Nearly 40,000 people in the U.S. die from firearm-related deaths each year, primarily from suicide (60%) or homicide (37%), and many more have experienced non-fatal firearm injuries, both intentional and nonintentional.  The Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the FY2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 1865) included funding for the NIH to conduct research on firearm injury and mortality prevention and recommended that NIH take a comprehensive approach to studying the underlying causes and evidence-based methods of prevention of firearm injury, including crime prevention.  Within the legislative mandates and limitations of NIH funding (NOT-OD-20-068, NOT-OD-20-066), the NIH encourages research to improve understanding of the determinants of firearm injury, the identification of those at risk of firearm injury (including both victims and perpetrators), the development and evaluation of innovative interventions to prevent firearm injury and mortality, and the examination of approaches to improve the implementation of existing, evidence-based interventions to prevent firearm injury and mortality.

For more information:
NOT-OD-20-089: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Competitive Revisions for Firearms Injury and Mortality Prevention Research:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-089.html
PAR-20-143: Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research (R61 Clinical Trial Optional):
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-20-143.html

The objectives of this initiative are to:

• Increase the scientific impact, innovation, and productivity of population dynamics research;
• Increase competitiveness for peer-reviewed external funding in population dynamics research;
• Support experiences for junior population dynamics scientists that will contribute to their research independence; and
• Maximize the efficiency of funding for population dynamics research by minimizing the financial and time burdens of providing administrative and other research support services associated with research projects.

This initiative will provide funding for population dynamics infrastructure cores at already productive population research centers. Applicant centers are expected to have a recent record of high impact, innovative scientific publications and competitiveness for peer-reviewed external funding for research within the scientific mission of the NICHD Population Dynamics Branch (PDB).

Full text of announcement: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-21-010.html

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) will host the Health Disparities Research Institute (HDRI) from August 3 — 7, 2020 at the NIH campus (Natcher, Building 45 conference center rooms). The HDRI aims to support the research career development of promising early-career minority health and health disparities research scientists and stimulate research in disciplines supported by health disparities science. Applications will only be accepted from extramural scientists who meet NIH’s Early Stage Investigator (ESI) eligibility criteria.

The program will feature lectures, mock grant reviews, seminars, and small group discussions on research relevant to minority health and health disparities. It will also include sessions with NIH scientific staff engaged in related health disparities research across the various institutes and centers.

Please encourage extramural scientists who are early in their careers and have a research focus in minority health and health disparities to apply to the institute.

All applications must be submitted via the HDRI application portal by the due date; emailed applications will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to apply before the deadline since late submissions will not be accepted.

• HDRI Application Portal Opens: Monday, February 3rd, 2020 (9:00am EST)
• HDRI Application Portal Closes: Monday, March 9th, 2020 (5:00pm EST)

For questions or more information, visit: https://nimhd.nih.gov/programs/edu-training/hd-research-institute or email HDRI@nih.gov

The U.S. Policy Communication Training Program builds on PRB’s 40-year legacy of training researchers to bridge the gap between research findings and the policy development process. While research often has profound practical implications, it must be communicated effectively to a variety of nontechnical audiences to influence policy and programmatic change. The U.S. Policy Communication Training Program prepares researchers to influence policy and practice through effective communication.

Through the U.S. Policy Communication Training Program, participants will:

• Understand the process by which research informs the policy environment.
• Learn various ways to communicate findings to U.S. and international policy audiences.
• Improve their ability to communicate in written and verbal formats.

Core training sessions cover the research to policy gap, communication strategies to link research to policy, writing for policy and nontechnical audiences, and effective content for and delivery of presentations.

This program is made possible by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—National Institutes of Health (NIH) Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

For more information and the online application, visit PRB’s website.