appropriate. In practical terms, applicants should expect that NINDS is looking for well-designed, research-intensive experiences that cultivate scientific thinking, research rigor, and a clear pathway from clinical training into sustained research careers focused on mechanisms, causes, and treatments of neurological disease.

The FOA also includes a community-building and career transition component. Participants supported through the R25 are expected to attend and take part in an annual workshop connected to this specific funding opportunity. That workshop is positioned as a venue for participants to present their work, share progress, discuss next-step plans for career development, and build networks with peers, established investigators, and leaders in relevant fields. This annual convening is meant to reinforce accountability and momentum, and to increase the likelihood that residents and fellows successfully move from clinical trainee roles into long-term physician-scientist positions. At a broader level, NINDS frames this as a retention strategy, helping maintain a durable cadre of clinician-researchers who can drive advances in understanding and treating neurological disorders and stroke.

The award is offered as a cooperative agreement (Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement), which typically implies substantial NIH programmatic involvement compared with a standard grant. The activity sits in the health funding category and is associated with CFDA number 93.853. Importantly, the opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which signals that the supported activities should not include clinical trials as defined by NIH. Programs can still emphasize research experiences, career development, and other educational elements, but they need to stay within the FOA’s restrictions on clinical trial activity.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with and without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those specific nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments as well as other Native American tribal organizations. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories or possessions are included as eligible applicants.

At the same time, the FOA draws clear lines on foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning certain internationally based elements may be permissible when structured within NIH policy, even though foreign organizations cannot serve as the applicant organization.

Key administrative details from the opportunity listing include the Funding Opportunity Number PAR-24-079, an original closing date of 2026-01-28, and an award ceiling of $850,000. The opportunity was created on 2024-02-14. Overall, the FOA is best understood as a mechanism for institutions and eligible organizations to build or strengthen high-quality, research-focused educational pathways for neurology residents and fellows, with measurable outputs aimed at helping participants move into mentored career development funding and ultimately independent, NINDS-relevant research careers.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurological Disorders and Stroke (UE5 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $850,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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