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NIH Office of Intramural Research

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  • About OIR
    • OIR Leadership & Staff
      • Nina F. Schor, M.D., Ph.D.
      • Richard G. Wyatt, M.D.
      • Janice Lee, D.D.S., M.D., M.S.
      • Andy Baxevanis, Ph.D.
      • Charles R. Dearolf, Ph.D.
      • Nadine Fonrose, M.A.
      • Arlyn García-Pérez, Ph.D.
      • Carl Hashimoto, Ph.D.
      • Roland A. Owens, Ph.D.
      • Kathryn M. Partin, Ph.D.
      • Rena Rodriguez, B.S.
      • Dierdre S. Andrews
      • Diana Gomez
      • Chanee' M. Jackson
      • Margaret McBurney, M.B.A.
      • Karen Nemes
      • Lisa L. Coronado, M.B.A.
      • Dan Fogarty, M.A., FACHE
      • Bonny Harbinger, Ph.D., J.D.
      • David B. Resnik, J.D., Ph.D.
      • Mark L. Rohrbaugh, Ph.D., J.D.
      • Parker Ruhl, M.D., M.H.S.
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Intramural Targeted Anti-COVID-19 (ITAC) Awards
    • DDIR Innovation Awards
    • Long-Term IRP Planning
    • OIR Offices
  • Sourcebook
    • Intramural COVID-19 Guidance and Resources
      • IRP Repository for COVID-19 Samples
      • Rapid Review of Human Subjects Research Related to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
      • Donating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 Testing Supplies
      • Exceptional Use of IC Funds for Per Diem Quarantine for Non-FTE Trainees (VF/IRTA/CRTA)
      • Student IRTA/CRTA and Student Special Volunteers
      • Extension Exceptions for Non-FTE Trainees for COVID-19
      • 2020 Virtual Postbac Poster Day
    • Board of Scientific Directors
      • Board of Scientific Directors Membership
      • Board of Scientific Directors Sub-Committees
    • Committees Advisory to the DDIR
      • Advisory Committee to the DDIR
      • Assembly of Scientists (AOS)
      • Committee on Scientific Conduct and Ethics (CSCE)
      • Central Tenure Committee (CTC)
      • Chairs of the Boards of Scientific Counselors
      • Tenure-Track Investigators Committee
      • Training Directors Committee
      • Fellows Committee (FelCom)
      • Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) Steering Committee
      • PostBac Committee
      • Senior Biomedical Research Service (SBRS) Policy Board
      • Women Scientist Advisors (WSA) Committee
      • Human Subjects Research Advisory Committee (HSRAC)
      • Animal Research Advisory Committee (ARAC)
      • Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) Committee
      • NIH Intramural Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight (ESCRO) Committee
      • Facilities Working Group
      • NIH Space Recommendation Board
      • PHS Technology Transfer Policy Board
    • Processes for Reviewing NIH Intramural Science
      • Boards of Scientific Counselors (BSC)
        • Addendum to BSC Policies and Procedures
      • Blue Ribbon Panel Reviews of IC Intramural Research Programs
      • Role and Review of Scientific Directors and Clinical Directors
    • Intramural Program Oversight
      • Human Subjects Research
        • NIH IRP Clinical Directors
      • Intramural Data Sharing
        • 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy
        • Genomic Data Sharing
        • Human Data Sharing
        • Guide to FDAAA Reporting Research Results
          • Frequently Asked Questions: NIH Clinical Trial Definition
          • Assistance Available to Help with Results Reporting to ClinicalTrials.gov
            • Points of Contact for FDAAA Compliance at ICs
      • Laboratory Safety
      • Management Controls Survey
    • Intramural Administrative Management Council
      • List of Council Members
      • List of Trans-NIH Committees
    • Personnel
      • IPDs and Appointment Mechanisms
        • Official List of Approved Intramural Professional Designations (IPDs)
        • Senior Investigator
        • Investigator
        • Senior Clinician
        • Senior Scientist
        • Assistant Clinical Investigator
        • Staff Clinician
        • Staff Scientist
        • Senior Research Assistant / Research Assistant
        • Adjunct Investigator
        • Scientist Emeritus
        • Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Fellow
        • Visiting Fellow
        • ORISE Senior Fellow
        • Senior Clinical Fellow
        • Clinical Fellow
        • Senior Research Fellow
        • Research Fellow
          • Independent Research Scholar Program
        • Student Opportunities
        • Contractors
        • Guest Researchers / Special Volunteers
        • Research Collaborators
      • Policies and Recruitment Processes
        • 5-Year / 8-Year Duration Rule
        • Departing Staff Request to Remove Copies of NIH Records
        • Example IC Check Sheets / Checklists
        • Exceptional Extensions of IRTA and Visiting Fellowships to a 6th Year
        • Fair Review Principles for Nominations of Staff Scientists for Associate Scientist and Senior Associate Scientist Titles
        • Guide for Avoiding Undue Foreign Interference with IRP Research
        • Guidelines for Parental/Family Excused Absence for IRTAs, CRTAs, and Visiting Fellows
        • Keep The Thread Policy
        • Mandated Training for Scientific Staff Working in NIH Facilities
        • Policy for Reassignment or Early Termination of Awards to Postbaccalaureate Fellows
        • Policy for Reassignment or Early Termination of Awards to Postdoctoral Fellows
        • Policy for Reassignment or Early Termination of Awards to Predoctoral Fellows
        • Policy for Use of Contract Workers to Support Scientific Functions in the IRP
        • Policy on Use of English for Official Scientific Communication in NIH Laboratories and Branches
        • Postdoctoral Fellows (IRTA/CRTA/VF) Temporary Exceptional Extensions Policy
        • Roles of Lab and Branch Chiefs (or Equivalent)
        • Telework Policies for IRTA/CRTA and Visiting Fellows
        • Working with Displaced Title 42 Staff Scientists/Clinicians
      • IRP Demographics
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY22)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY22)
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY21)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY21)
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY20)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY20)
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY19)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY19)
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY18)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY18)
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY17)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY17)
        • Intramural Research Program Personnel Demographics (End FY16)
        • Foreign Nationals in the Intramural Research Program (End FY16)
      • Quality-of-Life Features
      • Sabbaticals
        • NIAAA Sabbatical Program
        • NEI Sabbatical Program
        • NICHD Sabbatical Program
        • PHS Foreign Work / Study Program Policy
      • Opportunities for Short Assignments / Details at the NIH
    • Tenure in the NIH Intramural Research Program
      • Tenure-Track Overview
      • Search & Selection
        • Search Process for Senior Investigators, Tenure-Track Investigators, Senior Clinicians and Senior Scientists
        • Role of Search Committee Members
      • Additional Tenure-Track Policies
      • Resources
      • Policy on IC Tenure Review Committees
      • Tenure Overview
      • Search & Selection
      • Criteria for Tenure at the NIH
      • Statement About PI Involvement in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
      • De-Tenuring Process
    • Awards, Fellowships, & Grant Opportunities
      • The Director’s Challenge Innovation Award Program
        • 2020 Director’s Challenge Awards
        • 2022 Director’s Challenge Awards
      • Early Career (Bridge) Awards Open to IRP Scientists
      • Eligibility of Intramural Investigators for NIH Common Fund Awards
      • K99/R00 Grant Award Information
        • Application Approval Process and Additional Information
        • K99/R00 Environment and Institutional Commitment Statement
        • Update from Scientific Directors
      • NIAID Support of Intramural Biodefense Research from ICs Other Than NIAID
    • Ethical Conduct
      • Research Misconduct
        • Anonymous Reporting of Research Misconduct Concerns
        • Taraswi Banerjee, Ph.D.
        • Alfredo R Sancho, Ph.D., M.P.H.
      • Guidelines on Conduct of Research
      • Research Ethics
        • NIH Policies
          • Intramural / Extramural Collaborations
            • NIH Staff Involvement on Extramural Awards - Cooperative Agreements
              • Opportunities for Collaborative Research at the Clinical Center (U01)
              • NIH Bench-to-Bedside Program
            • Activities with Outside Organizations
          • Investigation of Allegations of Research Misconduct
        • NIH Guidelines
          • Guide for Human Biospecimen Storage and Tracking
            • Frequently Asked Questions
            • List of Biospecimen Liaisons
      • Special Research Considerations
        • Dual-Use Research
        • Human Stem Cell Use
          • Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESCs) Use
          • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) Use
          • Human Embryo Research and Cloning Prohibitions
        • Policies & Procedures for Human Fetal Tissue Research
          • Policies on the Acquisition and Use of HFT
          • Procedures for Obtaining HFT
      • Responsible Conduct of Research Training
        • Instruction in Responsible Conduct of Research - Postdoc IRTA, CRTA, VF, Research Associates
          • Reproducibility Training
          • Introduction to “My Laboratory”
        • Instruction in Responsible Conduct of Research - Postbacs and GPP Students
        • Resources for Training Directors
        • Annual Review of Ethics (Case Studies)
          • Research Cases for Use by the NIH Community
            • 2021 Ethics Case Facilitator Training
        • Processes for Authorship Dispute Resolution
      • Government Ethics
        • Guidelines for Non-FTEs (Trainees) for NIH-Related Activities, Outside Activities, and Awards
      • Bioethics
    • Mentoring & Training
      • Guide to Training and Mentoring
      • Guidelines for Mentors at NIH
      • Guidelines for Trainees at NIH
      • Guidelines for Annual Progress Review of Trainees
      • Scientific Director Policy Updates for Mentors and Trainees
      • Goals for Enhanced Mentoring in the IRP
      • FelCom Mentoring Committee
      • The DDIR Implementation Plan in Response to the FelCom Subcommittee Report on Mentoring
      • Mentoring Cases for Discussions
    • Submitting Research Publications
      • PubMed Central (PMC) Deposition Requirements
      • Intramural Directions for Submitting to PubMed Central via NIHMS
      • NIH Publishing Agreement Forms
        • Procedures for Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
      • Publication and Abstract Clearance
    • Intramural Research Communications & Resources
      • Annual Reports and Bibliographies
  • WALS
    • About WALS
    • Current Lecture Season
    • Past Lecture Seasons & Speakers
      • Browse by Season
      • Browse by Speaker
    • Named & Honorific Lectures
      • NIH Director’s Lecture
      • Rolla E. Dyer Lecture
      • G. Burroughs Mider Lecture
      • Marshall W. Nirenberg Lecture
      • Margaret Pittman Lecture
      • J. Edward Rall Cultural Lecture
      • Astute Clinician Lecture
      • Robert S. Gordon Jr. Lecture
      • George Khoury Lecture
      • Florence Mahoney Lecture on Aging
      • William E. Paul Lecture
      • DeWitt Stetten Jr. Lecture
    • WALS Lunch Request
    • Continuing Medical Education Credits
  • SIGs
    • SIGs by Name
    • SIGs by Scientific Focus Area
      • Biomedical Engineering and Biophysics
      • Cancer Biology
      • Cell Biology
      • Chemical Biology
      • Chromosome Biology
      • Clinical Research
      • Computational Biology
      • Developmental Biology
      • Epidemiology
      • Genetics and Genomics
      • Health Disparities
      • Immunology
      • Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
      • Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
      • Molecular Pharmacology
      • Neuroscience
      • RNA Biology
      • Social and Behavioral Sciences
      • Stem Cell Biology
      • Structural Biology
      • Systems Biology
      • Virology
  • IRP Website
    • A premier environment where creative scientists conduct fundamental research for the betterment of human health – we are the IRP
    • Visit Website
  • NIH Research Festival
    • The NIH Research Festival is the showcase for intramural research
    • Visit Website
  • The NIH Catalyst
    • A publication for and about the NIH intramural research community
    • Visit Website
  • NIDB
    • The NIH Intramural Database collects and disseminates information about research being performed in the Intramural Programs
    • Visit Website

