Natalie Boyle, a student in the Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS) PhD program, earned a prestigious F31 predoctoral fellowship award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Boyle has received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for her research project, “Mechanism of Motor Learning Impacting Cognitive and Emotional State” under the mentorship of Hui Lu, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and physiology.
The F31 fellowship program is designed to prepare promising trainees for careers in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research, specifically enhancing research skills and independence, and emphasizes training in scientific shortage areas. The award signifies a student’s strong scientific merit and research independence, and enhances their credibility for future research awards.
In addition to the student’s partial stipend, tuition, and other benefits, an F31 also assists the mentor. At SMHS, the IBS program — rather than the mentor — “tops up” the financial award. Boyle’s mentor, Lu, expressed excitement and thankfulness to IBS upon hearing these details of the award.
Boyle, a neuroscience PhD candidate, is interested in how experience reshapes the brain, and how we can measure that change across behavior, neural circuits and molecular signaling. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Boyle studies the effect of a unique exercise training program on anxiety, learning, and working memory in a model of Rett Syndrome.
Since joining GW’s IBS program in 2021, Boyle has had a successful tenure as a PhD student. In 2025, she won first place and the People’s Choice award at GW’s 3-Minute Thesis Competition. She intends to defend her dissertation and graduate this summer.
“Applying for the F31 was both challenging and rewarding, because it pushed me to clearly define scientific questions driving my project and think more deeply about the broader impact of my research,” said Boyle.
“Receiving this fellowship is incredibly meaningful because it allows me to continue pursuing research aimed at improving outcomes for individuals with Rett syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects females,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the mentorship and encouragement from the Lu Lab and the IBS that supported me throughout this process.”
