NIH CAREER PROPOSAL ACADEMY
Welcome
Faculty mentors are paired with upcoming colleagues during this kickoff meeting.
Admission is competitive and based on the strength of applicants’ scientific ideas and their publication and research records. Each year’s co-chairs set the Academy’s agenda and tailor its goals and resources to that cohort’s needs, so the experience may vary from year to year. Participants are expected to submit a proposal to NIH shortly after completing the program.
Faculty and researchers interested in becoming part of the NIH Academy for the current year must submit an application when the portal opens each year.
Contact Jenn Roth, Research Education Manager if you have any questions.
Apply today! Deadline is November 12, 2026
Please fill in all applicable fields below.
The NIH Academy offers 2 paths for potential participants. Participants who are unsure whether they want to submit a proposal to NIH by June 2028 are invited to apply as auditors. Auditors are welcome at all meetings and discussions without the expectation of submitting a proposal by 2028. Full participants will also receive individualized mentoring, along with editing resources, with the expectation of submitting to NIH by 2028. If you have any questions please contact Jenn Roth at (jaroth@udel.edu) .
2026
2026 NIH Academy Cohort
The 2026 Academy was chaired by Jason Gleghorn ( Professor, Biomedical Engineering) and Amanda Owen Van Horne (Professor, Communication Science & Disorders)
- Kasia Hitczenko —Linguistics & Cognitive Science
- Chijioke Ikomi —Nemours Children’s Health
- Michele Lobo —Physical Therapy
- Shafeekh Muyyarikkandy —Animal & Food Science
- Cagri Ozdemir —Delaware State University
- Daniel Totzkay—Communications
- Samuel Van Horne—Center for Research in Education & Social Policy
2026 Academy Timeline
| November | Application Deadline and cohort chosen |
| December | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| January |
• Kick-off Group Meeting
• Group meeting: Specific Aims |
| February | • Group meeting: Significance & Innovation • Specific Aims due to the Academy |
| March | • Group meeting: Establishing credibility as a beginning PI • Group meeting: Approach |
| April | • Feedback on Specific Aims • 1:1 consultations to discuss specific aims • Group meeting: Budgets, Human/Animal Subjects and Data Management |
| May |
• Group meeting:NIH Review Process • Group meeting: Critiques & Resubmission |
| June 2026-June 2027 | • Each participant has one year from the end of the academy to utilize grant editing/graphics hours and ad hoc draft proposal review |
2024-2025
2024-2025 NIH Academy Cohort
The 2024-2025 Academy was chaired by Freda Patterson (Associate Dean, College of Health Sciences) and Jason Gleghorn (Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering)
- Heather Farmer —Human Development & Family Science
- Daniel Harris —Epidemiology
- Melissa Melough —Behavioral Health & Nutrition
- Robert Oakes —Biomedical Engineering
- Xi Peng —Computer & Information Science
- Jose Salazar-Torres—Nemours Children’s Health
- Ulf Schiller—Computer & Information Science
- Maryam Vaziri-Pashkam —Psychological & Brain Sciences
2024-2025 Academy Timeline
| November | Application Deadline and cohort chosen |
| December | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| January |
• Kick-off Group Meeting
• Group meeting: Specific Aims |
| February | • Group meeting: Significance & Innovation • Specific Aims due to the Academy |
| March | • Group meeting: Establishing credibility as a beginning PI • Group meeting: Apporach |
| April | • Feedback on Specific Aims • 1:1 consultations to discuss specific aims • Group meeting: Budgets, Human/Animal Subjects and Data Management |
| May |
• Group meeting:NIH Review Process • Group meeting: Critiques & Resubmission |
| June 2025-June 2026 | • Each participant has one year from the end of the academy to utilize grant editing/graphics hours and ad hoc draft proposal review |
2023-2024
2023-2024 NIH Academy Cohort
The Academy was chaired by Dawn Elliott (Professor, Biomedical Engineering) and Freda Patterson (Associate Dean, College of Health Sciences)
- Ariel Alperstein —Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Ellen Donnelly —Center for Drug & Health Studies
- Austin Keeler —Biological Sciences
- Eric Layland —Human Devlopment & Family Science
- Daehyoung Lee —Behavioral Health & Nutrition
- Nancy Lennon—Nemours Children’s Health
- Lena Mashayekhy —Computer & Information Science
- Carly Pacanowski —Behavioral Health & Nutrition
- Asanthi Ratnasekera —Christiana Care
- Earl Smith—Women & Gender Studies
- Andre Luiz Pasqua Tavares —Biological Sciences
2023-2024 Academy Timeline
| November | Application Deadline and cohort chosen |
| December | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| January |
• Kick-off Group Meeting
• Group meeting: Specific Aims |
| February | • Group meeting: Significance & Innovation • Specific Aims due to the Academy |
| March | • Group meeting: Establishing credibility as a beginning PI • Group meeting: Apporach |
| April | • Feedback on Specific Aims • 1:1 consultations to discuss specific aims • Group meeting: Budgets, Human/Animal Subjects and Data Management |
| May |
• Group meeting:NIH Review Process • Group meeting: Critiques & Resubmission |
| June 2024-June 2025 | • Each participant has one year from the end of the academy to utilize grant editing/graphics hours and ad hoc draft proposal review |
2022-2023
2022-2023 NIH Academy Cohort
The 2022-2023 NIH Academy was comprised of individuals representing University of Delaware, Christiana Care Health System, Nemours Children’s Health System, and the Medical University of South Carolina.
