NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research

NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research is sponsored by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). This award enhances the participation of highly trained early career investigators from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in neuroscience research, facilitating their transition to independent research positions.

Expired PAR-18-468: NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research (K22) - Clinical Trial Required This notice has expired. Check the NIH Guide for active opportunities and notices. Department of Health and Human Services Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) of Participating Organizations National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ( NINDS ) Funding Opportunity Title NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research (K22-Clinical K22 Career Transition Award June 26, 2020 - Notice to Extend Eligibility for Submission of Diversity K22 Applications due to COVID related Disruptions.

See Notice NOT-NS-20-076 . May 05, 2020 - Notice of Change to Key Dates for PAR-18-468. See Notice NOT-NS-20-066 March 10, 2020 - Reminder: FORMS-F Grant Application Forms & Instructions Must be Used for Due Dates On or After May 25, 2020- New Grant Application Instructions Now Available.

See Notice NOT-OD-20-077 . January 22, 2020 - Additional Guidance on the NIH Policy on the Use of a Single Institutional Review Board for Multi-Site Research. See Notice NOT-OD-20-058 .

November 22, 2019 - Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity. See Notice NOT-OD-20-031 . Clarifying Competing Application Instructions and Notice of Publication of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research.

See Notice Changes to NIH Requirements Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research. See Notice NOT-OD-19-128 . July 22, 2019 - Requirement for ORCID iDs for Individuals Supported by Research Training, Fellowship, Research Education, and Career Development Awards Beginning in FY 2020.

See Notice NOT-OD-19-109 . November 26, 2018 - NIH & AHRQ Announce Upcoming Updates to Application Instructions and Review Criteria for Career Development Award Applications. See Notice NOT-OD-18-229 .

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number Companion Funding Opportunity Transition Award, Clinical Trial Not Allowed Additional Information on Eligibility .

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s) Funding Opportunity Purpose The NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity is designed to enhance the participation of highly trained early career investigators from underrepresented groups in neuroscience research.

This opportunity provides postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups with strong training in neuroscience with the resources and tools that will help facilitate a transition to a stable and productive independent research position. Individuals are eligible for support under this award if they have doctoral research degrees (Ph. D.

, Ph. D. /M.

D. or equivalent) and between 2 and 5 years of postdoctoral prior research training at the time of application.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary study to an existing trial that also meets the definition of a clinical trial, as part of their research and career development.

NINDS will only accept applications to this FOA that propose human mechanistic trials/studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial and that fall within the NINDS research priorities.

Applicants are strongly advised to consult with NINDS Scientific/Research contact prior to submitting an application with human subjects to determine the appropriate funding This FOA supports hypothesis-driven mechanistic clinical trial studies in basic and/or translational discovery research in healthy human subjects and in the pathobiology, pathophysiology, and neuropathology of neurological disorders.

The goal is to address basic questions and to interrogate concepts in biology, behavior, and pathophysiology that will provide insight into understanding neurological disorders. Such studies may seek to understand a biological or behavioral process, or the mechanism of action of an intervention.

NINDS supports biomarker studies that may provide information about physiological function, target engagement of novel therapeutics, and/or mechanisms of therapeutic responses.

The submitted studies are defined as clinical trials ( NOT-OD-15-015 ) but do not seek to answer specific questions about safety, tolerability, clinical efficacy, effectiveness, clinical management, and/or implementation of pharmacologic, behavioral, biologic, surgical, or device (invasive or non-invasive) interventions. preventive, therapeutic, and services interventions.

Such designs should be submitted to an NINDS clinical trial-specific funding announcement (listed on the NINDS website at https://www. ninds. nih.

gov/Current-Research/Research-Funded-NINDS/Clinical-Research ). Applicants are strongly advised to consult with NINDS program staff prior to submitting an application with human subjects to determine the appropriate Applicants not planning an independent clinical trial, or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, must apply to companion FOA (FOA PAR-18-469 ).

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Letter of Intent Due Date(s) dates apply, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of non-AIDS applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on these dates. 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.

AIDS Application Due Date(s) dates apply, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of AIDS and AIDS-related applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on these dates. 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.

New Date May 8, 2021 per issuance of NOT-NS-20-066 . (Original Expiration Date: January 8, 2021 ) It is critical that applicants follow the Career Development (K) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide , except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced.

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

Part 1. Overview Information Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement I.

Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Section III. Eligibility Information Section IV.

Application and Submission 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 overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development program is to help ensure that a diverse 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 Extramural Training Mechanisms website. The objective of the Career Transition Award (K22) is to help outstanding postdoctoral researchers who are members of an underreprestended group complete needed, mentored training and transition in a timely manner to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions.

The K22 award is intended to foster the development of a creative, independent research program that will be competitive for subsequent independent funding and that will help advance the mission of theNINDS.

The strongest applicants will require, and will propose, a well-conceived plan for 1 3years of substantive mentored research training and career development that will help them become competitive candidates for tenure-track faculty positions and prepare them to launch robust, independent research programs.

In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, educational and research opportunities are not equally available to all. NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups identified as nationally underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences.

These groups include individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (at the undergraduate level and below). For more information, see NOT-OD-15-053 . There is a large loss of talented researchers from underrepresented backgrounds during the transition from postdoctoral training to junior faculty positions.

Evidence from several reports demonstrates that an intervention designed to facilitate successful transition at this point would benefit the research community and scientific teaching environment and would provide needed role models for students from underrepresented groups ( Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads, National Academy of Sciences, 2011 ; Bridges to Independence: Fostering the Independence of New Investigators in Biomedical Research, National Research Council, 2005 ; and Advancing the Nation's Health Needs: NIH Research Training Programs, National Academy of Sciences, 2005 ).

