Fellowship

NeuroNEXT Fellowship Award

The NeuroNEXT Fellow Award provides 1 year of support to an early-career faculty, fellow, or post-doc interested in pursuing a research career. To be considered, please return your application materials by the deadline. While a definitive research project proposal is not necessary to be selected for the program, candidates who can effectively articulate their interest in clinical trials and research will be strongly considered.

The NeuroNEXT Fellow Award provides 1 year of support to an early-career faculty, fellow, or post-doc interested in pursuing a research career. This Fellowship is offered through the Department of Neurology, and is supported by the NIH-funded NeuroNEXT Network award.

In addition to offering this Fellowship to train promising early investigators, the NeuroNEXT Network seeks to:

Increase efficiency of clinical trials
Expand the capability of NINDS to test promising new therapies
Respond quickly as opportunities arise to test promising new treatments for people with neurological disorders

The NeuroNEXT Fellowship requires a minimum of 50% research effort for the year. At least $50,000 in salary support is provided by the NeuroNEXT grant to the selected fellow. The research time is spent furthering research career goals, including participating with other national fellows in monthly NeuroNEXT trainings and webinars. Fellows will conduct a research project and may complete research coursework tailored to their career goals.

The fellowship is for the 2026-2027 academic year that begins on July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. The start/end date may be flexible, if needed.

Curriculum Overview

Fellows will develop competencies in general research skills, academic career development, and scientific leadership. There is a focus on non-stroke neurological disease. Education opportunities of special importance to the learning healthcare system will be provided in areas such as team science, innovation/entrepreneurship, biomedical informatics, and implementation science/dissemination research. Continued progress in meeting pre-defined research and educational goals must be demonstrated.

Clinical Training Goals: After completing this fellowship, the fellow will be expected to be prepared to compete for additional research training, such as the institutional CTSI funded KL2 award, K23 from NINDS and/ or foundation career awards. After training, fellows will be offered additional opportunities to participate in clinical trial research, including industry trials.

Expectations:

Participate in NeuroNEXT Fellow Education Seminars (monthly)
Participate in the Neurology WIND sessions and writing group (~5 sessions/year)
Share updates on Fellowship Progress at NeuroNEXT Steering Committee meetings (at least quarterly)
Solicit feedback quarterly from the NeuroNEXT Education Committee meetings (quarterly)
Participate in fellowship-related mentoring opportunities
Develop and execute a fellowship plan including:
- Completion of any coursework during the 1 year fellowship period
- Research project or a definitive research project proposal that can be completed in the 1 year fellowship

How to Apply

Applications must include:

Candidate’s background and career goals (brief summary, ½ -1 page)
NeuroNEXT Fellowship Plan (1-1.5 page)

The NeuroNEXT Plan should consist of 3 sections:

Section 1: Research Project Idea
Candidates should include their proposed research question and project idea.

Section 2: Educational Plan
Provide a brief gap analysis focused on their future career plans in clinical neurologic research. The educational plan should describe proposed educational activities and discuss how these will facilitate the conduct of their future research and the development of desired research, leadership, and career development competencies. Options can include, but are not limited to selected graduate courses, experiential internships, short courses, conferences, online courses, and self-study.

Section 3: Successful Fellowship Metrics
What does a successful NeuroNEXT fellowship look like to you? Please list 3 achievable metrics or milestones you would like to achieve in the 1-year fellowship. Please include your preferred start date for the 12-month fellowship if different from July 1, 2026.

One letter of recommendation from faculty which speaks to the candidate’s potential to become a leader in clinical/translational research.
The candidate’s CV with publication history.
NIH Biosketches (if applicable)

(Note: Upon selection, applicants may be asked to provide a plan for how the 50% protected time will be implemented. This will be requested along with approval from your supervisor.)

Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Research Focus Areas

Translation to Care

More Resources

NeuroNEXT Fellowship Award

Curriculum Overview

Expectations:

How to Apply

Applications must include:

Leadership and Faculty

Mustapha A. Ezzeddine, MD

Heidi Marie Munger Clary, MD, MPH

Roy E. Strowd III, MD, MEd, MS