Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Required) is sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH). Similar to PA-24-192, this K25 award aims to attract quantitative scientists and engineers to NIH-relevant research, but specifically for projects that require an independent clinical trial.

While not directly microscopy-focused, it could support the development or application of quantitative methods to analyze neural circuit function in the context of clinical interventions.

PA-24-191: Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission. Department of Health and Human Services Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) Components of Participating Organizations NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ( NIH ) National Eye Institute ( NEI ) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ( NHLBI ) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism ( NIAAA ) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ( NIAMS ) National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering ( NIBIB ) Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development ( NICHD ) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders ( NIDCD ) National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research ( NIDCR ) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases ( NIDDK ) National Institute on Drug Abuse ( NIDA ) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ( NIEHS ) National Institute of General Medical Sciences ( NIGMS ) National Cancer Institute ( NCI ) National Library of Medicine ( NLM ), November 25, 2024 - Participation added ( NOT-LM-24-007 ) All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers.

The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers. Office of Research on Women's Health ( ORWH ) Office of Data Science Strategy ( ODSS ) Special Note: Not all NIH Institutes and Centers participate in Parent Announcements.

Candidates should carefully note which ICs participate in this announcement and view their respective areas of research interest and requirements at the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts website. ICs that do not participate in this announcement will not consider applications for funding. Consultation with NIH staff before submitting an application is strongly encouraged.

Funding Opportunity Title Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) K25 Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award Notices of Special Interest associated with this funding opportunity November 24, 2025 - Notice of Rescheduled NIDCR Pre-Application and Technical Assistance Webinars on Applying for Fellowship (F) Awards and Career Development (K) Awards.

See Notice NOT-DE-26-013 . September 25, 2025 - Notice of NIDCR Pre-Application and Technical Assistance Webinars on Applying for Fellowship (F) Awards and Career Development (K) Awards. See Notice NOT-DE-26-012 .

March 31, 2025 - This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission. April 04, 2024 - Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025.

See Notice NOT-OD-24-084 November 25, 2024 - Notice of NLM Participation on PA-24-191 "Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)". See August 30, 2024 - Notice of NHGRI Withdrawal of Participation From PA-24-191 "Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)".

See May 30, 2024 - Notice to Alert the Public of NIDA's Career Development Award Salary Limits. See Notice NOT-DA-24-032 . May 7, 2024 - Notice of Information: NIAID to Increase K99, K25, and K01 Salary and Research Support and R00 Years of Support.

See Notice NOT-AI-24-038 . August 31, 2022 - Implementation Changes for Genomic Data Sharing Plans Included with Applications Due on or after January 25, 2023. See Notice NOT-OD-22-198 .

August 5, 2022 - Implementation Details for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. See Notice NOT-OD-22-189 . Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Companion Funding Opportunity Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development See Section III.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility. Assistance Listing Number(s) 93.

846, 93. 859, 93. 866, 93.

121, 93. 855, 93. 865, 93.

847, 93. 279, 93. 867, 93.

113, 93. 286, 93. 233, 93.

837, 93. 838, 93. 839, 93.

840, 93. 310, 93. 172, 93.

398, 93. 313, 93. 273, 93.

173, 93. 879 Funding Opportunity Purpose The purpose of the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award (K25) is to attract to NIH-relevant research those investigators whose quantitative science and engineering research has thus far not been focused primarily on questions of health and disease.

The K25 award will provide support and "protected time" for a period of supervised study and research for productive professionals with quantitative (e.g., mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry) and engineering backgrounds to integrate their expertise with NIH-relevant research.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is designed specifically for applicants proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial . Under this NOFO applicants are permitted to propose a research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

Those proposing a clinical trial or an ancillary clinical trial as lead investigator, should apply to the companion NOFO ( PA-24-192 ). Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Letter of Intent Due Date(s) The following table includes NIH standard due dates marked with an asterisk.

Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) AIDS - New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision, as allowed All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

Required Application Instructions It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Career Development (K) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ). Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced.

Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide , follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants. gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants. gov and eRA Commons to track your application.

Check with your institutional officials regarding availability. Workspace to prepare and submit your application and eRA Commons to track your application. Part 1.

Overview Information Part 2. Full Text of Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description Section II.

Award Information Other Award Budget Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Information Section V.

Application Review Information Section VI. Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contacts Section VIII.

Other Information Part 2. Full Text of Announcement Section I. Funding Opportunity Description The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development program is to help ensure that a pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs.

NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) support a variety of mentored and non-mentored career development award programs designed to foster the transition of new investigators to research independence and to support established investigators in achieving specific objectives. Candidates should review the different career development (K) award programs to determine the best program to support their goals.

More information about Career programs may be found at the NIH Research Training and Career Development website. The NIH Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award (K25) is designed to attract to NIH-relevant research those investigators whose quantitative science and engineering research has thus far not been focused primarily on questions of health and disease.

Examples of quantitative scientific and technical backgrounds considered appropriate for this award include, but are not limited to: mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering. The K25 award is intended to attract talented individuals with highly-developed quantitative skills to the challenges of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research.

At the completion of the award, candidates will have the knowledge and skills necessary to compete for independent research support from NIH, or to participate as leading members of multidisciplinary research teams.

The specific objectives of the K25 award are to : Encourage research-oriented quantitative scientists and engineers with little or no experience in biomedicine, bioengineering, bioimaging, or behavioral research to gain fundamental knowledge in these areas, develop relevant research skills, and to gain experience in current concepts, advanced methods, and experimental approaches that will allow them to conduct basic or clinical biomedical, behavioral, bioimaging, or bioengineering research, and to become independent investigators or play leading roles in multi-disciplinary research teams.

Increase the pool of quantitative researchers who can conduct biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering studies, capitalizing on the quantitative backgrounds of these investigators to inform new directions in biomedical, behavioral, and bioengineering research.

Provide a unique opportunity for candidates holding degrees in quantitative science or engineering to embark on three to five years of special study, including coursework, seminars, meetings, and mentored research, to achieve the career enhancement goals outlined above.

Because of the focus on a progression toward independence as a quantitative biomedical, behavioral, bioimaging, or bioengineering researcher, the prospective candidate for the Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award will require enhanced skills in the experimental, theoretical and conceptual approaches used in biomedicine, behavioral science, bioimaging or bioengineering.

To satisfy this requirement, the candidate should propose a period of study and career development that is complementary to his or her previous research and experience.

For example, a candidate with no or very limited experience in a given field of biomedical research may find a phased developmental program lasting for five years that includes a designated period of didactic training together with a closely supervised research experience the most efficient means of attaining independence.

A candidate with, for example, more research experience in biomedicine may benefit from a program with greater emphasis on appropriate laboratory research with lower levels of supervision and direction. All programs should be carefully tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate and must include (an) active mentor(s) who is (are) competent and willing to provide the appropriate research guidance.

Candidates should strongly consider incorporating into their training plan formal courses in relevant areas of biomedicine, behavioral science, bioimaging, or bioengineering; this program offers a unique opportunity to devote protected time to this activity.

Note: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is designed specifically for proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial. Under this NOFO are permitted to propose a research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

Those proposing a clinical trial or an ancillary clinical trial as lead investigator, should apply to the companion NOFO ( PA-24-190 ).

Special Note: Because of the differences in individual Institute and Center (IC) program requirements for this NOFO, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts , to make sure that their application is appropriate for the requirements of one of the participating NIH ICs. See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity. Application Types Allowed The OER Glossary and the How to Apply - Application Guide provides details on these application types.

Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trials. Note: Applicants may propose to gain experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor/co-mentor as part of their research career development. Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Award budgets are composed of salary and other program-related expenses, as described below. The total project period may not exceed 5 years.

Other Award Budget Information The participating NIH Institutes and Centers will provide salary and fringe benefits for the award recipient (see Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts ). Further guidance on budgeting for career development salaries is provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide .

In addition, the candidate may derive additional compensation for effort associated with other Federal sources or awards provided the total salary derived from all Federal sources does not exceed the maximum legislated salary rate (see http://grants. nih. gov/grants/policy/salcap_summary.

html ) and the total percent effort does not exceed 100%. See also NOT-OD-17-094 . Other Program-Related Expenses The participating NIH Institutes and Centers will provide research development support for the award recipient ( Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts ).

These funds may be used for the following expenses: (a) tuition and fees related to career development; (b) research-related expenses, such as supplies, equipment and technical personnel; c) travel to research meetings or training; and (d) statistical services including personnel and computer time. Salary for mentors, secretarial and administrative assistants, etc. is not allowed.

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs. NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO. Section III.

Eligibility Information Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) U.S. Territory or Possession Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith-based or Community-based Organizations Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are allowed. Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award.

All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.

3. 9. 2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information.

System for Award Management (SAM) – Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually . The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.

NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code – Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) - A UEI is issued as part of the SAM. gov registration process.

