We’ve published a notice (NOT-GM-24-056) to inform the community about areas of special interest for our Institute-specific predoctoral basic biomedical training grant program (PAR-23-228). NIGMS encourages more applications with a focus on these priority areas, which are:

• Behavioral-Biomedical Sciences Interface, to develop basic behavioral scientists with rigorous broad-based training in biology and biomedical science who are prepared to assume leadership roles related to the nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.
• Biotechnology, to produce broadly trained investigators who have the facility and orientation to combine basic and applied research. Training supported should provide predoctoral students with substantial technical and intellectual skills in areas such as microbiology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, biochemical engineering, plant and animal cell culture technologies, metabolic engineering, biomaterials, macromolecular structure analysis, hybridoma technology, tissue engineering, and separation technologies. 
• Trans-Departmental Basic Biomedical Sciences, open only to organizations that currently do not have an NIGMS-funded institutional predoctoral T32 training program, unless it’s a Leading Equity and Diversity in the Medical Scientist Training Program (LEAD-MSTP) or a Bridges to the Doctorate program. Programs should support trainees from a broad range of biomedically relevant departments or fields of research across the organization.

Each NIGMS-funded institutional predoctoral training grant is expected to provide a rigorous, well-designed research training program that includes mentored research experiences, courses, seminars, and additional training opportunities that equip trainees with the following skills required for careers in the biomedical research workforce:

• Technical (for example, appropriate methods, technologies, and quantitative/computational approaches)
• Operational (for example, independent knowledge acquisition, rigorous experimental design, interpretation of data, and conduct of research in the safest manner possible)
• Professional (for example, management, leadership, communication, and teamwork)

Additionally, NIGMS encourages more applications from historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, and institutions in an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) state or territory.

If you have questions, please contact Jeremy McIntyre for the Behavioral-Biomedical Sciences Interface, Miljan Simonovic for Biotechnology, and Sydella Blatch Alexander for Trans-Departmental Basic Biomedical Sciences training grant portfolios.