Summary of Federal Project Grant Award

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded $264,746 to the Regents of the University of California, San Francisco on February 3, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). The award funds the Expanding Access to Neurosurgery Research Education (EXPANSE) initiative, which delivers targeted educational and research training services to medical students at accredited institutions lacking affiliated neurosurgery residency programs or departments. The program addresses a documented gap in neurosurgery research exposure, as approximately one-third of accredited medical schools lack neurosurgery programs, resulting in less than 5% of students in such environments pursuing neurosurgeon scientist careers.

EXPANSE delivers three primary products over the five-year award period (through January 31, 2031): a 9-12 week neuroscience research methods-based summer curriculum for first-year medical students (Aim 1); a year-long grant writing, abstract preparation, and scientific publication curriculum with structured mentorship and expanded neurosurgical knowledge (Aim 2); and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of participant research productivity to assess program success (Aim 3). By facilitating research exposure and professional development for underrepresented medical students, the program aims to diversify the neurosurgeon researcher pipeline and mitigate existing disparities in neurosurgical field recruitment and advancement.