NIMH Career Transition Award for Tenure-Track Intramural Investigators

Presenter:

Ashlee Van’t Veer, Ph.D.
Office of Research Training and Career Development

Goal:

This concept would allow for the re-issue of a long-standing career transition program to provide support for tenure-track intramural investigators at NIMH who aim to transition from the Division of Intramural Research Programs (IRP) to an independent research faculty position in the extramural community. This concept would aim to enable tenure-track intramural investigators to compete successfully for academic positions, make successful career changes, and compete for R01 or R01-like research grant support from the NIH and other agencies.

Rationale:

In order to maintain and expand on the many contributions of IRP investigators to mental health research and to strengthen further the innovative research that is conducted in the IRP, the NIMH IRP must maintain opportunities for career transitions into and out of the intramural program. To aid the transition from the intramural to the extramural research community, this initiative would provide fiscal support for up to three years to enable tenure-track investigators in the IRP to transition their research programs to the extramural community. Specifically, this concept aims to 1) support tenure-track scientists conducting research in the NIMH IRP who aim to transition to independent research positions in the extramural community where they intend to continue already successful biomedical research careers as independent scientists; and 2) foster the career advancement of these independent scientists,  enabling them to expand their potential to contribute significantly to mental health-related research.