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Office of Research and Innovation
Research Development Office

NIH MIRA For Early Stage Investigators

This writing workshop supports early stage faculty interested in applying to the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) grant program, funded by the National Institute for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). 

Virtual Writing Workshop

August 3-7, 2020

The NIGMS MIRA for ESI offers support for basic biomedical researchers looking to establish their research programs. For faculty who are within ten years of receiving their doctoral degree, have never received an NIH research grant, and conduct research in NIGMS’ mission areas (biophysics, biochemistry, computational biology, genetics, cellular/molecular biology, physiology, developmental biology, pharmacology, or general medicine), the MIRA for ESI grant can be an excellent mechanism to establish your extramural funding track record.

This virtual workshop gave strategies for preparing a MIRA proposal. Each day of the workshop focused on how writing can respond to the main review criteria: Significance, Innovation, Environment, Investigator and Approach.

By the end of the workshop, participants were able to address:

  • How to relate basic biomedical research topics to public health significance.
  • How to craft an NIH biosketch that expresses your strengths as an investigator.
  • Strategies for getting a strong Institutional Letter of Support.
  • How to translate your broad research directions into a coherent approach strategy.
  • How to navigate and communicate with NIH.
View PDU NIH Resources
NIGMS MIRA for ESI FOA

Workshop Materials

Introduction to MIRA, Significance

NC State Unity ID Required
Recording
Slides
Q&A

Environment, Letters of Support

NC State Unity ID Required
Recording
Slides
Q&A

Innovation, Investigator, Biosketches

NC State Unity ID Required
Recording
Slides
Q&A

Approach, Budget, Panel of Current PI’s

NC State Unity ID Required
Recording
Slides
Q&A

Program Officer Webinar, Navigating NIH

Open to the Public
Recording
Slides
Q&A

This Virtual Writing Workshop is brought to you by the Proposal Development Unit of the NC State Research Development Office, in collaboration with the College of Sciences, Wilson College of Textiles, and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. For more information, please contact Molly Puente (ORI/PDU at  mepuente@ncsu.edu.