Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) (PA-20-191)

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Scientific Program Contact:
Sergey Radaev, PhD
Phone: 240-276-5630
Email: [email protected]

Grants Management Contact:
Amy Bartosch

NCI Specific Information

Career Stage: The NCI only uses the parent K01 funding opportunities to support cancer control and prevention cancer researchers in their early career stages. Candidates must have completed at least two, but usually not more than five years of research training/experience beyond a doctoral degree at the time of submitting a K01 application. Early career-stage faculty, including assistant professors (or equivalent), may apply if within the eligibility window. Exceptions will be considered by the program contact on a case-by-case basis.

Candidates still within postdoctoral non-independent, mentored positions are strongly encouraged to apply for a K99/R00 award if within the K99/R00 eligibility window.

Research Areas of Interest: NCI will only accept K01 applications that are submitted in response to one of the following Notices

More information about potentially relevant research areas can be found by examining the mission and scientific scope of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences.

More information about potentially relevant research areas can be found by examining the mission and scientific scope of the Division of Cancer Prevention.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposal with the NCI scientific program contact before preparing an application.

Additional Information:

• All NCI K01 applicants must justify the need for additional mentored training and explain how the training will facilitate their ability to conduct cutting-edge research in one of these topic areas.
• Applicants must appropriately justify the duration of support, taking into consideration prior research experience and the proposed mentored career development goals that are essential for developing an independent, NCI-funded research program.
• An application must include a strong and credible plan for the candidate’s transition to research independence, including milestones, and evidence of significant institutional commitment to the continued development of the K01 candidate as an independent researcher at the applicant institution. Applicants are expected to plan to apply for independent research support during the later years of their mentored career award.
• Award project period: Up to 5 years with justification for a mentored training award for the requested duration.
• Salary Support: Up to $100,000 plus fringe benefits per year.

• Research support: Up to $50,000 per year

  Review additional details about the NCI Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01).

For information about Career Development Awards to Promote Diversity, please visit the NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD)

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Scientific Program Contact:
Benjamin Xu, Ph.D.
Phone: (301) 443-6545
Email: [email protected]

Grants Management Contact:
Judy Fox
Phone: (301) 443-4704
Email: [email protected]v

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Scientific Program Contact:

Medical Rehabilitation Medicine
Ralph Nitkin, Ph.D.
Phone: (301) 402-4206
Email: [email protected]

Child Abuse and Neglect Research
Valerie Maholmes, Ph.D., CAS
Phone: (301)496-1514
Email: [email protected]

Population Research
Regina M. Bures, Ph.D.
Phone: (301) 496-9485
Email: [email protected]

Down Syndrome Research
(INCLUDE project ONLY)
Sujata Bardhan, Ph.D.
Phone: (301) 435-0471
Email: [email protected]

Grants Management Contact:
Margaret Young
Phone: (301) 642-4552
Email: [email protected]

NICHD Specific Information:

The NICHD accepts K01 applications from eligible individuals in only the following subject areas. Applications on other research topics will be withdrawn without review.

Medical Rehabilitation Research: Applicants must have clinical training in a rehabilitation-related profession (e.g., P.T., O.T., R.N., or Speech and Language pathologist), possess a doctoral level degree (e.g., Ph.D., D.Eng., Ed.D.), and be committed to a career as an independent investigator in medical rehabilitation.

Child Abuse and Neglect: Applicants must be committed to developing careers as independent investigators in child abuse and neglect research.

Population Research: Population research is defined as demographic, behavioral, and social scientific research on fertility, family and household structures, mortality and morbidity, migration, immigration, population and the environment, and population distribution and characteristics. NICHD supports research that addresses the intersection of demographic processes and health, examines health from a population perspective, and/or integrates demographic or social scientific approaches to understanding health with behavioral or biomedical approaches. The K01 award in Population Research is intended to provide mentored training experiences for:

1. Investigators in demography or other areas of population research who require additional technical and scientific inquiry skills in order to launch independent research careers;
2. Investigators in demography or population research who seek research experience in different disciplines (e.g., anthropology, geography, biological sciences, epidemiology, public health, medicine);
3. Investigators in other disciplines (e.g., anthropology, geography, biological sciences, epidemiology, public health, medicine) who propose new training in demography or population research.

The K01 program in Population Research generally is limited to individuals at the Assistant Professor level. However, recent Associate Professors in the latter two categories are also eligible, as are Associate Professors who initially applied as Assistant Professors and are submitting a revised application (resubmission). For further details on the Population Research K01, see NOT-HD-07-010.

Research related to Down syndrome: NICHD will temporarily accept K01 applications for projects related to Down Syndrome as described in NOT-OD-20-021 – “Mentored Career Development Awards to Foster the Careers of Investigators Pursuing Research Related to Down syndrome as Part of the INCLUDE Project.” Applications in response to this Notice should be aligned with the overall INCLUDE Project Research Plan, which consists of three components:

• Component 1: Targeted, high risk-high reward, basic science studies in areas highly relevant to Down syndrome
• Component 2: Cohort Study to connect existing resources and expand to inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome
• Component 3: Inclusive clinical trials research for co-occurring conditions in individuals with Down syndrome

All K01 applicants must justify the need for additional training and explain how the training will facilitate their ability to conduct cutting-edge research in one of these topic areas. NICHD has a 6-year limit of cumulative support on institutional and individual mentored Ks.

