As institutions continue to work with virtual learning modalities and in honor of National Mentoring Month, we’d like to share some useful resources from the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN). Supported by the NIH Common Fund and managed by NIGMS, the network offers free online mentoring tools and learning resources for individuals ranging from undergraduate students to faculty.

After signing up for an NRMN account through an easy, online process, you can access the network’s mentoring tools and resources, including MyNRMN. The MyNRMN platform allows you to browse and connect with other scientists, and it can match you with a mentor or mentee with similar research interests. Through video chats, instant messaging, and file sharing between mentors and mentees, you can design a mentorship program that fits your needs.  

I’m pleased to announce that Dorothy Beckett will join NIGMS on January 19 as the new director of our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB). Dorothy is a molecular biophysicist with extensive expertise in the field. She is a leader in the scientific community and a proponent of expanding opportunities for women and underrepresented groups in science.

During our Starting Your Own Lab webinar, attendees asked so many insightful questions that we ran out of time to respond to all of them. So we asked nine NIGMS early career investigators to tackle the most popular ones in short videos, which were featured on our social media. Now, you can watch the whole series on our YouTube channel.

UPDATE: The video from this webinar is now available.

We were unable to get together in person for this year’s Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) program meeting. Instead, we’re hosting a virtual meeting for NARCH investigators, project directors, and community leaders:

Friday, December 11, 1:30-5:45 p.m. ET

Funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) for the Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (G-RISE) (PAR-21-026) and the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) (PAR-21-025) T32 programs have been issued. The FOAs continue the shared goal to develop a diverse pool of scientists earning Ph.D. degrees who have the skills necessary to transition successfully into careers in the biomedical research workforce.

The new G-RISE and IMSD FOAs have an application receipt date of February 26, 2021. The earliest start date for both programs is February 2022.

We’ve issued a new funding opportunity announcement (FOA): Exploring the Scientific Value of Existing or New Sepsis Human Biospecimen Collections (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PAR-21-077). This FOA aims to promote the optimal use, testing, and sharing of patient-derived materials. It stems from recommendations of the NAGMSC working group on sepsis and input from the scientific community for strategies to rebalance NIGMS’ investment in sepsis research.

In September, we hosted a virtual meeting for investigators and students supported by the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program to introduce them to strategic initiatives from NIH leaders in response to COVID-19, and to highlight scientific progress by IDeA researchers. We were pleased with the overwhelming response from the IDeA community—there were approximately 750 attendees and more than 180 abstracts submitted.

UPDATE: The video from the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence webinar is now available.

If you’re planning to submit a Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) application in 2021 or 2022, it’s important that you attend our upcoming webinar:

Wednesday, November 18, 3:00-4:30 p.m. ET

UPDATE: This position is now closed.

We’re recruiting for an accomplished scientist to manage research grant, fellowship, training, and other types of awards focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying inheritance, gene expression, and development. The position is in our Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Job responsibilities involve working collaboratively with other staff to stimulate, plan, advise, direct, and evaluate program activities for a portfolio of research awards. 

UPDATE: These positions are now closed.

We’re recruiting for two branch chief positions within our Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences (BBCB). Applicants should have interest and experience in the scientific areas that comprise the Biomedical Technology and the Biophysics branches. Job responsibilities include scientific and administrative planning, managing, and evaluating one of the branches, along with supervising program directors with portfolios of funded research grants. Each branch chief will also handle a portfolio of research grants consistent with their own scientific background.