NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA CA 21 060

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 21 060

The NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant program meant to help exceptional postdoctoral researchers move more quickly from mentored training into fully independent faculty careers. The core goal is to strengthen the pipeline of NCI-supported investigators by supporting a focused mentored phase followed by a transition into an independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) position, with NCI support continuing across that transition so awardees can establish a competitive research program. It is specifically aimed at postdoctoral fellows who already have strong doctoral preparation (research and/or clinical doctoral degrees) and do not need a long additional period of mentored training beyond what they have already completed.

A central feature of this opportunity is the emphasis on a timely shift to independence. The K99 portion supports the candidate while they are still in a mentored postdoctoral role, helping them build the final set of skills, preliminary data, and productivity needed to compete for an independent faculty appointment. The R00 portion then provides support once the candidate secures an independent faculty position, giving them protected time and research funding to launch their lab or independent research direction and position themselves for future major NIH/NCI awards. NCI notes particular encouragement for applicants working in data science and cancer control science, signaling strong programmatic interest in research that improves cancer outcomes through analytics, computation, population-based approaches, implementation, prevention, survivorship, and related areas.

This specific FOA (RFA-CA-21-060) is the version that does not allow the applicant to lead an independent clinical trial. In practical terms, the proposed research plan cannot involve the applicant serving as the lead investigator for an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary study to a clinical trial. At the same time, the FOA does allow candidates to gain clinical trial experience as part of their training as long as the trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor. Applicants who do intend to lead a clinical trial or lead an ancillary clinical trial are directed to use the companion announcements (RFA-CA-21-061 or RFA-CA-21-062), which are structured for that purpose.

Eligibility for applying as an institution is broad and includes many common U.S. organizational types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and a range of government entities (state, county, city/township, special district governments), as well as independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. It also includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations, and it explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign participation rules are more restrictive. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components may be permitted under NIH policy (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement), meaning parts of the work can potentially involve an allowable foreign component even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

From the opportunity metadata, this is an NIH discretionary grant mechanism under CFDA 93.398, with the FOA posted by NIH/NCI. The funding opportunity number is RFA-CA-21-060, and the original closing date listed in the source information was 2022-02-28. The program description does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the supplied text, but the intent is clear: to provide structured support that helps outstanding early stage postdoctoral researchers transition into stable, independent cancer research careers without requiring them to lead a clinical trial as part of the application.

• 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 Not Allowed)" 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 2021-11-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-02-28. (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 21 060

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