# Multidisciplinary Training Program in Neuroscience

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2024 · $181,926

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The Program in Neuroscience (PiN) at the University of Maryland Baltimore is a broad-based, non-departmental
multidisciplinary program that provides contemporary predoctoral training with exceptional trainee outcomes in
the discipline of neuroscience. This interdisciplinary program consists of 57 students and 117 faculty from 14
departments and 3 schools. The 60 Training Grant faculty are representative of the breadth of research which
spans molecular and cellular to systems and behavior to translational work. The long-standing JSPTPN training
program (16yrs) is integral to the success of PiN. Serving as the nexus that connects all aspects of neuroscience
at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), it continues to drive the program’s excellence in training and
research. Our mission is to provide a center of excellence for the training of outstanding graduate students in
the field of neuroscience. The program currently supports 6 PiN students in years 1 & 2. In the current application
we are requesting a total of 8 training positions per year (an increase of 2). The request is warranted by (1) our
excellent training outcomes where students graduate within 5.5 years with an average of 2 first author
publication, 44% obtain independent training research grants and 95% of PiN graduates continue in research-
intensive/science-related careers; (2) our highly qualified training grant eligible and underrepresented group
applicant pool and (3) the unprecedented growth of neuroscience research at UMB that includes a marked
increase in the number neuroscience faculty. Modern neuroscience is evolving and growing at an unparalleled
pace especially in technological and analytic advances. Thus, our objective is to train excellent scientists who,
in addition to having the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to the rapidly growing and
technologically evolving field of neuroscience research, will also have the confidence to be leaders in the field.
To this end, the foundation of graduate training in PiN has been built upon four critical components: (i) a strong
foundation in core neuroscience concepts (ii) emphasis on critical thinking skills, (iii) a deep understanding of
experimental design, quantitative analysis and hypothesis testing and (iv) mentored career development. These
four components are interwoven into all stages of the program’s training plan and continue to serve as the
keystone to excellence in training. In the present renewal, we have continue to evolve our training program to
incorporate (1) innovated teaching of experimental design, quantitative analysis and hypothesis testing through
neuroscience centric problem-based learning and neuromodeling opportunities; (2) novel course designs such
as the “Nano Courses”; (3) mentored laboratory rotations that require oral research presentations and (4)
enhanced career development skills through mentoring and the established Office of Career Development. The
stable fun...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10878875
- **Project number:** 5T32NS063391-20
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** Jessica Aurora Mong
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $181,926
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2000-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10878875

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10878875, Multidisciplinary Training Program in Neuroscience (5T32NS063391-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10878875. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*