LBDA Research Mentorship Program

The Lewy Body Dementia Association is interested in establishing a Research Mentorship Program. The goal of this program is to promote the continued development of newly trained clinician-researchers, or experienced clinician-researchers new to LBD, into world-class LBD investigators.

While there are several courses and conferences that a young investigator can participate in, there is no substitute for a personal mentor-mentee relationship, where the mentor can review the mentee’s

proposed initiative(s), and meet with the mentee’s team, local set up, and provide in-person sage advice.

The initiative will focus on the mentorship of young or experienced investigators committed to clinical research in the Lewy body dementia arena by seasoned, established LBD investigators. Mentees may include individuals with fellowship training in movement disorders, behavioral neurology, geriatric psychiatry, or geriatric medicine.

To determine the feasibility of establishing such a program, LBDA is issuing this call for researchers who would be willing to serve as mentors for mentees from another institution. (LBDA will issue a future call for mentees and facilitate pairings of mentors and mentees.)

Mentor Commitment: Mentors would be expected to have 2-3 brief teleconferences with the mentee throughout the 1-year mentorship to follow up on the progress of the mentee’s project and will be highly encouraged to deliver one lecture at the mentee’s institution or virtually (e.g. Grand Rounds, teaching conference, a roundtable discussion to a mentee’s academic center). Mentors would receive an honorarium from LBDA for participating in this program. Approved travel costs would be reimbursed by LBDA.

Mentor Criteria: Mentors must be established and independently funded LBD investigators (e.g., funding from the National Institutes of Health, Veteran’s Administration, National Science Foundation, or foundations), and be based in the United States of America.

To express your interest in serving as a mentor, please submit the following information to Angela Taylor, Senior Director of Research and Advocacy, ataylor@lbda.org.

· A short bio, including any mentoring experience (maximum length 500 words)

· An NIH-style biosketch

· A headshot

Thank you in advance for your interest in this program.