The Grant Aims Accelerator Program (formerly Specific Aims), developed by the Trainee and Career Development Core Committee, pairs an early career professional with an experienced mentor to review the mentee’s Specific Aims draft (or international Specific Aims equivalent) for grant proposals.
Mentees
The mentee will receive:
- Personalized feedback and recommendations for their Specific Aims draft.
- Develop a connection with an experienced endocrine researcher with shared research interests.
Mentors
Mentors will receive an opportunity to share knowledge with trainees and early career professionals and gain Endocrine Society volunteer experience. Support the next generation of endocrine researchers by signing up to provide feedback on a grant proposal.
Mentors and mentees will be matched by research interests and will meet informally at the ENDO 2026 to discuss how the specific aims draft can be improved. If unable to meet at ENDO, there is an option to meet virtually following the meeting. The Grant Aims Accelerator program is open to international participants. Endocrine Society will match mentees and mentors from the same country.
- All participants must be Endocrine Society members.
- Sign up by Monday, May 4 to participate.
Register for ENDO 2026, the leading global meeting on endocrine research and clinical care, taking place June 13-16 in Chicago, IL, US.
To learn more about developing and improving the Specific Aims section of your grant, view the Laying the Foundation: Specific Aims webinars, Part 1 and Part 2.
Please contact [email protected] with questions.
Webinar: Grant Writing for Translational Research: Approaches to Conventional and Alternative Funding, Plus Practical Tips for Strengthening Your Specific Aims or Proposal Summary
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Time: 12:00–1:00 PM ET
This webinar will provide practical guidance on developing research proposals for both traditional and non-traditional funding sources. Three experts will share tips, tools, and resources to strengthen early grant-writing efforts, with ample time reserved for participant questions and answers.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain major funding sources and award categories that currently support translational research.
- Create more effective Specific Aims (or concise proposal summaries) by applying practical outlining and editing methods.
- Find both institutional and external resources—such as mentorship, editing assistance, budget planning, and internal reviews—to assist with grant development.
Speakers:
- Gail Kurr Adler, MD, PhD, is an endocrinologist and Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her work focuses on diabetes and hypertension research, and she has a long-standing record of NIH funding and more than 300 publications.
- Jessica L. Fetterman, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Medicine/Vascular Biology and a basic and translational scientist. Her research examines mitochondrial physiology and genetics in cardiovascular disease, with nearly 100 publications; she will also share guidance on developing specific aims and early-stage NIH grant writing.
- Vanita Aroda, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an endocrinologist with more than 20 years of experience in diabetes research, including work related to GLP-1 therapies. She has published 200+ papers and will discuss non-traditional funding approaches, including clinical trials, both industry-sponsored and non-industry sponsored, in academia.
Moderator:
Nicole Ehrhardt, MD
Co-Medical Director
Seattle Clinical Research Center
