Author: Michael Sesma

Headshot of Michael Sesma.

Prior to his retirement in December 2024, Mike oversaw the postdoctoral training branch, which includes research training, fellowship, and career development programs.

Posts by Michael Sesma

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Upcoming Changes to NIH Applications for NIGMS Fellowships

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This post is part of a series outlining how NIH application and review changes will impact NIGMS training grants and fellowships.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is making a number of changes to the fellowship application and peer review process for due dates on or after January 25, 2025. For details, visit the Revisions to the NIH Fellowship Application and Review Process webpage. New funding announcements and application instructions will be released in the coming months.

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Upcoming Changes to NIH Applications for NIGMS Postdoctoral Training Grants

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This post is part of a series outlining how NIH application and review changes will impact NIGMS training grants and fellowships.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is making a number of changes to the training application and peer review process for due dates on or after January 25, 2025. For details, visit the Updates to NIH Institutional Training Grant Applications webpage. NIH will release a new parent T32 funding announcement and application instructions this fall for postdoctoral training programs to use. 

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IPERT R25 Funding Opportunity and Upcoming Webinar

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UPDATE: The video and slides [PDF] from this webinar are available.

We’re pleased to announce that the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the Innovative Programs to Enhance Research Training (IPERT) has been reissued (PAR-24-252). IPERT supports innovative educational activities that equip participants at various career stages with the skills required for careers in the biomedical research workforce. NIGMS prioritizes programs that are open to participants nationwide.

First application due date: October 17, 2024
Earliest start date: July 2025

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Funding Opportunity: Research on Behavioral Interventions That Promote Careers in the Biomedical Research Enterprise

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We’re pleased to announce that our Research on Interventions That Promote the Careers of Individuals in the Biomedical Research Enterprise notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) has been reissued under a new name: B-INSPIRE, short for Research on Behavioral INterventionS That Promote Careers In the Biomedical Research Enterprise (R01) (PAR-24-230). The new name better reflects the goal of this program: to test theoretically based behavioral interventions that enhance research-oriented individuals’ interest, motivation, persistence, and preparedness for careers in the biomedical research workforce.

Applicants must propose an intervention that tests effectiveness using robust experimental designs, such as randomized control trial approaches, case controls, or matched pair design, appropriate to performing rigorous research on effective interventions aiming to increase success in the biomedical research workforce. Possible areas for the intervention include but are not limited to training, mentoring, and networking; navigating critical transition points; institutional factors that influence persistence; harassment; and barriers to participation. The intervention should be cost-effective, practical, realistic, scalable, and sustainable at a broad range of institutions.

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Individual Fellowship and Career Development Programs Supported by NIGMS

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As graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, you may find yourself searching for opportunities to support the current or next stage of your research training. NIGMS has a long history of fostering research training and developing a strong biomedical research workforce through a variety of programs at all education levels. Many of our research training grants are made to organizations, which in turn select the students or postdoctoral researchers who’ll receive support. This post focuses on programs individual graduate students and postdoctoral scientists can directly apply to, regardless of your institutional or organizational affiliation.  

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Funding Opportunity: Modules for Enhancing Biomedical Research Workforce Training

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We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special interest (NOSI) (NOT-GM-24-007): Topics for Training Modules for Enhancing Biomedical Research Workforce Training (R25). The NOSI, associated with the reissue of notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) PAR-24-040, requests applications to develop biomedical research training modules on one of the following topics:

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Funding Opportunity: Support for Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity Conferences

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NIGMS has long recognized the need for more hypothesis-driven research to test biomedical training, mentoring, and networking interventions to improve efficacy and replicability across career stages and at a range of institution types (learn more from our research on interventions program webpage). The Institute has also encouraged the use of evidence-informed practices to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of research education, training, and career development in its research training programs. An important element of our programs is the dissemination of the research findings to the biomedical and research training communities. We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special interest (NOSI) (NOT-GM-23-028) requesting applications for conferences focusing on evidence-informed interventions to enhance training, workforce development, and diversity in the biomedical research enterprise.

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Funding Opportunity: Modules for Enhancing Biomedical Research Workforce Training

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We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special interest (NOSI) (NOT-GM-23-031) associated with PAR-20-296, modules for enhancing biomedical research workforce training (R25). The NOSI requests applications to develop biomedical research training modules on one of the following topics:

  • Wellness and resiliency: effectively providing individuals with the knowledge and skills to enhance their wellness, resiliency, and ultimate success during their research training.
  • Structural racism and discrimination: addressing harassment, intimidation, and other forms of structural racism and discrimination to reduce disparities in recruitment, retention, and success and to promote access, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in the research training environment. Modules should focus on how to create optimized research training environments where all participants feel safe, respected, and supported.
  • Safe research training environments: catalyzing a strong culture of responsibility and obligation to maintain high standards for physical, chemical, and biological safety.
  • Program evaluation capacity: developing evaluation capacity by informing program directors and administrators about effective and practical approaches to evaluate biomedical research training programs at their institutions.

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Wanted: NIGMS Program Directors

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UPDATE: These positions are now closed.

We’re recruiting scientists for positions in our Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (GMCDB) and Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD). The successful applicants will be responsible for scientific and administrative management of a portfolio of research grants and/or research training and career development awards, and will stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities related to their field of expertise.

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Wanted: NIGMS Program Directors

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UPDATE: These positions are now closed. Please visit our Job Vacancies page for more information.

We’re recruiting scientists for positions in our Division for Research Capacity Building (DRCB); Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (GMCDB); and Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD). The successful applicants will be responsible for scientific and administrative management of a portfolio of research grants, research training and career development awards, and/or capacity building awards, and will stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities related to their field of expertise.

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