The Academy was chaired by Diane Chugani (Professor & Chair, Communication Sciences & Disorders) and Dawn Elliott (Professor, Biomedical Engineering)
- Mitra Assadi —Christiana Care Health System
- Sarah Curtiss —College of Education and Human Development
- Stephanie Del Tufo —College of Education and Human Development
- Jennifer Gallo-Fox —College of Education and Human Development
- Amanda Hernan —Nemours Children’s Health
- Joohyun Lim —College of Arts & Sciences
- Mary Mitsdarffer —Biden School of Public Policy & Administration
- Jee Won Park —College of Health Sciences
- Phayvanh Pecha —Medical University of South Carolina
2022-2023 Academy Timeline
| July/August | Applications submitted and reviewed; cohort accepted and mentors assigned |
| September | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| October | • Kick-off Group Meeting Program overview and NIH Institutes/Funding Mechanisms |
| November | • Group meeting: Specific Aims • Group meeting: Establishing Credibility as a Beginnning PI |
| December | • Specific Aims due to the Academy • Group meeting: RO1/MIRA Structure & General Grantwriting |
| January | • Feedback on Specific Aims • 1:1 consultations to discuss specific aims • Group meeting: Approach, Significance & Innovation |
| February | • Group meeting: Budgets & Human/Animal Subjects |
| March | • Draft proposal due to the Academy |
| April | • Proposal Feedback • Group meeting: NIH Review Process |
| May-June | • 1:1 consultations to discuss feedback • Group meeting: Critiques & Resubmission • Final Proposal submitted to NIH |
2021-2022
2021-2022 NIH Academy Cohort
The 2021-2022 NIH Academy was comprised of individuals representing University of Delaware, Christiana Care Health System, Nemours Children’s Health System, and the Medical University of South Carolina.
The Academy was chaired by Diane Chugani (Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders) and John Koh (Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry)
Proposal Group
- Jeremy Bird —College of Arts & Sciences
- Joshua Cashaback — College of Engineering
- Sheau Ching Chai — College of Health Sciences
- Elise Corbin —College of Engineering
- Sambeeta Das — College of Engineering
- Aditya Dutta—College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Amber Krachunas — College of Arts & Sciences
- Jean Marie Ruddy— Medical University of South Carolina
- Evan Usler — College of Health Sciences
- Xuyi Yue— Nemours Children’s Health System
Pre-Proposal Group
- Christina Amaro — Nemours Children’s Health System
- Charles Cange — Delaware Stare University
- Lauren Covington — College of Health Sciences
- Vincenzo Ellis— College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Stephanie Guarino — Christiana Care Health System
- Miki Ii — Delaware Stare University
- William Kenkel— College of Arts & Sciences
- Mina Osovari — Christiana Care Health System
2021-2022 Academy Timeline
| June-July | Applications submitted and reviewed; cohort accepted and mentors assigned |
| August | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| September | • Kick-off Group Meeting Program overview and Specific Aims requirement |
| October | Specific Aims due • Group meeting: Institute Details/Funding Mechanisms Overview |
| November | • Feedback on Specific Aims • Group meeting: Grantwriting/R01 Structure • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grants consultant |
| December-January | • Participants given access to professional grant writers; • Group meeting: Budgets and Biosketches |
| February | Draft of full proposal due Participants assigned to expert reviewer |
| March | • Disseminate draft proposal feedback • Group Meeting: NIH review Process |
| April | • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant to discuss proposal feedback |
| May-June | • Group Meeting: Critiques and Resubmission • Participants re-submit draft proposal for final review • Final Proposal submitted to NIH |
2020-2021
2020-2021 NIH Academy Cohort
The 2020-2021 NIH Academy is comprised of 11 individuals representing University of Delaware, Christiana Care Health System and Nemours Children’s Health System.
