A call for stimulating diversity in brain research

Editorial outlines efforts at NIH to promote diverse workforce in neuroscience.

What

Neuroscience is one of the fastest growing fields and demonstrates the impact that our large scientific community could make in prioritizing equity and inclusion throughout science. A new editorial in Neuron discusses strategies at multiple levels where opportunities and interventions could be implemented to enhance neuroscience workforce diversity and provides an overview of programs at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health, that seek to address this issue.

The number of researchers from underrepresented groups decreases along the academic career pathway. NINDS support is available for these researchers at career transitional points, where barriers are often present. This support is not only in the form of research grants, but also in networking opportunities and mentorship programs.

Change must also occur at the institutional and scientific community level, where senior researchers and leaders can promote inclusive and culturally aware environments where individuals feel welcomed and valued.

NINDS recognizes the benefits of a diverse workforce in neuroscience research and has established a variety of programs to help achieve that goal. Structural biases and racism in the neuroscience workforce are existing issues that can be changed with a commitment from everyone at the individual, institutional, and community levels.

Who

Michelle Jones-London Ph.D., director, NINDS Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity, is available to comment on this editorial. To arrange an interview, please contact the NINDS Press Team, nindspressteam@ninds.nih.gov(link sends e-mail)

Article

Jones-London, M. NINDS Strategies for Enhancing the Diversity of Neuroscience Researchers(link is external), Neuron, July 10, 2020

NINDS is the nation’s leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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