Project Proposal

I am interning at the Parkinsons and Movement Disorders Center of Maryland under

Dr. Stephen E. Grill, a movement disorders specialist. At my internship, I am learning about a
wide variety of movement disorders ranging from Parkinsons disease to dystonia to
progressive supranuclear palsy. Dr. Grill is also working on several research projects, which I
have the opportunity to be a part of. My 2016-2017 project for G/T Intern Mentor will be to
write a research grant proposal for his project focusing on masking of visual stimuli in
patients with Parkinsons disease; this will study whether or not Parkinsons patients are able
to react to stimuli that are masked, or processed unconsciously in the presence of a stronger
stimuli that is presented within a short time interval. This proposal will include the
background, specific aims, and methods, which I will be writing based on my work in the
office with Dr. Grill as well as my own research on masking and Parkinsons disease.

TIMELINE:
Dr. Grill would like me to complete this paper by mid-February, so that we will be able to
submit it for approval. However, the company that is producing the programming to display
specific stimuli for our experiment is encountering problems with the input system, so the
timing may be changed. If all goes as planned, I will follow this schedule.
In December, I began my research on masking. I have read and taken notes on the
articles that Dr. Grill has sent me on the topic, as well as conducting my own research. I also
wrote the specific aims, which are detailed descriptions of the goals of the research study. I
submitted these to Dr. Grill, and he has returned them with his suggested edits.
This month, I will be finishing the background section of the grant proposal. This
provides information relevant to movement disorders (specifically Parkinsons disease),
masking, and unconscious versus conscious stimuli. This will provide the general information
necessary to explain the objectives and procedures for the research study. I have already
shown my first draft to Dr. Grill, which he has edited. I will be making the necessary changes
shortly.
By the beginning of February, I will have finished the background and incorporated
Dr. Grills suggestions into my final draft. I plan on writing the methods section of the grant
proposal, which will describe in great detail the procedures of the project. This part will be
the most difficult, as it must be extremely specific so that the experiment could be replicated;
Dr. Grill will be helping me with this during the times that patients appointments are not
scheduled.
I should finish all of these sections by mid-February, which will be beneficial because
it will allow me to focus on beginning the actual study described in the paper in addition to
observing at the clinic.