December 25, 2022
NOT-OD-21-052 - Reminder – Requesting Extensions for Early Career Scientists Whose Career Trajectories Have Been Significantly Impacted by COVID-19
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NIH released NOT-OD-21-052 which provided general guidance for early career scientists affected by COVID-19 to request funded extensions. This notice is being released to inform the community that NINDS will consider requests for funded extensions of Career Development (K) awards held by clinician-scientists whose clinical research depends upon recruitment of human subjects, and for which subject recruitment was significantly delayed due to COVID-19 or a similarly insurmountable delay.
Background
In 2021, NINDS provided funded extensions to clinician-scientist K awardees who were significantly delayed due to COVID-19. For some of those doing clinical research that required recruitment of human subjects, the inability to recruit due to COVID-19 continues to present an insurmountable obstacle to completion of projects within the 5-year timeline of the K award. To facilitate completion of the research projects proposed for these awards, NINDS will consider requests for administrative supplements to extend the K award for an additional year.
Eligibility and Extension Criteria
Applicants must be clinician-scientists who have an active NINDS K01, K08 or K23 awards and are in the final year of their award between November, 2022 and October, 2023. Research projects eligible for extension include only those that require the recruitment of human subjects for completion of the project, and which could not be completed due to the inability to recruit adequate numbers of subjects due to COVID-19 or that suffered similarly insurmountable delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NINDS will consider requests for funded extensions of 4-12 months, based on need, for individuals who fit these criteria. Requests must be clearly justified and include a clear explanation of the delay experienced and the research progress accomplished during the period of delay. Requests must also describe the expectation for research progress and timeline for R01 submission, if they are provided an extension for the duration of time requested. Funded extensions will be for salary support only and not for additional resources or research expenses. Individuals who have substantially met recruitment goals adequate to apply for continued funding by an NIH research project grant (RPG) will not be considered for an extension.
K08 and K23 recipients with an unobligated balance equivalent to 1 year or more of funding are not eligible for this extension. In addition, K award recipients who have successfully competed as a PD/PI for a research project grant (RPG) with direct costs of ≥ $100,000 per year are not eligible for this extension.
Application and Submission Information
Currently funded NINDS K08 and K23 recipients impacted by COVID-19 seeking funded extensions must apply using the following opportunity announcement:
All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-20-272 must be followed, with the following additions:
Requests must include the following:
Stephen Korn, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Training and Workforce Development
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: korns@ninds.nih.gov