NINDS Institutional AD/ADRD Research Training Program (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has launched an institutional research training program focused on Alzheimer's Disease/Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). This program, which prohibits clinical trials, aims to train accomplished neuroscientists with the scientific knowledge and research skills needed to contribute significantly to the AD/ADRD cognitive impairment and dementia research field.

The initiative requires researchers to design comprehensive training programs to improve the depth and range of knowledge across different areas of AD/ADRD research. The program should include active learning, research, and career development measures, specifically in relation to AD, Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), Fronto-temporal Dementia (FTD), and mixed dementias research.

These programs are for basic, clinical, and/or translational research. To ensure participants gain a thorough understanding of experimental design, statistical principles, methodological approaches, analytical skills, and effective scientific communication skills, the training programs should provide formal components. Importantly, the training program should enhance quantitative literacy and help apply quantitative methods in research settings.

The programs cover two years and target different groups, including predoctoral students in the 3rd and/or 4th year of graduate school, postdoctoral fellows, and clinicians in the fellowship phase. However, first and second-year graduates will not receive NINDS support under this initiative. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to nurture the development and application of quantitative approaches to trainees' research, fostering the acquisition of exceptional research and knowledge skills.