International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA)

This initiative will provide salary and research support to advanced U.S. postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty for intensive mentored research and career development activities focused on biomedical, behavioral, and/or clinical research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Proposals will leverage special opportunities not present in the U.S. and result in generalizable knowledge applicable to the health of U.S. and LMIC populations. Recipients will be required to spend significant time at the LMIC research site and receive mentoring from senior U.S. and LMIC researchers. This experience will provide recipients with a deep understanding of the local research environment and foster collaborative relationships necessary to develop competitive independent NIH research proposals. A sustained period of research career development will enable recipients to become global leaders in their fields, serve as mentors to the next generation of investigators, and strengthen international networks that support NIH research investments.

The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessment of: (1) the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed study or research training program and its objectives; (2) the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; (3) the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; (4) the adequacy of the available proposed facilities and resources; (5) the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; and (6) the relevance and importance to the announced program objectives. All pertinent evaluation criteria are provided in the RFAs and PAs.

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Not Applicable.