# Early Stage Training in the Neurosciences

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $211,688

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract. Continuing support of our training grant, ‘Early Stage Training in the
Neurosciences’ (ESTN), which was founded at the University of Michigan (UM) in 2001, is requested. The goal
of this grant, which is a centerpiece of the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP), is to provide a cadre of
exceptional predoctoral students with broad training in neuroscience. This will prepare them for careers that will
help to meet the nation’s basic science and biomedical research needs. A number of exciting new changes have
occurred in the ESTN/NGP including a new leadership team, new state-of-the-art facilities and resources, a
dynamic new cohort of young neuroscience faculty, the Kavli Scholars, and a revised curriculum and examination
format to better prepare our students. To be eligible for ESTN support, students must be admitted to the NGP,
the most selective biomedical science program at UM, through either direct admit or the PIBS admission
umbrella. In the first year, students complete a broad-based neuroscience curriculum that includes: neuroscience
“bootcamp”, principles of neuroscience, human neuroanatomy, statistics, research responsibility and ethics, and
neuroscience research seminar, in addition to performing laboratory research rotations. At the end of the year,
students take their Qualifying Exam. In their second year, students take electives, give oral presentations in the
Neuroscience seminar course, complete an NRSA grant and work on their doctoral research. The ESTN consists
of 85 faculty representing 19 departments in 5 schools or colleges. The wide academic distribution, strong
research funding and high-level of peer recognition of the ESTN faculty excellently matches this application’s
focus on broad early stage neuroscience training. Trainees are exposed to a broad range of research areas
including: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience; Developmental Neuroscience; Sensory Neuroscience;
Cognitive Neuroscience; Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Computational Neuroscience; and Clinical and
Translational Neuroscience. Upon completion of training, our graduates are poised to tackle a host of basic
neuroscience and/or public health issues ranging from the molecular basis of neurodegenerative disorders to
brain circuit abnormalities in psychiatric disease. The NGP at University of Michigan has a history of recruiting
and training students from underrepresented groups, yet strives to continue to increase the diversity of its
trainees. Our accomplishments and a detailed plan for continuing to recruit, retain and develop successful
underrepresented Ph.D. trainees in neuroscience research are highlighted. We also present detailed plans for
mentoring, professional development, evaluation of the program, and for instruction in quantitative methods and
the responsible conduct of research. Taken together, the Michigan ESTN provides outstanding training to future
neuroscientists within the setting of a major research university.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10873756
- **Project number:** 5T32NS076401-24
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Carol Fuzeti Elias
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $211,688
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2001-07-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10873756

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10873756, Early Stage Training in the Neurosciences (5T32NS076401-24). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10873756. Licensed CC0.

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