A message to the community from Dr. John Ngai, Director of the NIH BRAIN Initiative.
Dear BRAIN Investigators,
I am writing to you during a very dark moment in our country’s history. Over the past few months, we have all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic*, which has not only up-ended life as we knew it but also raised significant uncertainties about what life will look like for us and our families in the years to come. Moreover, the disproportionate health and economic impacts of COVID on our Black, Latinx, Native American, and other underserved communities, together with the most recent deaths of Black community members at the hands of law enforcement, have again laid bare the racial disparities that remain in our society and the toll it will continue to take on all of us if we fail to address them. On behalf of all the staff of the NIH BRAIN Initiative, I would like to affirm in the strongest possible terms our commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in our scientific communities and ensuring that as we develop resources and technologies in the quest for treating human brain disorders, we do so for the benefit of all.
As each of us grapples with the current crises in our own personal way, know that we can and must be part of the solution. To this end, I am writing to draw your attention to the current Notice of Special Interest to encourage eligible NIH BRAIN Initiative awardees to apply for research supplements that promote diversity:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-MH-19-038.html
The NIH has a strong interest in promoting an inclusive research environment (see NOT-OD-20-031) and encourages institutions to advance diversity efforts by enhancing the participation of individuals from groups identified as underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences workforce.
Further, the report from the BRAIN Initiative Working Group 2.0, From Cells to Circuits, Toward Cures, recommends that BRAIN “continue to recognize that enhancing diversity of the research workforce is a scientific imperative. It should continue to recruit and support students, postdocs, and investigators from diverse backgrounds in NIH BRAIN Initiative-funded projects. These include individuals from groups underrepresented in health-related research.” The NIH diversity supplement program offers an opportunity for BRAIN awardees to request additional funds to train and mentor the next generation of researchers by supporting individuals from underrepresented groups who will contribute to advancing the goals of the BRAIN Initiative. These supplements can support eligible individuals across the career development pipeline, from high school students to the faculty level. Research activities proposed in the supplement should fall within the scope of the parent grant, with career development activities appropriate for the career stage of the supplement candidate.
Please read the full notice for application and submission information, and reach out to Dr. James Churchill (BRAIN.Initiative.Training@nih.gov) or your Program Officer with any questions.
Additionally, NIH is seeking input on enhancing scientific and workforce diversity through the BRAIN Initiative through this Request for Information (RFI). Public comments will be accepted through August 31, 2020. Please be on the lookout for additional opportunities to advance diversity efforts through special notices and funding announcements.
With respect and gratitude,
John Ngai, Ph.D.
Director, NIH BRAIN Initiative
*We encourage you to regularly visit the NIH website on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients.