Resources for Early Stage Investigators
A variety of government agencies and other organizations offer information, resources, and services designed to support early stage investigators in the field of rare diseases research. Click on the links below to find a variety of these resources. See also our pages offering resources for researchers and clinicians and funding opportunities.
NIH Navigating Early Career Funding Opportunities
NIH experts provide an overview of early career opportunities, discuss how networking and mentoring can strengthen your chances for success, and show you where to find resources to help you along the way.
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NIH Research Training and Career Development
NIH individual fellowship and career development opportunities are designed to support researchers at key transition points as they advance toward independent investigator roles.
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Rare Disease Clinical Research Training Program
The Rare Disease Clinical Research Training Program is a free, one-year virtual program designed to equip and serve early career clinical researchers. The overall goals are to attract and retain new investigators in the field of rare disease.
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PORTICO Clinical Trials Toolkit
The PORTICO Clinical Trials Toolkit is a curated series of publicly accessible videos and links covering essential operational details that early investigators need to know before embarking on a clinical trial with a special focus on pediatric trials.
Visit the ToolkitNIH Mentored Research (K) Career Development Awards for Clinician Researchers
NIH Mentored Research (K) Career Development Awards for Clinician Researchers, featuring Paula Gregory, PhD, Associate Dean for Faculty & Educational Development, UNTHSC Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, with Debra Regier, MD, PHD, of Children's National Hospital, Principal Investigator of the Rare Disease Scholar's Program.
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NIH Grant Process
Learn how NIH funding moves from early planning and application development through submission, peer review, award, and post‑award reporting in this step‑by‑step overview of the grants process.
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NIH General Grant Writing Tips
The NIH provides practical advice on structuring, formatting, and refining your grant application to communicate your research clearly and compellingly to reviewers.
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Creating an NIH Biographical Sketch
Access NIH's Biographical Sketch Common Form, which standardizes how investigators present their qualifications, experience, and contributions across federal research funding applications.
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