National Institutes of Health Research Fellowship for Japanese Biomedical and Behavioral Researchers
This program is offered at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), in cooperation with the NIH’s Fogarty International Center (FIC), and the NIH Office of Intramural Research. It is designed to support meritorious biomedical and behavioral research projects undertaken in NIH laboratories by young Japanese postdoctoral researchers who intend to hold research positions at Japanese universities or other academic institutions or public institutions in Japan in the future.
Number of Fellowships awarded annually
Approximately 15 Fellowships, but possibly fewer depending on application quality and funding availability.
Duration and commencement of Fellowship
Duration: 2 years
Fellowships must begin ON January 1, February 1, or March 1, 2017.
Financial terms of the Fellowship
JSPS will provide each Fellow with a monthly stipend of ￥379,000 to be directly deposited into a designated bank account in Japan or the US. JSPS and NIH agreed that each sponsoring NIH institute or center (IC) provide each Fellow with supplement funding, if the JSPS stipend does not meet the NIH Supplemental Visiting Fellow stipend. The IC also provides insurance coverage for each Fellow and eligible accompanied family members.
JSPS stipulations for eligibility
- Applicants must presently be, or have a commitment to be, funded by NIH to conduct research at an NIH Institute. You may apply if you work or have obtained consent to work under a researcher employed at NIH, even though you are not a full-time paid researcher at NIH.
- Applicants who are already working in the United States must be eligible for an extension of their visa.
- Applicants must hold a degree, hakushi Certification (gakuishutokushomeisho) must be in the form of a diploma with an original seal and signature (not a photocopy) from the university issuing the doctoral degree (in Japanese if issued by a Japanese university) and must be attached to the application forms when submitted. This document does not need to be translated into English.
- Applicants must have obtained their doctoral degree, equivalent to a Ph.D., which must have been received within the previous five (5) years as of April 1, 2016 (i.e. April 1, 2011– March 31, 2016).
- Applicants must be Japanese citizens or permanent residents of Japan.
- Individuals who have previously been awarded a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research Abroad are not eligible.
Obligations
If any information in an application is found to be falsified, plagiarized or otherwise flawed, the application will be rejected. After selection, fellows should observe the following points and will be expected to observe the regulations and procedure.
Failure to do so may result in the termination of the fellowship and return of any already-paid. For details, fellows are requested to read carefully and observe each item in a program guidelines “日本学術振興会特別研究員（NIH）の事務手続の手引,” which is to be provided to fellows.
- Fellows must devote themselves exclusively to their research at NIH during the tenure of their fellowship. Fellows may, however, suspend their fellowships for the purpose of childbearing or infant nursing.
- Fellows must prepare an annual report on their research progress. One in Japanese and English is to be submitted to the JSPS Washington Office, one in English to the Fogarty International Center.
- Fellows may not receive other fellowships, a salary or wages during the period of their tenures in principle. (With the exception of researchers working full time at a Japanese research institution.)
- Other than a research position at a university, an inter-university research institute, a national laboratory or an independent administrative institution, a special public corporation, an authorized corporation, a non-profit organization, or a prefectural research institution in Japan, applicants must not have employment commitments outside of the fellowship program, including part-time work.
- Fellows may not matriculate a university or graduate school as a student during the period of their tenure.
- Fellows shall not commit inappropriate behavior, such as fabrication, falsification or plagiarization, in connection with their research activities including their oral presentations and any materials submitted for publication. Fellows are requested to complete a Responsible Conduct of Research(RCR) education designated by the JSPS prior to starting the fellowship. A pledge which states that the fellow has completed a RCR education and will not get involved in misconduct to be submitted to the JSPS.
- Fellows shall use research funds appropriately based on NIH’s and JSPS’s rules and procedures.
Deadlines and selection procedures
- Friday, May 27, 2016 by 5:00 PM EDT : Deadline for receipt of original applications to FIC (in both Japanese and English)
- Date in July TBD: An NIH review committee nominates the top 15 applicants to JSPS.
- In Autumn: JSPS mails out preliminary selection letters to the fellowship awardees and sends the selection results to NIH. ICs at NIH begin to process the paperwork for accepting the awardees.
- On January 1, February 1, and March 1, 2017, stipends are awarded.
Note
- JSPS may terminate the fellowships of individuals who have falsified their applications or who behave improperly during their tenure at NIH.
- Requests to change research plan, host institution, host researcher are as a rule not granted. When change is needed for unavoidable reasons, please consult with the JSPS Washington Office right away.
Application format and what to submit
Please submit the following application package both as an original paper application to NIH Campus Building 31, Room B2C39 and also electronically to the following e-mail address:
ficjspsintramural@mail.nih.gov
The application package must adhere to “JSPS Kaitoku Application Guide”.
- FORM A (English version: MS-Word “doc” Format)
- FORM B (Japanese version:MS-Word “doc” Format): bunka-saimoku-code & bunka-saimoku-keyword
- Letter of Invitation: Submit only one letter of invitation from your NIH host researcher. The letter must include the following:
- Describe the goal of the lab and how the Japanese scientist’s qualifications enable him/her to work in the lab/branch.
- Describe the applicant’s research project from your perspective as sponsor and how this training will be mutually beneficial to the Japanese scientist and NIH.
- Statement of commitment to provide all of the following compensation and benefits:
- Designation of Supplemental Visiting Fellow (Individuals who receive this fellowship must be designated as Supplemental Visiting Fellow and cannot be Guest Researcher or Special Volunteer.)
- Appropriate stipend amount per NIH stipend tables
- Health insurance premium for fellow and eligible dependents (spouse, and children under age 21)
- Lab space, equipment and resources to conduct research
- Statement that the invitation is not contingent on receipt of a JSPS award and that you are committed to funding the scientist for at least two years, whether or not the award is granted.
- Certificate of PhD degree: Certification must take the form of a certificate of the diploma with the original seal and signature (not a photocopy) from the university issuing the doctoral degree (in Japanese if issued by a Japanese university). It must be attached to the application form. This document does not need to be translated into English.
- 5-page Biosketch:Submit the 5-page Biosketch (Curriculum Vitae) of your NIH host researcher. The Biosketch may not exceed 5 pages.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://jspsusa.org/wp/fellowship/kaitoku-nih/