NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required) | RFA CA 20 015

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 20 015

The NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00, Independent Clinical Trial Required) is an NIH National Cancer Institute grant program aimed at building and sustaining a strong pipeline of new, high-quality, NCI-supported independent investigators. It is built for outstanding postdoctoral fellows who already have a research doctorate and/or clinical doctoral degree and who are ready to move toward independence without needing a long additional period of mentored training beyond their doctoral preparation. The core goal is to speed up and strengthen the transition from a mentored postdoctoral position into an independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty role by providing structured support across that transition.

This opportunity uses the K99/R00 "two-phase" design. The first phase supports the applicant while they are still in a mentored postdoctoral setting, helping them complete the remaining career development steps and research needed to be competitive on the faculty job market. The second phase provides research support once the awardee secures an independent faculty position, allowing them to establish a lab or research program and generate momentum toward long-term competitiveness and future independent grant funding. In practical terms, it is meant to remove the common funding gap that can occur when a promising postdoc becomes a new principal investigator.

A defining feature of this particular FOA is that it is specifically for applicants who will be the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, an independent clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial, and who are integrating that trial leadership into their research and career development plans. If an applicant is not proposing to lead an independent clinical trial (for example, if they are not doing a clinical trial at all, or if they plan to participate in a clinical trial led by someone else to gain experience), they are directed to apply instead to the companion announcement RFA-CA-19-014. In other words, this version of the K99/R00 is tailored for people whose pathway to independence will include taking primary responsibility for a clinical trial-related project.

NCI highlights that researchers working in data science and cancer control science are especially encouraged to apply, signaling strong interest in proposals that advance cancer-related analytics, computation, informatics, implementation, prevention, screening, survivorship, health behaviors, or broader population-level and care-delivery questions. While the program is not limited to those areas, the language is a clear invitation for strong applicants in those fields to consider this mechanism as a route to independence.

The funding opportunity is a discretionary NIH grant (Funding Instrument: Grant) in the education and health activity area, with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 93.398. The opportunity number is RFA-CA-20-015, and the source information provided lists an original closing date of 2020-02-26 and a creation date of 2019-11-19. (Applicants should always verify current status, dates, and any reissues or replacements of older RFAs in NIH systems, since RFAs can expire, be reissued, or be superseded.)

Eligibility is broad at the organizational level and includes a wide range of U.S.-based entities such as public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, certain tribal organizations, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses, among others. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional institution types and community-focused organizations as eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are important restrictions around non-U.S. entities. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant organization may, under NIH rules and with appropriate justification, include certain foreign activities or collaborations as part of the overall project even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

Overall, this K99/R00 FOA is best understood as a career-launch mechanism for exceptional postdoctoral researchers in cancer-related fields who are poised to become independent investigators quickly, and who will demonstrate readiness for independence through a well-justified research plan and career development plan that includes leading an independent clinical trial (or closely related trial work such as feasibility or ancillary studies). The NCI intent is to fund people with strong potential and give them a smoother, faster runway into an independent academic research career with NCI support on both sides of the postdoc-to-faculty transition.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.398.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-11-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-02-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA CA 20 015

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