Salary Support: Up to $75,000 plus fringe benefits per year.
Research Support: Up to $25,000 per year.

NIDCD Specific Information:

NIDCD uses the K01 program to support new and junior basic research investigators in supervised career development experiences through a formal structured program to enhance the skill sets of the applicant by mentor(s) with established research lines and expertise in the field or technique that the applicant intends to develop or acquire; and a research project based on preliminary data that fits the applicant career development level and serves to incorporate the skills or technique he/she aims to acquire in the career development plan. NIDCD also uses the program to support investigators who need protected time in supervised career development experiences to train in a new field.

• Application must demonstrate its contribution to NIDCD and its fit to NIDCD's Mission, Research Priorities, and Strategic Plan.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide clear evidence that adequate resources are available at the institution for the successful completion of the proposed research project.
• Applications should include explicit statements from the institution and the mentor(s) addressing the following:
  • Detailed information about who will provide the necessary resources;
  • Funding source and amount of additional funding (as needed);
  • Support staff available and committed to the project;
  • Availability of biostatistical support for the duration of the study - including the planning period; and
  • A contingency plan (for the institution and mentor) for completion of the study in the event the awardee leaves the institution earlier than the end date of the award.

Salary Support: Up to $75,000 plus fringe benefits per year.
Research Support: Up to $30,000 per year.

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

Scientific Program Contact:
Anissa J. Brown, PhD
Research Training and Career Development Branch
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Telephone: (301) 594-4805
Email: [email protected]


Grants Management Contact:
Dede Rutberg, MBA
Grants Management Branch
Phone: (301) 594-4798
Email: [email protected]

NIMH Specific Information:

The NIMH supports a broad spectrum of basic and translational research, including basic neuroscience, human genetics, adult and developmental translational research, services and intervention research, and AIDS-related research (NIMH Extramural Research Programs).

• Eligibility for the K01 is limited to individuals with no more than 6 years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of application (either the initial or resubmission application). NIMH encourages applicants to limit the requested support to no more than four years. The requested duration of support should be appropriately justified, taking into consideration prior research experience and the proposed mentored career development goals that are essential for developing an independent, NIMH-funded research program. See NOT-MH-22-310 and Career Development Programs (K-Series)​ for further details about NIMH’s support for K programs.
• An application must include a strong and credible plan for the candidate’s transition to research independence, including milestones, and evidence of significant institutional commitment to the continued development of the K01 candidate as an independent researcher at the applicant institution. Applicants are expected to plan to apply for independent research support during the later years of their mentored career award.
• It is recommended that NIMH mentored K applicants proposing clinical trials review the following guidance: (Career Development Programs (K-Series)).
• Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Institute career development staff (Contacts for Research Training and Career Development Programs) before preparing an application to discuss the relevance of the proposed research to the Institute’s current research priorities and for guidance on the proposed research and career development plans.

Salary Support: Up to $90,000 plus fringe benefits per year.
Research Support: Up to $50,000 per year.

NCCIH Specific Information:

NCCIH uses the K01 program to support new and junior investigators in supervised career development experiences that lead to research independence. It also supports investigators who need protected time in supervised career development experiences to train in a new field.

• Before the application receipt date, investigators are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposed research interest with an NCCIH Program Officer in the specific scientific area and/or intervention that is closely related to the proposed project to confirm its relevance to NCCIH 's mission and research priorities. A list of NCCIH program officials can be found at Division of Extramural Research Program Directors.
• Applications proposing the use of natural products or devices in an interventional research project should explicitly describe the status of the Investigational New Drug (IND) or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE). Applicants interested in natural products research are encouraged to review NCCIH's Natural Product Integrity Policy.
• NCCIH will not fund applications proposing a clinical trial to test efficacy or effectiveness through this mechanism. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their proposed scope of work with an NCCIH program officer, and to review resources available at NCCIH’s Clinical Research Toolbox.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide clear evidence that adequate resources are available at the institution for the successful completion of the proposed research project. Applications should include explicit statements from the institution and the mentor(s) addressing the following:
  • Detailed information about who will provide the necessary resources;
  • Funding source and amount of additional funding (as needed);
  • Support staff available and committed to the project;
  • Allocation of sufficient protected time for the K awardee to conduct the research;
  • Availability of biostatistical support for the duration of the study - including the planning period; and
  • A contingency plan (for the institution and mentor) for completion of the study in the event the awardee leaves the institution earlier than the end date of the award.

Salary Support: Up to $75,000 plus fringe benefits per year.
Research Support: Up to $25,000 per year.