Notice of Clarification of 4-Year Limit of Postdoctoral Research Eligibility for K99 Applicants for PA-14-042 NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00)


Notice Number:

NOT-OD-15-013

Key Dates

Release Date: October 22, 2014

Related Announcements

PA-14-042
NOT-OD-15-052

Issued by

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to clarify the eligibility requirement that K99 applicants must have no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial application or resubmission or revision. Specifically, this Notice describes situations in which time is not counted against the 4-year limit.

Part 2. Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Currently reads:

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

K99 applicants must have no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application, and must be in mentored, postdoctoral training positions to be eligible to apply to the K99/R00 program. If an applicant achieves independence (i.e., any faculty or non-mentored research position) before a K99 award is made, neither the K99 award, nor the R00 award, will be issued.

Modified to read:

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

K99 applicants must have no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application, and must be in mentored, postdoctoral training positions to be eligible to apply to the K99/R00 program. If an applicant achieves independence (i.e., any faculty or non-mentored research position) before a K99 award is made, neither the K99 award, nor the R00 award, will be issued.

Parental leave or other well-justified leave for pressing personal or family situations of generally less than 12 months duration (e.g., family care responsibilities, disability or illness, active military duty) is not included in the 4-year eligibility limit. In addition, time spent conducting postgraduate clinical training that does not involve research is not considered as part of the 4-year research training eligibility limit. Only time dedicated to research activities would count toward the 4-year limit.

Additional clarifications are provided under Frequently Asked Questions. Potential candidates are encouraged to discuss their individual situation with an NIH Institute or Center Scientific Program Contact before applying.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Henry Khachaturian, Ph.D.
Acting NIH Research Training Officer
NIH Office of Extramural Programs
Telephone: 301-451-4225
Email: NIHTrain@mail.nih.gov