Oral Diseases and Disorders Research – Training, Individual

NIDCR extramural research provides research funds to support basic, translational, and clinical research in dental, oral, and craniofacial health and disease through grants that support scientists working in institutions throughout the United States and internationally. The extramural Individual Research Training programs plan, develop, and manage scientific priorities through portfolio analyses and consultation with stakeholders, encouraging the most promising discoveries and emerging technologies for rapid translation to clinical applications. The Integrative Biology and Infectious Diseases programs support basic and translational research programs on oral microbiology; salivary biology and immunology; oral and salivary gland cancers; neuroscience of orofacial pain and temporomandibular disorders; mineralized tissue physiology; dental biomaterials; and tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The branch aims to accelerate progress in basic and translational research in these areas and further stimulate the discovery pipeline based on clinical needs. The Translational Genomics Research programs support basic and translational research in genetics, genomics, developmental biology, and data science toward the goal of improving dental, oral, and craniofacial health. The focus is on deciphering the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying dental, oral, and craniofacial development and anomalies. The Behavioral and Social Sciences Research programs support basic and applied research to promote oral health, to prevent oral diseases and related disabilities, and to improve management of craniofacial conditions, disorders, and injury. The program prioritizes mechanistic research that contributes to a cumulative science of behavior change, to maximize the rigor, relevance, and dissemination of efficacious behavior change interventions. The Clinical Research programs supports patient-oriented, population, and community based research aimed at improving the dental, oral, and craniofacial health of the nation.

The Individual Research Training and Career Development extramural programs span the career stages of scientists, supporting research training and career development for PhD and dual degree DDS/DMD-PhD students, postdoctoral scholars and early career, midcareer, and established investigators. The programs manage support for fellowships, career development and career transition awards to support research experiences for high school students through investigators. Extramural programs are accountable for the efficient and effective use of taxpayer funds to support research on dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases and disorders and improving the oral health of all Americans. Extramural programs support research and research training to establish the foundation for scientific discoveries that include transparent and rigorous planning, priority setting, continuous and consistent reviews of progress, and focus on the development of a highly skilled, and nimble workforce that can rapidly respond to scientific breakthroughs and public health challenges. Extramural programs employ evaluation domains, from needs assessment and strategic planning to implementation and process evaluation, performance measurement, and outcomes and impact analysis to evaluate strategic objectives.

Interstate, Intrastate, State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Sponsored organization, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other public institution/organization, Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments, U.S. Territories and possessions, Non-Government - General, Specialized group (e.g. health professionals, students, veterans), Small business (less than 500 employees), Profit organization, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other private institutions/organizations, State, Native American Organizations (includes lndian groups, cooperatives, corporations, partnerships, associations).
NRSA, career development awards and career transition awards: (1) Nonprofit domestic organizations may apply for institutional awards. (2) Individual candidates or applicants must arrange sponsorship by a public or nonprofit private institution having staff and facilities appropriate to the proposed research training program. (3) All NRSA, career development awardees, and NIDCR postdoctoral to faculty position awards must be citizens, or non-citizen nationals of the United States or have been admitted to the United States for permanent residence. (4) Extramural career transition postdoctoral to tenure track faculty or equivalent position. To be eligible, postdoctoral NRSA, intramural to extramural career transition awardees, and career development awardees must have a professional or scientific degree (M.D., Ph.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., Sc.D., D.Eng., or equivalent domestic or foreign degree).

All accepted grant applications competing for Individual Training grants are reviewed by two advisory groups. Primary review is conducted by an initial review group composed of extramural peer scientists, and secondary review by the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council (NADCRC) except that the Secondary review of NRSA fellowship applications is conducted by NIDCR staff rather than by the NADCRC. All applications receiving a priority score compete for available funds on the basis of scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the proposed research, program relevance, and program balance among the areas of research.