The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application. eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants. gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission.

eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application. Grants. gov – Applicants must have an active SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.

gov registration. Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons.

If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks. All PD(s)/PI(s) must be registered with ORCID .

The personal profile associated with the PD(s)/PI(s) eRA Commons account must be linked to a valid ORCID ID. For more information on linking an ORCID ID to an eRA Commons personal profile see the ORCID topic in our eRA Commons online help .

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator) Any candidate with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with their mentor and organization to develop an application for support. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed.

By the time of award, the individual must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Permanent Resident Card USCIS Form I-551, or other legal verification of such status).

Current and former PDs/PIs on NIH research project (R01), program project (P01), center grants (P50), Project Leads of program project (P01), or center grants (P50), other major individual career development awards (e.g., K01, K07, K08, K22, K23, K25, K76, K99/R00), or the equivalent are not eligible.

Current and former PDs/PIs of an NIH Small Grant (R03), Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21/R33), Planning Grant (R34/U34), Dissertation Award (R36), or SBIR/STTR (R41, R42, R43, R44) remain eligible, as do PD/PIs of Transition Scholar (K38) awards and individuals appointed to institutional K programs (K12, KL2).

Candidates for the K25 award must have an advanced degree in a quantitative area of science or engineering (e.g., MSEE, PhD, DSc) and have demonstrated research interests in their primary quantitative discipline (including research outside of biomedicine, behavioral sciences, bioimaging, or bioengineering). The candidate should have demonstrated professional accomplishments consonant with his or her career stage.

The K25 award is intended for research-oriented investigators at any level of experience, from the postdoctoral level to senior faculty level, who have shown clear evidence of productivity and research excellence in the field of their training, and who would like to expand their research capability, with the goal of making significant contributions to behavioral, biomedical (basic or clinical), bioimaging or bioengineering research that is relevant to the NIH mission.

This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1. 2 Definitions of Terms . 3.

Additional Information on Eligibility Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct, and each is from a different candidate. NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2. 3.

7. 4 Submission of Resubmission Application . An individual may not have two or more competing NIH career development applications pending review concurrently.

In addition, NIH will not accept: A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application. A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.

An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review. (See NIH Grants Policy Statement 2. 3.

9. 4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications ). Candidates may submit research project grant (RPG) applications concurrently with the K application.

However, any concurrent RPG application may not have substantial scientific and/or budgetary overlap with the career award application. K award recipients are encouraged to obtain funding from NIH or other Federal sources either as a PD/PI on a competing research grant award or cooperative agreement, or as project leader on a competing multi-project award as described in NOT-OD-18-157 .

At the time of award, the candidate must have a full-time appointment at the academic institution. Candidates are required to commit a minimum of 75% of full-time professional effort (i.e., a minimum of 9 person-months) to their program of career development.

Candidates may engage in other duties as part of the remaining 25% of their full-time professional effort not covered by this award, as long as such duties do not interfere with or detract from the proposed career development program. Candidates who have VA appointments may not consider part of the VA effort toward satisfying the full time requirement at the applicant institution.

Candidates with VA appointments should contact the staff person in the relevant Institute or Center prior to preparing an application to discuss their eligibility. After the receipt of the award, adjustments to the required level of effort may be made in certain circumstances. See NOT-OD-18-156 and NIH Grants Policy Statement , Section 12.

3. 6. 4 Temporary Adjustments to the Percent Effort Requirement for more details.

Before submitting the application, the candidate must identify a mentor who will supervise the proposed career development and research experience. The mentor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research and be committed both to the career development of the candidate and to the direct supervision of the candidate’s research.

The mentor must document the availability of sufficient research support and facilities. Candidates are encouraged to identify more than one mentor, i.e., a mentoring team, if this is deemed advantageous for providing expert advice in all aspects of the research career development program. In such cases, one individual must be identified as the primary mentor who will coordinate the candidate’s research.

The candidate must work with the mentor(s) in preparing the application. The mentor, or a member of the mentoring team, should have a successful track record of mentoring individuals at the candidate’s career stage. The mentor(s) or mentoring team must demonstrate appropriate expertise, experience, and ability to guide the candidate.

Institutional Environment The applicant institution must have a strong, well-established record of research and career development activities and faculty qualified to serve as mentors in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research. Section IV. Application and Submission Information 1.

Requesting an Application Package Buttons to access the online ASSIST system or to download application forms are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution. 2.

Content and Form of Application Submission It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Career Development (K) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced.

Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review. For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions – Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications . All page limitations described in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply - Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO. All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed. SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

Other Project Information All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed. SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed. All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form The PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form is comprised of the following sections: Other Candidate Information Mentor, Co-Mentor, Consultant, Collaborators Environment & Institutional Commitment to the Candidate Other Research Plan Sections All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions: Candidate Information and Goals for Career Development Describe prior training and research experience and how these relate to the objectives and long-term career plans of the candidate. Explain how the award will contribute to their attainment.

Describe the candidate’s research efforts and professional accomplishments consonant with career status, including any publications that demonstrate the candidate’s experience and interest in pursuing research (including research outside of biomedicine, behavior, bioimaging, or bioengineering).

Provide a description of the candidate's commitment to a career in quantitative biomedical, bioimaging, behavioral, or bioengineering research that is relevant to the NIH mission. Provide evidence of the candidate's potential to develop into a successful independent investigator. Usually this is evident from publications, prior research interests and experience, and reference letters.

Career Goals and Objectives​ Describe a systematic plan: (1) that shows a logical progression from prior research and training experiences to the research and career development experiences that will occur during the career award period and then to independent investigator status; and (2) that justifies the need for further career development to become an independent investigator.

Candidate’s Plan for Career Development/Training Activities During Award Period Provide a description of the career development plan, incorporating consideration of the candidate's goals and prior experience.

Propose a plan to obtain the necessary theoretical and conceptual background and research experience to launch an independent research career in quantitative biomedicine, bioengineering, bioimaging or behavioral research Include a list of the specific course of study in which the candidate will engage, including specific coursework which is essential to gaining the required theoretical and conceptual understanding of biomedicine, behavioral science, bioimaging, or bioengineering, important to the candidate's short- and long-term research interests and the manner of integration of these studies into the career development plan.

The career development plan must be tailored to the needs of the individual candidate and the ultimate goal of achieving independence as a researcher in quantitative biomedicine, behavioral science, bioimaging, or bioengineering.

Less experienced candidates may require a phased developmental period in which the first one to two year(s) of the award are largely didactic in nature that is followed by a period of intense, supervised research. Candidates with more experience at the time of application may need a shorter developmental period and may already have an adequate theoretical background.

Describe the professional responsibilities/activities (including other research projects) beyond the minimum required 9 person months (75% full-time professional effort) commitment to the K25 award. Explain how these responsibilities/activities relate to the career development objectives of this award and will help ensure career progression to achieve independence as an investigator.

The candidate and the mentor are jointly responsible for the preparation of the career development plan. A timeline is often helpful. The candidate or mentor may form a mentoring team or advisory committee to assist with the development of a program of study or to monitor the candidate's progress through the career development program.

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions: Provide a sound quantitative biomedical, behavioral, or bioengineering research plan that is consistent with the candidate’s level of research development and objectives of their career development plan.

The application must also describe the relationship between the mentor’s research and the candidate’s proposed research plan and the benefits of that relationship including how the candidate’s project will lead to an independent line of research.

For research projects requiring team-based approaches, such as large epidemiological studies explain how the research will enhance the candidate’s expertise and prepare the candidate to have a major role in designing and leading future projects.

If the applicant is proposing to gain experience in a clinical trial, ancillary clinical trial or a clinical trial feasibility study as part of his or her research career development, describe the relationship of the proposed research project to the clinical trial. Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research All applications must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR).

See How to Apply - Application Guide for instructions.

Mentor, Co-Mentor, Consultant, Collaborators Section All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions: Plans and Statements of Mentor and Co-mentor(s) The candidate must name a primary mentor who, together with the candidate, is responsible for the planning, directing, monitoring, and executing the proposed program.

The candidate may also nominate co-mentors as appropriate to the goals of the program. The mentor should have sufficient independent research support to cover the costs of the proposed research project in excess of the allowable costs of this award.

Include a statement that the candidate will commit at least 9 person months (75% of full-time professional effort) to the career development program and related career development activities.

The application must include a statement from the mentor providing: 1) information on his/her research qualifications and previous experience as a research supervisor; 2) a plan that describes the nature of the supervision and mentoring that will occur during the proposed award period; 3) a plan for career progression for the candidate to move from the mentored stage of his/her career to independent research investigator status during the project period of the award; and 4) a plan for monitoring the candidate’s research, publications, and progression towards independence.

Similar information must be provided by any co-mentor. If more than one co-mentor is proposed, the respective areas of expertise and responsibility of each should be described. Co-mentors should clearly describe how they will coordinate