Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (next deadline)
Funding Amounts: Base stipend $55,000/year plus $3,000 travel allowance and $6,600/year experience supplement; duration typically 2-3 years
Summary: Supports postdoctoral and senior researchers studying chemical-induced seizures, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation, focusing on efficacy of medical countermeasures in animal models.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens; research conducted at U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense; requires contacting Research Adviser prior to applying.
Description
This fellowship opportunity supports research on the toxicity of organophosphorus nerve agents and other seizure-inducing chemicals, aiming to identify improved therapeutics against seizures and associated brain pathology. Research is conducted in vivo using rodents and minipigs, assessing behavioral, physiological, biochemical, and neuroanatomical outcomes to evaluate candidate pretreatments and therapeutics.
Classes of anti-seizure medications under study include neurosteroids, antiglutamatergics, and anticholinergics, administered alone or combined with benzodiazepines. Neurobehavioral assessments cover motor activity, cognitive performance, sensorimotor function, emotional memory, and anxiety-like behavior. Continuous telemetry monitors electroencephalographic (EEG) activity to detect seizures and epileptogenesis, as well as electrocardiographic activity and circadian rhythm alterations (body temperature, activity).
Neuropathology and neuroinflammatory responses are evaluated using histochemistry and stereology. The research also investigates sex and age differences in toxic responses and medical countermeasure efficacy.
The fellowship is hosted at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Comparative Medicine Division, located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.
Due Dates
- Next application deadline: May 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- Subsequent deadlines occur quarterly: August 1, November 1, February 1, etc.
- If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $55,000 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 per year
- Experience supplement: $6,600 per year of experience beyond PhD (applies to both postdoctoral and senior applicants)
- Duration: Typically 2-3 years, depending on the research proposal and agency guidelines
- Additional benefits include paid relocation for awardees living more than 50 miles from the host lab and health insurance coverage for awardees and qualifying dependents.
Eligibility
- Citizenship: Open to U.S. citizens only
- Applicant level: Postdoctoral researchers (PhD earned less than 5 years ago) and senior researchers (PhD earned at least 5 years ago or permanent appointment with significant research experience)
- Applicants must not have current or recent prior employment or postdoctoral fellowship affiliation with the sponsoring agency (U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense) unless the proposed research is distinct and not a continuation of prior work.
- Applicants must have completed all degree requirements before starting tenure.
- Foreign nationals are generally not eligible unless they meet specific residency and security clearance requirements.
Application Process
- Identify the Research Opportunity number (97.25.10.B7179) and contact the Research Adviser, Lucille Ann Lumley (lucille.a.lange.civ@health.mil, 410-436-1443), prior to applying to discuss research plans and funding availability.
- Prepare application materials including:
- Profile information (contact, education, transcripts for postdocs)
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs) uploaded by letter writers via the online system
- Submit application through the NRC Research Associateship Programs online portal before the deadline.
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scoring above 70 typically leads to award recommendations.
- Applicants receive reviewer feedback approximately one week after review finalization.
Additional Information
- Research must be conducted on-site at the sponsoring federal laboratory.
- Health insurance is mandatory throughout the tenure.
- Relocation assistance is available for eligible awardees.
- Applicants can apply for up to three different Research Opportunities per cycle but only one per sponsoring agency.
- Previous NRC Research Associateship holders may apply again after a two-year gap from prior award termination.
- The program encourages diversity and does not discriminate based on race, gender, age, or other protected categories.
External Links
Contact Information