Special Populations Research Forum

What Do We Do?

The Special Populations Research Forum (SPRF) provides a resource for NIH and HHS staff to share best practices and lessons learned in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in intramural and extramural training and research. The SPRF seeks to promote:

  • Community: Connect NIH and HHS staff with a shared common interest in DEI.
  • Exchange: Foster an environment for the sharing of knowledge and experience.
  • Support: Enable opportunities for NIH staff to create, innovate, and implement NIH scientific and training programs designed to diversify the nation’s research enterprise.
  • Professional Development: Elevate career and professional development of its members through peer mentoring and mutual support.
  • Recruitment & Retention: Share best practices for recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations in biomedical and behavioral research.
  • Network: Serve as a resource to the NIH’s diversity and workforce development communities, supporting a range of NIH-wide events, including the NIH Research Festivals and Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (WALS).

Who Are We?

The SPRF includes people from across NIH and HHS: intramural, extramural, administrative staff, support staff, contractors, fellows and trainees from all areas of expertise.

Why Should I Join?

The SPRF community welcomes all NIH and HHS staff with an interest in enhancing the diversity of the Nation’s research enterprise. As the NIH mission statement describes, one of the goals of our agency is “to exemplify and promote the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in the conduct of science.”

  • Stay on top of what is happening in the DEI space across the NIH and HHS, often from the experts leading them.
  • Join a network of NIH and HHS staff who seek to share professional development and career advancement opportunities across the agency.
  • Meet new people by participating in professional networking events and mentoring activities.
  • A place to be genuine about your passions with like-minded colleagues. Mentoring by you and for you at the right time, with the right perspective.
  • Engage in DEI activities that may have an impact across multiple NIH institutes and centers (e.g. clinical trial recruitment and retention for underrepresented populations).

Chair

  • Lola Olufemi, Ph.D., NINDS

Chair-Elect

  • Shauna Clark, Ph.D., NCI

Chair-Emeritus

  • Mia Rochelle Lowden, Ph.D., NIH/OD/ORIP

Committees

  • Clinical Research Recommendation Committee (Contact: Lola Olufemi, Ph.D., NINDS)
  • Mentorship (Contact: Rosalina Bray, MS, NIH OD/OER)
  • Newsletter (Contact: Taisa Coleman, MS, NICHD)
  • Resources and Website (Contact: Dawn Morales, Ph.D., NIMH)
  • Speaker (Contact: Rosalina Bray, MS, NIH OD/OER)

Mailing List

To join the Special Populations Research Forum mailing list, please visit the Special Populations Research Forum Listserv home page, then click the “Subscribe or Unsubscribe” link in the right sidebar.


Scientific Focus Areas

  • Clinical Research

    View SIGs in Clinical Research

    Learn more about Clinical Research in the IRP

  • Health Disparities

    View SIGs in Health Disparities

    Learn more about Health Disparities in the IRP

  • Social and Behavioral Sciences

    View SIGs in Social and Behavioral Sciences

    Learn more about Social and Behavioral Sciences in the IRP

This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Main navigation

  • SIGs by Name
  • SIGs by Scientific Focus Area
    • Biomedical Engineering and Biophysics
    • Cancer Biology
    • Cell Biology
    • Chemical Biology
    • Chromosome Biology
    • Clinical Research
    • Computational Biology
    • Developmental Biology
    • Epidemiology
    • Genetics and Genomics
    • Health Disparities
    • Immunology
    • Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
    • Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
    • Molecular Pharmacology
    • Neuroscience
    • RNA Biology
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences
    • Stem Cell Biology
    • Structural Biology
    • Systems Biology
    • Virology
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Main navigation

  • About OIR
    • OIR Leadership & Staff
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Intramural Targeted Anti-COVID-19 (ITAC) Awards
    • DDIR Innovation Awards
    • Long-Term IRP Planning
    • OIR Offices
  • Sourcebook
    • Intramural COVID-19 Guidance and Resources
    • Board of Scientific Directors
    • Committees Advisory to the DDIR
    • Processes for Reviewing NIH Intramural Science
    • Intramural Program Oversight
    • Intramural Administrative Management Council
    • Personnel
    • Tenure in the NIH Intramural Research Program
    • Awards, Fellowships, & Grant Opportunities
    • Ethical Conduct
    • Mentoring & Training
    • Submitting Research Publications
    • Intramural Research Communications & Resources
  • WALS
    • About WALS
    • Current Lecture Season
    • Past Lecture Seasons & Speakers
    • Named & Honorific Lectures
    • WALS Lunch Request
    • Continuing Medical Education Credits
  • SIGs
    • SIGs by Name
    • SIGs by Scientific Focus Area
  • IRP Website
    • A premier environment where creative scientists conduct fundamental research for the betterment of human health – we are the IRP
    • Visit Website
  • NIH Research Festival
    • The NIH Research Festival is the showcase for intramural research
    • Visit Website
  • The NIH Catalyst
    • A publication for and about the NIH intramural research community
    • Visit Website
  • NIDB
    • The NIH Intramural Database collects and disseminates information about research being performed in the Intramural Programs
    • Visit Website
  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • National Institutes of Health
  • USA.gov

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