The Academy was chaired by Bill Farquhar (Professor, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology) and Velia Fowler (Chair, Biological Sciences)
- Panagiotis Artemiadis — College of Engineering
- Sophia Choukas-Bradley — College of Arts & Sciences
- Jodi Hadden-Perilla — College of Arts & Sciences
- Jocelyn Hafer — College of Health Sciences
- Danielle Hatchimonji — Nemours Children’s Health System
- Medina Jackson-Browne — College of Health Sciences
- Saira Khan — College of Health Sciences
- Chi Keung Lam — College of Arts & Sciences
- Zhenghan Qi — College of Health Sciences
- Lisha Shao — College of Arts & Sciences
- Scott Siegel — Christiana Care Health System
- Molly Sutherland — College of Arts & Sciences
2020-2021 Academy Timeline
| June-July | Applications submitted and reviewed; cohort accepted and mentors assigned |
| August | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| September | • Kick-off Group Meeting Program overview and Specific Aims requirement |
| October | Specific Aims due • Group meeting: Institute Details/Funding Mechanisms Overview |
| November | • Feedback on Specific Aims • Group meeting: Grantwriting/R01 Structure • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grants consultant |
| December-January | • Participants given access to professional grant writers; • Group meeting: Budgets and Biosketches |
| February | Draft of full proposal due Participants assigned to expert reviewer |
| March | • Disseminate draft proposal feedback • Group Meeting: NIH review Process |
| April | • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant to discuss proposal feedback |
| May-June | • Group Meeting: Critiques and Resubmission • Participants re-submit draft proposal for final review • Final Proposal submitted to NIH |
2019-2020
2019-2020 NIH Academy Cohort
The 2019-2020 NIH Academy is comprised of 15 individuals representing University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Christiana Care Health System and Nemours Children’s Health System.
The 2019-2020 Cohort was chaired by David Edwards (Associate Dean, College of Health Sciences) and Tatyana Polenova (Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry).
- Christina Barbieri — College of Education and Human Development
- Mona Batish — College of Health Sciences
- Anne Marie Brescia — Nemours
- Roxana Burciu — College of Health Sciences
- Sambeeta Das — College of Engineering
- Arild Hestvik — College of Arts and Sciences
- Xiaopeng Ji — College of Health Sciences
- Laura Lessard — College of Engineering
- Dominique Medaglio — Christiana Health Care System
- Giovanna Morini — College of Health Sciences
- Kyoko Nagao — Nemours
- Vijay Parashar — College of Health Sciences
- Jennifer Saylor — College of Health Sciences
- Jaclyn “Megan” Sions — College of Health Sciences
- Julian Wooltorton — Delaware State University
2019-2020 Academy Timeline
| June-July | Applications submitted and reviewed; cohort accepted and mentors assigned |
| August | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| September | • Kick-off Group Meeting Program overview and Specific Aims requirement |
| October | Specific Aims due • Group meeting: Institute Details/Funding Mechanisms Overview |
| November | • Feedback on Specific Aims • Group meeting: Grantwriting/R01 Structure • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grants consultant |
| December-January | • Participants given access to professional grant writers; • Group meeting: Budgets and Biosketches |
| February | Draft of full proposal due Participants assigned to expert reviewer |
| March | • Disseminate draft proposal feedback • Group Meeting: NIH review Process |
| April | • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant to discuss proposal feedback |
| May-June | • Group Meeting: Critiques and Resubmission • Participants re-submit draft proposal for final review • Final Proposal submitted to NIH |
2018-2019
2018-2019 NIH Academy Cohort
This was the inaugural year of the NIH Academy and had nine participants representing University of Delaware and Christiana Care Health System. Participants in this cohort have received over $1.8 million in funding to date.
The 2018-2019 Cohort was chaired by Stuart Binder-Macleod and Randy Duncan.
- Matthew Cohen — College of Health Sciences
- Chad Giusti — College of Arts and Sciences
- Jennifer Goldstein — Christiana Health Care System
- Aimee Jaramillo-Lambert — College of Arts and Sciences
- Lisa Jaremka — College of Arts and Sciences
- Karl Schmitz — College of Arts and Sciences
- Jeffrey Spielberg — College of Arts and Sciences
- Shannon Virtue — Christiana Health Care System
2018-2019 Academy Timeline
| June-July | Applications submitted and reviewed; cohort accepted and mentors assigned |
| August | Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant |
| September | • Kick-off Group Meeting Program overview and Specific Aims requirement |
| October | Specific Aims due • Group meeting: Institute Details/Funding Mechanisms Overview |
| November | • Feedback on Specific Aims • Group meeting: Grantwriting/R01 Structure • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grants consultant |
| December-January | • Participants given access to professional grant writers; • Group meeting: Budgets and Biosketches |
| February | Draft of full proposal due Participants assigned to expert reviewer |
| March | • Disseminate draft proposal feedback • Group Meeting: NIH review Process |
| April | • Participants meet 1:1 with NIH grant consultant to discuss proposal feedback |
| May-June | • Group Meeting: Critiques and Resubmission • Participants re-submit draft proposal for final review • Final Proposal submitted to NIH |
NIH ACADEMY SPONSORS
CONTACT
Jenn Roth
Research for Development
204 Hulihen Hall, Newark DE 19716
Phone: 302-831-4717
Email: Jenn Roth
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