PA-24-181
Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
Summary
Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08 – Independent Clinical Trial Required)
Research Focus & Contribution
This K08 award supports 3–5 years of protected time and salary for clinician-scientists with doctoral degrees (MD, DDS, DMD, DO, DC, OD, ND, DVM, PharmD, or PhD in clinical disciplines) to conduct mentored research in biomedical or behavioral science, including translational research. The program targets individuals transitioning to research independence who will lead their own clinical trials or basic experimental studies involving human participants.
The award specifically requires applicants to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, clinical trial feasibility study, or ancillary clinical trial. Eligible research includes prospective studies that experimentally assign human participants to conditions and assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes—including mechanistic exploratory studies, biomarker studies, and basic science investigations in healthy or diseased populations. Research may focus on understanding fundamental biological or behavioral processes, disease pathophysiology, intervention mechanisms of action, or target engagement of novel therapeutics, with the goal of informing diagnosis, management, and prevention of human disease.
Participating NIH Institutes and Centers span cardiovascular, genomic, aging, addiction, imaging, child health, communication disorders, drug abuse, environmental health, mental health, neurological, minority health, cancer, and eye disease research. Applicants must align their proposed clinical trial with the scientific mission of at least one participating IC.
At-a-Glance
- Who can apply: Individuals with clinical doctoral degrees (MD, DDS, DMD, DO, DC, OD, ND, DVM, PharmD, or PhD in clinical disciplines) planning to lead an independent clinical trial or basic experimental study with human participants.
- Funding & project length: Amount not stated; 3–5 years of protected time and salary support.
- Award mechanism: K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award.
- Key dates: Application due dates on rolling basis (next: June 12, 2024; subsequent cycles through February 12, 2027). Earliest start date April 2025 onward depending on cycle.
- Best fit for: Clinician-scientists in biomedical or behavioral research (including translational, mechanistic, and biomarker studies) ready to independently lead human-subject trials or basic experimental studies.
Key Facts
Deadline
Sat, May 8, 2027
Posted
Wed, April 24, 2024
Award / Year (direct costs)
$90,000
Max Total
$450,000
Max Duration
5 years
Keywords
Research Areas
Gotchas (3)
Not all NIH Institutes and Centers participate in this Parent Announcement. Applicants must verify that their target IC participates and review IC-specific requirements at the 'Table of IC-Specific In
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Source Text
“Not all NIH Institutes and Centers participate in Parent Announcements. Candidates should carefully note which ICs participate in this announcement and view their respective areas of research interest and requirements at the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts website. ICs that do not participate in this announcement will not consider applications for funding. Consultation with NIH staff before submitting an application is strongly encouraged.”
This K08 is limited to 'prospective basic science studies involving human participants' that meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial AND meet the definition of basic research. This is a narrower s
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Source Text
“This Parent Announcement is for basic science experimental studies involving humans, referred to in NOT-OD-18-212 as 'prospective basic science studies involving human participants.' These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. Types of studies that should be submitted under this NOFO include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions (i.e., experimentally manipulate independent variables) and that assess”
The FOA was updated on March 31, 2025 'to align with agency priorities' and applicants are explicitly warned to 'carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your a
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“March 31, 2025 - This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission.”