# UT Southwestern Integrated Program for the Advancement of Neuroscience Research Careers

> **NIH NIH R25** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $88,369

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Clinician-scientists are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between discovery and neurotherapeutics (the
development and implementation of treatments for neurological disease). In spite of substantial opportunities
for new scientific discoveries, in the neurosciences particularly, the number of physicians choosing research
careers has been declining. Programs to encourage physician scientists initiated by the NIH and several not-
for-profit institutions were promising, but the number of applications for Early Career Development Awards
focused on clinical or patient-oriented research, such as K08 and K23, has steadily declined since 2005 (NIH
Data Book: Trends in Research Career Development (K) Awards). Promising young physician-scientists
experience significant obstacles as they progress in their science careers, which include extended training
duration, financial challenges, uncertainty about future support, limited exposure to quality research, and lack
of effective role models and mentors. Thus, there is a pressing need to encourage clinician-neuroscientists to
continue in research and provide expert scientific career development during clinical residency and fellowship
training. The UT Southwestern Integrated Program for the Advancement of Neuroscience Research Careers
(UT SWANS) is designed to prepare future clinician-neuroscientists to translate basic science discoveries into
clinically-relevant treatments by removing barriers to success. UT SWANS will protect research time during
residency and fellowship training, provide exceptional mentoring and give advanced research training to
residents in Neurology (adult and pediatric), Neurosurgery, Neuropathology, and Emergency Medicine who
have an strong interest in research. The diverse roster of UT SWANS mentors includes well-established
researchers in basic, clinical and translational research. The program will have an intergrated, multidisciplinary
approach to research training and will be tailored to the participant's research educational needs, with a focus
on the development of neurotherapeutics, whenever possible. This program will increase the likelihood that
talented individuals develop into the future leaders in translational research and clinical neurotherapeutics
research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10171623
- **Project number:** 5R25NS098987-05
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** MARC I DIAMOND
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $88,369
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10171623

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10171623, UT Southwestern Integrated Program for the Advancement of Neuroscience Research Careers (5R25NS098987-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10171623. Licensed CC0.

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