National Institutes of Eye Health

USA, January 20, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Opponent, NIH’s Basic Behavioral and Social Science Research Opportunity Network, is a trans-NIH initiative designed to expand funding of basic behavioral and social sciences research. The initiative will support activities that build the collective body of knowledge about the nature of behavior and social systems, and that deepen our understanding of basic mechanisms of behavioral and social processes. Twenty-four NIH Institutes and Centers and four Program Offices within the NIH Office of the Director co-fund and co-manage Opponent initiatives.

The visual system is an important sensory component in the study of complex behavior and social systems. Vision researchers may have much to contribute to the goals of OppNet through collaborative projects with colleagues in the behavioral and social sciences in studies involving both measurement and mechanisms underlying complex behaviors.

F30 Individual Predoctoral M.D./Ph.D. or Other Dual-Doctoral Degree Fellowship

This award provides a stipend and funds defray tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses for students matriculated in a combined-degree integrated research and clinical training program. Support is available for up to six years, with at least 50% of the award period devoted to graduate research training leading to the doctoral research degree.

F31 Individual Predoctoral Fellowships to Promote Diversity.

The award provides a stipend and funds to help defray tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses. Support may not exceed five years. The only eligible individuals are those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, those with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

F31 Parent Individual Predoctoral Fellowship

This award provides up to five years support for research training leading to the Ph.D. or equivalent degree. Support includes a stipend; funds to defray tuition and fees; and an institutional allowance for health insurance, research expenses, books, and travel to scientific meetings.

F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship

The award provides a stipend and funds to help defray tuition, fees, health insurance, and research expenses. Support is generally for two or three years and is done under the guidance of a mentor or committee of mentors described in the application.

he K99/R00 has broad eligibility requirements (see below). For all other mechanisms described in this section, only US citizens, non-citizen nationals, or individuals lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residence are eligible for K-series awards. Candidates must have a clinical doctoral degree (typically DDS, DVM, MD, or OD) or its equivalent PhD or other doctoral degree in a clinical discipline (such as clinical genetics or rehabilitation).

K08 Individual Physician Scientist Award

This award supports an intensive, supervised research experience for clinicians who are committed to a career in research and have the potential to develop into independent investigators. Three to five years’ salary and research-related costs are provided for mentored didactic studies integrated with hands-on laboratory or clinical (biostatistics and epidemiology) research experiences.

NEI actively supports L-Series awards designed to attract health professionals to careers in clinical or pediatric research. In exchange for a two-year commitment to a research career, these awards will repay up to $35,000 of qualified educational debt plus the tax burden associated with this benefit. The original two year award may be renewed once. Only US citizens, non-citizen nationals, or individuals lawfully admitted to the US for permanent residence are eligible for L-series awards. Candidates must have a clinical doctoral degree from an accredited institution. Detailed information.

This program is designed to enhance an institution's environment and capability to conduct vision research, to facilitate collaborative studies of the visual system and its disorders, and to attract scientists of diverse disciplines to research on the visual system. Institutions must hold a minimum of eight NEI awards for basic research in order to be eligible.