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my experience

my experience. I applied for an NIH postdoctoral fellow before I ever started my postdoc and was unsuccessful Problems I hadn’t clearly developed what my project was at the time I put all of my ideas on everything in my proposal rather than presenting one, clear, concise project

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my experience

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  1. my experience • I applied for an NIH postdoctoral fellow before I ever started my postdoc and was unsuccessful • Problems • I hadn’t clearly developed what my project was at the time • I put all of my ideas on everything in my proposal rather than presenting one, clear, concise project • Had no idea which program to submit my proposal to

  2. New approach • I got funding through an NIH training grant and began working in the lab • As I started my research, I began to focus my ideas • I began to obtain preliminary data and was able to the start formulating my ‘big idea’ • As the big picture started to come together, I researched funding agencies and successfully applied to the American Heart Association

  3. Making my proposal work • Researched the fellowship • Do they fund basic research? Do you need to be involved with the foundation before applying? Can a chemist get funding? Do I need collaborators as a chemist to make my proposal stand above the rest? • Formulated my proposal with a clear focus on heart disease • Clearly defined the relevance of the proposed research to the

  4. format • Specific Aims • Began with an abstract that identified the problem and my hypothesis then introduced three specific aims (listed and numbered in bold) • Background and Significance • Three sections • General background on the protein I was studying • Link between my protein and stroke • The overall significance with respect to stroke

  5. format • Research Design and Methods • Broken down separately into each specific aim • Introduced the goals of each aim • Discussed the preliminary work that has been done if applicable • Clearly defined proposed research • Included specifics on how compounds will be synthesized, what measurements will be done and how, what controls will be used and why • Ended with expected outcomes of the research

  6. What was missing • My main critique from reviewers was that I did not include unexpected problems and plans of attack • “Although I feel that this proposal will be successful, there is very little discussion of potential problems/issues with each aim and how one would deal with them”

  7. My advice • Be prepared • Give yourself plenty of time! • Researching and writing the fellowship • Rewriting, rewriting, rewriting • Have everything ready from college and grad school • statements of past research, all of your grades, statements on why you chose the institution you’re at, career plans, your training goals… • Arrange reference letters ASAP • Talk to your business office early on in the process

  8. Don’t be afraid or discouraged • Have your advisor, group members and friends critique your proposal • Call the program officer and ask as many questions as you need to • Keep trying! Contact info: Jody Major Jourden, Ph.D. jlmajor@ucsd.edu

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