National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Bridges to the Doctorate (T32) | PAR 19 300

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 300

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Bridges to the Doctorate (T32) opportunity (FOA number PAR-19-300) is a discretionary NIH training grant designed to strengthen the pipeline into biomedical Ph.D. programs and, ultimately, the biomedical research workforce. The central aim is to develop a more diverse pool of scientists who earn doctoral degrees and are well prepared to transition into research careers that matter to the nation’s health-related research needs. Rather than funding a single research project, this program supports institutions in building a structured training environment where participants receive coordinated preparation across coursework, lab research, mentoring, and career development.

This FOA specifically supports eligible domestic institutions in developing and implementing training and mentoring approaches that are evidence-based and responsive to how quickly the research enterprise is changing. In practice, that means programs are expected to be intentional and organized: trainees should get strong scientific training, meaningful research experiences, consistent mentorship, and career guidance that helps them move successfully from earlier stages of training into a Ph.D. pathway and onward into the biomedical research workforce. NIGMS signals that strong proposals will blend multiple components (didactic learning, hands-on research, mentoring plans, and career development activities) into one coherent training plan rather than treating these pieces as separate or informal add-ons.

A key compliance point is the clinical trial restriction. Appointed trainees under this FOA are not permitted to lead an independent clinical trial. However, they are allowed to gain clinical trial research experience when the trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor. In other words, the program can expose trainees to clinical research and clinical trial environments as part of their training, but the trainees cannot be the primary leaders responsible for running an independent trial.

Eligibility focuses on U.S.-based institutions. Applicants may include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other eligible domestic organizations as defined in the FOA. The announcement also highlights categories of institutions commonly associated with broadening participation and serving underrepresented communities, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). At the same time, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, reinforcing that the supported training infrastructure must be based in the United States.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is listed under CFDA number 93.859, with the activity category of Health and the funding instrument type of Grant. The agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically NIGMS. The record indicates an original closing date of 2021-04-09 and a creation date of 2019-06-19. Details such as the award ceiling and expected number of awards are not provided in the source data excerpt and would need to be confirmed in the full FOA text.

Overall, this Bridges to the Doctorate T32 program is about building institutional training programs that systematically prepare trainees for success in Ph.D. study and biomedical research careers. Competitive applications are likely those that show a clear training structure, strong and well-supervised research experiences, thoughtful mentoring and career development, and a credible plan for helping trainees persist and transition into doctoral programs, all while following NIH rules around clinical trial leadership and domestic eligibility.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Bridges to the Doctorate (T32)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-06-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-04-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for PAR 19 300

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