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Nursing Science Incubator for SDOH Solutions (N-SISS)

Nursing Science Incubator for SDOH Solutions (N-SISS) is the flagship program of the IPS Training Institute and advances the design and implementation of innovative research by nurse scientists and scientists in aligned fields with a singular focus: eliminating health inequities in the U.S.

Leveraging the expertise of thought leaders at the Institute for Policy Solutions and other national experts in a range of fields, N-SISS creates an environment where new thinking and research come together to produce evidence-based approaches to eliminating health inequities that integrate clinical care and the social determinants of health (SDOH).
N-SISS provides an intensive 12-month curriculum of instruction and mentoring to 10 Fellows and also offers free virtual educational materials for self-guided learning.

N-SISS is characterized by five collective strengths:

LOCATION | Based at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC, N-SISS fellows are ideally located to both learn from and shape new health policy.

INNOVATIVE | There is plenty of compelling evidence that harmful SDOH are a major driver of health inequities. What we lack is a critical mass of effective evidence-based approaches that reduce and end the impact of harmful SDOH. N-SISS’s mission is to fill this gap.

INTENSIVE | Through a competitive application process, 30 innovators over three years (10 fellows per year) will be selected to participate in N-SISS’s 12-month fellowship. The program features: 1) a mix of virtual and on-campus didactic courses and guided self-study, 2) on-campus applied research experience, and 3) individualized and team mentoring — leading to each N-SISS fellow developing an SDOH-focused grant proposal to the National Institute of Nursing Research or another National Institutes of Health institute or federal agency.

INCLUSIVE | N-SISS welcomes early career investigators initiating innovative SDOH research at the intersection of biomedical, social/behavioral, and clinical science, as well as mid- or senior-level investigators seeking to deepen their SDOH conceptual and methodological expertise to create interventions that eliminate health inequities.

EXPANSIVE | N-SISS educational materials are shared freely with a national audience of SDOH researchers and nursing-aligned professionals for self-directed learning

2025 N-SISS Session

Feb 3-14, 2025

Intensive in-person institute at IPS:
Foundational Principles of N-SISS

Mid-Feb to Mid-Nov

Distance-based learning: Methodological Workshops, Research Strategy, and Asynchronous Assignments

Late November

Intensive in-person institute at IPS:
Grant Review/Submission Preparation

January 2026

Conclusion of N-SISS 2025
Fellows’ Grant Submissions

2025 N-SISS Fellows

Meet the Fellows

Training Resources

2026 N-SISS Fellowship

Applications for the 2026 N-SISS Fellowship will be accepted in the fall of 2025. Application instructions and deadlines will be announced in Summer 2025.

Competitive applicants must have:

A doctoral degree in nursing, nursing science, or another aligned discipline (e.g. public health, social work/social welfare, social and behavioral sciences, etc.)
A program of research focused on:
- The social determinants of health (SDOH);
- The development of integrated models of clinical and social care delivery;
- Population(s) facing disproportionate health and health care inequities
A firm commitment to participating in all mandatory N-SISS events and activities
A clear plan to submit an NINR or other NIH institute/federal agency grant
A proven track record of publishing in peer-reviewed scientific journal

The N-SISS application includes:

Contact Information and Demographics
Full CV/Resume
Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
a. One (1) letter from a department chair, dean, or supervisor at your home institution/university confirming their support and time commitment release for your participation in the N-SISS program
b. One (1) letter from a research mentor who can attest to your research capacity and experience
Brief Description of Research
Agreement of Commitment