Clinical and Basic Neuroscience Training

Since 1982, the continued success of this research program is founded on providing comprehensive research training and mentoring to both Ph.D.'s and M.D.'s interested in uncovering or targeting molecular mechanisms associated with diseases of the nervous system.

This mentored research training program in basic and clinical neuroscience has been funded continuously by the NIH/NINDS since 1982 and has served more than 125 trainees, who continued accelerating careers. Trainees take advantage of a supportive and encouraging environment composed of more than 45 faculty members, most of whom are both basic or clinician scientists and clinical neurologists that serve as mentors, and state-of-the-art research facilities housed in 35,000 square feet of laboratory space. 

The training program is tailored to promote career development for both PhDs and MDs.  Although PhDs and MDs are trained together, the training program has two tracks, bench scientists (PhDs) and clinical scientists (MDs), supplemented by interdisciplinary and collaborative project meetings, seminars and appropriate course work including research responsibility and ethics.  All trainees in clinical scientist track are required to complete a Master’s Degree, either the School of Public Health’s Masters Program in Clinical Research or a unique Health Services Research Master’s Program. This training program is embedded within the rich research environment of the University of Michigan which includes a highly collegial and interdisciplinary neuroscience research community, excellent core resources for biomedical research, and strong resources for clinical and health services research. The latter include a very strong School of Public Health, a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, the largest academic health services research program in the USA. Individual mentors are responsible for guiding their trainees in generating research proposals, supervising trainees’ work, and evaluating trainees’ performance with additional mentoring provided by discipline specific committees for each trainee and general oversight by the Executive Committee. 

Trainees are selected competitively by the program’s Executive Committee. Trainee recruitment includes a strong diversity outreach program with a “bridging” program connecting this training program to NINDS sponsored programs aimed at increasing diversity in neuroscience graduate student education and a particularly strong connection to the University of Puerto Rico.  

  • Trainees are given stipends based on their post-doctoral level in accordance with NIH standards. Funding to support research-related expenses is also available.
  • Trainees are expected to present their work at national meetings. Travel stipends are provided by the program.
  • The training program provides support for related coursework including a master’s program in clinical research.

Applicants must be United States citizens or permanent residents, and must hold an M.D. and/or Ph.D. degree. Postdoctoral trainees are either: 

  • Neurologists or physicians in related fields who have completed clinical training and select a basic or clinical research career
  • Biomedical scientists who seek training in basic neuroscience research
  • Other clinical researchers with Ph.D. training who desire additional mentored research experience related to clinical neuroscience.

One or two years of training are anticipated with the second year contingent on trainee progression and submission of an external grant application. Stipends are commensurate with prior postdoctoral experience and NRSA regulations.

The program is especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

Interested applicants should send their CV, research statement (description of interest area, mentor identified, and title of planned research), and three letters of recommendation to Denice Heckel, on behalf of Eva L. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D. to [email protected]. For more information about the training program, contact Denice Heckel at 734-763-7274.