Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship In Rehabilitation Research Grant

Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship In Rehabilitation Research Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Last Updated: June 20, 2025

Summary

The Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship in Rehabilitation Research Grant, provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, aims to support the training of postdoctoral fellows in research related to multiple sclerosis rehabilitation. This initiative focuses on fostering meaningful research and independence in the field, with an emphasis on mentorship and collaboration across disciplines. The fellowship seeks to advance the Society's mission of improving lives affected by MS through innovative research and training opportunities.

Overview

National Multiple Sclerosis Society The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is bringing the world together to cure MS for every single person — as fast as possible. The Pathways to Cures Roadmap will drive progress by increasing alignment and focus of global resources on high-priority research questions. Our research awards align with the three Pathways outlined in the Roadmap: STOPPING MSRESTORING functionENDING MS by prevention MS research is a high priority for the Society, and we strategically invest in research worldwide to drive solutions for every single person with MS. Applicants must clearly state the relevance of their proposals to at least one of the research questions outlined in the Roadmap. The Society supports all types of research including laboratory models, human studies, population-based approaches, and data-intensive investigations that leverage both researcher and patient-reported outcomes. We value studies that: promote synergies between researchers in diverse disciplines;adhere to principles of sharing data and resources;focus on underserved and understudied ethnic and racial MS populations (Please consult this toolkit for strategies regarding Minority Engagement in MS Research). Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship In Rehabilitation Research This program provides support for a mentor-institution combination that is responsible for the recruitment, selection, and training of postdoctoral fellows to pursue a career in rehabilitation research applied to multiple sclerosis and similar disorders. The mentor should be an established and active researcher in MS or a related field. The fellowship will provide for support of a postdoctoral fellow who will work closely with the mentor. The mentor and fellow may come from a variety of different fields including medicine, physical, occupational, or speech therapy, psychology, rehabilitation engineering, nursing, or other fields. The research training may focus on fundamental as well as applied studies but must be relevant to both rehabilitation of individuals with MS and to the Society’s mission. The program of training to be supported should enhance the likelihood that the trainee will: perform meaningful and independent research relevant to multiple sclerosis rehabilitation and obtain a suitable position that will enable him or her to do so. This award is made to a mentor-institution combination and not directly to the postdoctoral fellow. The award is designed to emphasize opportunities for new research training and broadening scientific competence of the postdoctoral fellow.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Mentor and Institution:The mentor must hold a faculty appointment at an accredited institution and have adequate research funding and support to provide an appropriate training environment for the postdoctoral fellow.It is the responsibility of the mentor and institution to recruit and select one or more appropriate postdoctoral fellows and to provide an appropriate program of training and experience leading to independence in the conduct of rehabilitation research in multiple sclerosis.Postdoctoral Fellows: Fellows with 0-36 months of previous postdoctoral training are eligible to be supported by this award. Fellows must hold, or be candidates for, a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree.However, a fellowship under this program cannot be activated for a doctoral candidate until the Society has received written notification from a university or professional school that an appropriate doctoral degree has been awarded. Once postdoctoral candidates are selected, their credentials must be submitted to the Society by the mentor for final review and approval.Citizenship: U.S. citizenship is not required either for mentors or postdoctoral fellows working at institutions in the United States. Mentors and institutions outside the United States may apply to this program but are requested to submit dual applications to governmental granting agencies and/or other non-profit funding agencies in their own country.Term or Duration of Mentor-Based Award: The mentor-based fellowship program will have a term of five years.However, the term of training of each postdoctoral fellow will be determined by the mentor based on the period of time required for the training needed for development of an independent investigator. Support for a given postdoctoral fellow will not usually be provided for less than one year or more than three years. Each mentor-based fellowship award will provide sufficient funds to support a single postdoctoral fellow for five years.However, the mentor may divide this time in a variety of ways such as support for a single postdoctoral fellow for three years followed by a different fellow for two years.Postdoctoral fellowships are awarded to support training in research and are not intended to support clinical training directed toward the completion of internship and/or specialty board certification or as a substitute for funding the conduct of research ordinarily provided by research grants.

Ineligibility

Postdoctoral fellowships cannot be used to provide support for individuals whose primary responsibility is teaching and/or service, although fellows are encouraged to spend up to twenty percent of their time in teaching or clinical duties, if appropriate.