NHGRI/DIR Education and Outreach Programs

National Human Genome Research Institute

Investigators

Abstract

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Intramural Training Office (ITO) oversees a comprehensive program of career development activities for approximately 200 trainees at various education levels including Postdoctoral IRTA Fellows, Visiting Fellows, Predoctoral Students, Postbaccalaureate IRTA and summer interns. ITO collaborates with divisions and offices within NHGRI, across and outside of the NIH to provide the best possible training experience for NHGRI trainees and support the NHGRI mission of enhancing diversity in the genomics workforce. NHGRI Training Programs Collaborations In FY 2023, ITO continued to foster synergy between the NHGRI intramural and extramural training teams. ITO Director collaborated with the Director of the Johns Hopkins-NHGRI Genetic Counselor Training Program, the Director of Residency and Fellowship Programs and the Lead Extramural Training Program Director. This collaboration between NHGRI training directors aims to share best practices, provide support to trainees across programs and to identify opportunities to support pathways/transitions between the individual programs. Specifically, ITO collaborated with the NHGRI Director of Residency and Fellowship Programs to provide educational resources and support for grant writing and the NIH Loan Repayment Program for clinical fellows. Also, ITO worked with the Lead Extramural Training Director to raise awareness of intramural training opportunities among external grantees with the goal of building a more diverse intramural training workforce. Furthermore, ITO continues to make accessible all intramural training program offerings to Program Analysts in the NHGRI Division of Extramural Operations. Grant-writing Support ITO centralizes a highly successful grant writing and grant submissions program in the NHGRI intramural program. ITO actively identifies and communicates funding opportunities, grant writing procedures and deadlines to NHGRI trainees. The office develops, updates, and disseminates grant-writing documentation and provides individualized orientations and guidance for Postdoctoral and Clinical Fellow applicants to Pathway to Independence/Career Transition K Awards and the Postdoctoral Research Associate Training (PRAT) and Lasker awards. One NHGRI intramural postdoc applied for a K99/R00 award in FY 2023. There were no new PRAT or Lasker award submissions in FY 2023. From 2006 to the present the cumulative success rate for NHGRI K99/R00 grant submissions is 53%. The cumulative rate for the PRAT award remains at 25%. NHGRI has had one submission to the Lasker award, which was successful. Annual Career Development Networking Event: Trainee Retreat ITO organized and hosted the first in-person annual trainee retreat since the Covid-19 pandemic. As in previous years, the retreat was hosted in partnership with the National Center on the Advancement of Translational Science (NCATS) and brought together approximately 200 participants including trainees and professionals from both ICs and invited speakers. The agenda provided opportunities for professional networking, included the Three-minute Talk science presentations by trainees and a keynote address by former NIH Director, Dr. Francis Collins. Also included were focused group discussions on wellness/mental health, navigating non-traditional career paths in science and having difficult conversations. Science Communication ITO offered the Three-minute Talk (TmT) Science Communication Series in FY 2023. In this series, trainees learned how to effectively convey the relevance of their research to a broad audience of scientists in three minutes or less, through a workshop and individual public speaking coaching sessions. The program culminated with a TmT presentation at the annual NHGRI Trainee Retreat. The winner of the NHGRI TmT competition advanced to the NIH-wide competition and placed third out of 18 competitors. Diversity Equity Inclusivity and Accessibility In 2023, ITO hosted the second cohort of Immersive Summer Program for Research in Genomics Summer Program or iSPRinG. iSPRinG aims to recruit diverse cohorts of summer students to gain exposure to careers in genomics research and genomic medicine. Thirteen students from diverse backgrounds were admitted to the program. All students had access to a comprehensive curriculum of career development offerings and individualized professional support. All students expressed that the program had a positive impact on their career trajectories and broadened their understanding of the diverse career paths available to them in genomics. In 2023, NHGRI launched a new postdoctoral program, the Future Leaders Advancing Genomic Sciences in Health Innovation Postdoctoral Program (FLAGSHIP). FLAGSHIP aims to train early-career postdoctoral scientists to become future leaders in genomics/genetics research, to build diverse teams and apply advanced genetics and genomics approaches to benefit people of all ancestries. Candidates are currently being reviewed. In support of the NIH mission to diversify the biomedical workforce and build an inclusive culture, members of the ITO actively serve in myriad NHGRI and trans-NIH committees and initiatives. In FY 2023 ITO Director served on the NHGRI Anti-harassment and Civility Working Group and the Racial and Ethnic Equity Plan Working Group. At the NIH level, members of ITO supported the NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education in program curriculum development and application review for the HiSTEP, CSOAR and NIH Academy programs. The ITO director also served on the NIH Anti-Racism Steering Committee (ARSC), ARSC Trainee Subcommittee and the Training Directors subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion.