Stimulating Pittsburgh Research in Geroscience Scholars Program
The objective of the Stimulating Pittsburgh Research in Geroscience (SPRIG) Scholars Program is to provide multi-faceted support for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows through the establishment of four activities. The specific immediate goals of this program are to increase attendance at monthly seminars, build stronger collaborative research teams, and provide an exceptional environment of training and mentoring with an eventual goal to procure a T32 training grant in the biology of aging. The program includes:
- Monthly “Work-in-Progress” seminar series
- Trainee pilot project research program
- Travel award mechanism
- SPRIG Scholar fellowship
Monthly “Work in Progress” seminar series
Graduate student and post-doctoral fellowship trainees will be invited to participate in monthly peer-review of their ongoing research projects in order to learn to give and receive constructive feedback, develop collaborative research projects, and to increase their scientific rigor for the submission the highest quality and impactful work for publication. Two trainees per month will present for 30 minutes each, with an additional 15 minutes dedicated to group discussion for feedback. The SPRIG work group organizers will coordinate personal invitations to faculty members from across campus with expertise in the area relevant to the presenting trainees. Lunch will be served.
Four times over the course of the year, we will invite external speakers who are conducting cutting-edge work on the biology of aging to present a seminar. To provide additional opportunities for professional networking and mentorship, trainees participating in the Scholars program will be invited to join the external speaker for a closed “Trainee Luncheon”. The luncheon will be limited to up to 10 trainees. Those trainees with research interests directly related to that of the external speaker will be given priority.
Trainee pilot project research program
Post-doctoral trainees participating in the Scholars Program will be invited to submit pilot applications in support of highly innovative, team-based, transdisciplinary, and translational science in the field of the basic biology of aging. A training plan prepared by the trainee and mentor(s) must also accompany the application. Priority will be given to highly innovative collaborative projects involving Principle Investigators from across two different laboratories. Two pilot projects in the amount of up to $20k each will be distributed in FY16. Awardees will be asked to submit quarterly progress reports. An RFA will be released in January 2016.
Pittsburgh Basic Biology of Aging Postdoctoral Fellowship
In FY16, we will award one SPRIG postdoctoral fellowship. This fellowship will provide two years of salary plus fringe support in the amount of up to $55k/year as well as up to $10k/year to offset research costs. An RFA will be released in the January 2016, which will solicit career development and research plan proposals prepared by the trainee and PI(s). Submitted proposals will be reviewed with an emphasis on the scientific merit of the research, the overall innovative or novel nature of the project, the level of novel, cross-disciplinary interactions, and mentoring plan. Funding consideration will be given to highly innovative collaborative projects involving mentors from across two different laboratories. Fellows will be asked to submit quarterly progress reports.
Travel Awards
Graduate student and post-doctoral fellowship trainees participating in the Scholars Program will have the opportunity to apply for travel funds that will support the attendance and participation (poster or oral presentation) in national meetings relevant to the field of the basic biology of aging. Up to $5k in travel awards will be distributed in FY17.
The FY17 SPRIG Travel Awards are now open. Please see the attached announcement and application template.
Click here for the Announcement
Click here for the Application
