# Training in the Neurobiology of Neurological Disease

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2021 · $341,408

## Abstract

This proposal requests renewal of postdoctoral training in the Neurobiology of Neurological Disease.
This is a 2 year program that currently funds six fellows each year. Due to the success of this program, as well
as the large number of qualified candidates and faculty mentors, we seek an increase to cover eight fellows.
Our program has five primary goals: 1) To foster understanding of the diseases and syndromes that are of high
relevance to NINDS; 2) To ensure that trainees are appropriately mentored in their research and that they
acquire the professional skills necessary for independent careers in neuroscience; 3) To afford opportunities
for innovative research; 4) To attract underrepresented minorities to postdoctoral training in neuroscience; and
5) To support training of "special cases" – individuals whose needs differ from those of the typical training
fellow. These special cases may include individuals with computational backgrounds who now seek biological
training, as well as young scientists who take on projects that require extended time and effort for completion.
 Our program requires trainees to be active participants in a two-year course on the “Neurobiology of
Disease.” Many sessions of the course are taught by an academic clinician and a basic scientist, and include
patients to illustrate a relevant disease or syndrome that is the topic of the session. The course is spread over
two years to cover the full spectrum of diseases and syndromes. This time period also makes it easier to
schedule the participation of patients and active clinicians. At least two presentations per year are devoted to
critical analysis of clinical research, as well as basic science papers. This allows trainees to discuss issues
relevant to experimental design and data analysis. We also provide trainees with a two-step "Professional
Development Series" that is tailored to the specific needs of early- and late-phase postdoctoral fellows in
neuroscience. The professional development series includes topics ranging from grant writing to exploring job
opportunities and setting up a first lab. Trainees can also take additional courses, as needed, to fill in gaps in
their background.
 At the core of every postdoctoral experience is mentored research in an accomplished laboratory. To
oversee this experience we have devised a mentoring program that includes regular review of both the trainee
and the mentor. Each trainee has a primary research adviser as well as an individualized Research Advisory
Committee. This arrangement has proven to be especially helpful to Early Stage Investigators who have
trainees in their laboratories for the first time.
 Our 49 training faculty supervise 55 postdoctoral trainees. More than half of these trainees are eligible
for individual NRSA and/or T32 support. We believe that the quality and breadth of our faculty, the
state-of-the-art facilities, and the unique nature of our training program enable us to attract outstanding fellows
and...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10200901
- **Project number:** 5T32NS086749-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter Strick
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $341,408
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10200901

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10200901, Training in the Neurobiology of Neurological Disease (5T32NS086749-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10200901. Licensed CC0.

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