The purpose of the NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Program is to equip trainees with the knowledge and skills needed to advance basic research toward clinical application. These programs will support, students and/or postdocs conducting basic, disease-relevant research in an environment that includes 1) basic neuroscientists and clinicians who are actively engaged in collaborative research projects, 2) neuroscience researchers with expertise in translational processes who are conducting research designed to move basic discoveries toward clinical application and 3) relationships with industry and government regulatory agencies. Programs will have a cohesive educational approach to translational training in areas relevant to the NINDS mission, and in which students and postdocs learn the processes involved in translational research in the context of their individual projects. Programs supported by this FOA must include activities that ensure a thorough understanding of experimental design, strong statistical and analytical skills, and skills for communicating science with a wide variety of audiences. These programs are intended to be 2 years in duration and support training of one or more of the following groups: advanced predoctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and fellowship-stage clinicians. Upon completion of the program, trainees will be prepared to address basic research problems with an understanding of the requirements for translating discoveries into viable therapies.
