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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><a name="x_x_x_x_x_x__MailAutoSig" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">Dear recent NINDS F31 applicants and awardees,</a></span></div>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We're excited to announce a new opportunity for neuroscience graduate students interested in an independent research career: the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://www.nih.gov/nih-blueprint-neuroscience-research/training" id="OWAbe9be201-f0de-f5f7-53d2-3e9d96873f1f" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>ACTION
Potential Award</u></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">, administered through the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/94d057db-76e8-43de-8f13-89d62c167fe9/attachments/05a4691c-915b-4415-b77d-42877ac4e2bb/PA-27-037-Full-Announcement.html" id="OWAb9575098-0ceb-f262-553c-ef29ffba279b" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>Parent
F99/K00</u></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> funding opportunity. It is supported by the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://www.nih.gov/neuroscience-blueprint" id="OWA3e68d777-9b32-5d71-07cb-4832765d7b8d" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><u>NIH
Blueprint for Neuroscience Research</u></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://www.nih.gov/brain" id="OWA50c9d63e-32b6-f9d3-dc76-c89e99cb5ab6" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><u>BRAIN
Initiative</u></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. <b>Please help up spread the word about this program by sharing this information with your graduate program.</b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">You can learn more about this opportunity below and at our<b> upcoming webinar</b> on NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research and BRAIN Initiative training
opportunities on <b>Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 2pm - 3pm EDT (</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/ba81ab2c-eb00-400c-9bb1-f44ecf76540d@14b77578-9773-42d5-8507-251ca2dc2b06" id="OWAbe183229-0c25-8505-b695-3cdbd5b186f9" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>Register
here</u></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>).</b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>About the Award</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The two-phase Academic Career Transition Initiative for Opportunities in Neuroscience (ACTION) Potential award supports you through the end of your PhD and
into a postdoctoral position:</span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;" role="presentation">F99 (PhD phase): 1-2 years of funding and structured support to help you finish your dissertation</span></li><ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;" role="presentation">You must have at least 1 year left at time of award</span></li></ul>
<li style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;" role="presentation">K00 (Postdoc phase): 3 years of continued funding and mentorship as you start your postdoc</span></li></ul>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The program is designed to make the PhD-to-postdoc transition less daunting. You'll get a formal training plan, a vetted mentor or mentor team, annual meetings
with a cross-institutional neuroscience community, and career development programming — all aimed at setting you up for an independent research career.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Supported Research</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The award is open to graduate students from a wide range of fields within neuroscience.
<b>You don't need to stay within a single institute's mission</b> across PhD and postdoctoral training. The program is supported by the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://www.nih.gov/neuroscience-blueprint" id="OWAbe3fa7c2-e63b-5ad4-ee2a-531cb7eb55a8" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><u>NIH
Blueprint for Neuroscience Research</u></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://www.nih.gov/brain" id="OWA2e23a992-bacb-a100-0633-898ed6b76889" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><u>BRAIN
Initiative</u></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">, which are funded by multiple NIH Institutes who pool their resources to support the field as a whole. Your research must fit within the neuroscience mission of one of the participating institutes or
offices: NCCIH, NEI, NIA, NIAAA, NIBIB, NICHD, NIDA, NIDCD (BRAIN Initiative research only), NIDCR, NIEHS, NIMH, NINDS, OBSSR.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>How to Apply</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Apply through the
</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/94d057db-76e8-43de-8f13-89d62c167fe9/attachments/05a4691c-915b-4415-b77d-42877ac4e2bb/PA-27-037-Full-Announcement.html" id="OWA45aef3c4-6ea6-8d29-e4b3-6f0fdab07ee7" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>Parent
F99/K00</u></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> funding opportunity (PA-27-037).</b> Help us identify your interest in this program by referencing the "<b>Neuroscience Blueprint</b>" in section A. Overall Training Goals, under Goals, Preparedness,
and Potential in the Candidate Section. Note that final determination of mission fit is done by NIH staff.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Other Options</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">If you will complete your PhD in less than a year and plan to perform NINDS research in your postdoc, you may consider applying for the
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/068900fa-8b72-47a1-83e4-ce1be082203d/attachments/d9b6f5e0-d520-4163-8767-6be100ba49bd/PAR-27-062-Revised-Full-Announcement.html" id="OWA0c8e782b-ff01-ec7e-a056-11272233e6de" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>Academic
Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32)</u></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> with your postdoctoral mentor. Candidates must submit their application up to one year prior to beginning their postdoctoral position or no more than two years after their
postdoctoral training begins (resubmissions included). Learn more at the </span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/78a4ae98-f08c-4603-86c4-3ee7c2e29d05@14b77578-9773-42d5-8507-251ca2dc2b06" id="OWA9368a8b8-b0a6-fc4c-8416-e353a7c15acd" class="OWAAutoLink" data-auth="NotApplicable" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>NINDS
K Award Open House</u></b></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> </b>on<b> Wednesday, July 1, 2026 3 – 4 pm EDT.</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Please reach out in advance of applying: email your questions and specific aims to
</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><a href="mailto:BPF99K00@nih.gov" id="OWA0e590bc8-e0e4-9483-e2fb-c2f2bf5e0a71" class="OWAAutoLink" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><b><u>BPF99K00@nih.gov</u></b></a></span></p>
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