# Neuroscience Research Training

> **NIH NIH T32** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $665,063

## Abstract

This is an application to renew the Stanford Neurosciences graduate program, which leads to the only
neuroscience-specific PhD degree at Stanford University. This interdisciplinary program consists of 88 students
and 84 faculty from 23 departments (10 clinical, 13 basic science/engineering) across 3 schools. The range of
departments illustrates the breadth of research areas, spanning from molecular/cellular to systems and behavior,
human cognition, and translational work. The objective is to identify, recruit, and train predoctoral PhD students
to become the next generation of leaders in neuroscience. Neuroscience and its impact on society greatly benefit
from a diversity of intellectual and personal backgrounds. Thus, faculty receive training on equitable admission
standards, outreach to underrepresented students, and mentorship, and the program supports an active, funded
DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging) committee. The training grant and its implementation are the
foundation of the program, providing a main source of student support for the first two predoctoral years. Stanford
adds considerable value by subsidizing stipends to meet the high cost of living, paid administrative and faculty
support, subsidies for 2 additional years of stipend and tuition, and many scientific and educational resources.
The curriculum is designed to meet NIH standards for excellence in broad-based research training, experimental
design, neural basis of disease, quantitative literacy, statistical methodology, rigor and reproducibility, and
professional skills development. These curricular goals are achieved from day one, when students participate in
an immersive neuroscience course to promote collaboration through active learning and mini-rotations. The first
year provides broad-based learning through core modules that engage students in different ways within
neuroscience subfields (anatomy, cellular, molecular, genetics, developmental, systems, cognitive,
computational) to generate and test hypotheses using modern experimental, quantitative, and technological
approaches. In the journal club, students broadly read the scientific literature, make oral presentations, critique
rigor and statistical methodology, and engage in professional development activities. Students receive formal
training in quantitative approaches, statistical analysis, rigor and reproducibility, and responsible conduct in
research. Students select advanced topic and statistical courses to meet their scientific goals. Research training
is provided by first-year rotations, followed by choice of a thesis lab, passing of an oral qualifying exam, thesis
project, yearly committee meetings, and oral and written defense. Students receive mentoring from first-year
advisors, thesis advisors, committee members, and peers. Program directors meet regularly with each student
cohort and hold town hall meetings. Leadership is encouraged through student-run initiatives such as the annual
retreat, ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10848126
- **Project number:** 2T32MH020016-26A1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Justin L Gardner
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $665,063
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-09-30 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10848126

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10848126, Neuroscience Research Training (2T32MH020016-26A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10848126. Licensed CC0.

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