A diverse faculty is critical for providing role models for aspiring scientists from all backgrounds and achieving a balanced research agenda that benefits the nation. Moreover, surveys reveal that a diverse faculty is important for attracting diverse students to research and has a positive impact on retention and career mentoring for diverse students.

Specifically for neuroscience early career researchers, there is a decrease in the proportion of diverse trainees from postdoctoral (9%) to tenure-stream neuroscience faculty (5%); 2011 Survey Report Neuroscience Departments and Programs .

The objective of the NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K22) is to support talented advanced postdoctoral investigators from backgrounds underrepresented in neuroscience research during their transition to independent research positions.

This K22 program is designed to assist transition to secure faculty positions, increase research faculty diversity and enhance the skills needed to progress to independent NIH or other independent research support.

As demonstrated in a 2011 NIH Individual Mentored Career Development Awards Program Evaluation, receipt of an individual mentored career development award had a measurable and significant impact on program participants, as seen in their publication records and subsequent applications for and receipt of NIH grants.

Collectively, researchers who participated in a NIH K program had a significantly higher R01 success rate than those with no prior career development support.

It is envisioned that funding support from the Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity will increase the pool of well-trained researchers who are competitively funded to conduct Overview of K22 career/research transition opportunity The candidate must propose a research project that will be pursued during Phase I and continue into an independent project during Phase II of the award.

Consequently, the K22 applicant must have ownership of the project and by explicit agreement of the mentor, must be able to take the project with him/her upon transition to independence. The K22 award will provide up to 5 years of support in two phases. Phase II support will have a maximum duration of 3 years.

If an awardee expends the maximum time in Phase I (3 years), Phase II will be limited to two years of support. The two award phases are intended to be continuous in time. Therefore, although exceptions may be possible in limited circumstances, Phase II awards will generally only be made to those K22 PDs/PIs who accept independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions by the end of the Phase I award period.

Phase II of the K22 award is not automatic. It will be awarded, following adminstrative review, only if the K22 awardee obtains a full-time tenure-track or equivalent faculty position.

This position must include an appropriate startup package that is similar to that currently provided to others hired by the department into a similar position, and which is sufficient to promote success in the applicant's research area, appropriate protected time for research (a minimum of 75%) and access to students and resources normally associated with such a position.

Once the tenure track (or equivalent) position has been secured, NINDS program staff will evaluate the Phase II materials (see below) to ensure that all programmatic requirements are met prior to continuation of the K22 award. Awardees approved to proceed with the second phase of support will receive notification of approval in writing from the NINDS.

Updated information from the extramural institution on behalf of the candidate will be required for the NINDS to process the second phase of the K22. The sponsoring institution must demonstrate a commitment to the candidate by providing protected research time and space needed to perform the proposed research. It is strongly encouraged that Phase II occur at an institution different from that where the Phase I research occurred.

However, as long as the faculty position and start-up package are appropriate, and the candidate has full research independence, Phase II may occur at the Phase I institution. If the applicant remains at the same institution, there must be a clear explanation of how independence from the mentor will be established.

The details of the requirements for the activation of the Phase II of the K22 award are described in Section VI of this announcement. During Phase II, it is expected that K22 recipients will apply for independent research grant support as soon as possible. K22 recipients are strongly encouraged to apply for R01 or equivalent Federal or Foundation awards within the final two years of their K22 award.

K22 award recipients that obtain independent support during the K22 award period may hold concurrent research support, and, in the last two years of their K22 award, salary support from their career award and a competing NIH research project grant when recognized as a PD/PI or subproject Director of the research project NINDS support for the K22 program relies equally on scientific merit and programmatic considerations.

Consequently, we strongly recommend that potential applicants consult Scientific/Research Staff at NINDS before preparing an application. Please also visit the NINDS website for specific resources and webinars to help develop an application. NINDS will not support projects, regardless of the results of merit review, if they do not fulfill current programmatic priorities at NINDS.

Note: This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary study to an existing trial, as part of their research and career development.

NINDS will only accept applications to this FOA that propose human mechanistic trials/studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial and that fall within the NINDS research priorities. Applicants not planning an independent clinical trial, or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, must apply to companion FOA ( PAR-18-469 ).

Examples of types of applications intended to be supported by NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research (K22-Clinical Trial Required) include, but are not limited to: Studies in which a manipulation (physiological or behavioral) is used to answer basic science questions about normal brain function.

Studies to develop, validate, and/or apply novel measures of brain signaling and circuits in healthy humans including, for example, PET, SPECT, and other neuroimaging approaches, as well as biomarkers of Studies that use an experimental manipulation (e.g., CNS active drugs, direct neurostimulation or cognitive task activating a specific neural circuit) in order to understand normal functioning or the pathophysiology of a neurological disorder, but do not aim to demonstrate clinical improvement.

Studies that involve the prospective use of efficacious interventions (e.g., biomedical, behavioral, cognitive, other therapeutic approaches), where the intent is to obtain biospecimens (e.g., blood, patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells) to identify genetic risk associations, novel biomarkers, examine the disease process, or characterize mechanisms of therapeutic response.

Studies in which an intervention with demonstrated efficacy for that population is being studied to understand mechanisms of response, non-response, or risk of adverse effects of the efficacious intervention.

The following types of clinical trials are not intended to be supported by NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research (K22-Clinical Trial Studies that do not meet the NIH definition of clinical trial. Early-stage trials of novel treatment approaches in humans that are prerequisite to clinical efficacy trials for pharmacological, device, or behavioral intervention development.

Studies to develop or conduct tests of the clinical efficacy/effectiveness of treatments. Studies that have safety, clinical efficacy, clinical management, and/or implementation as its principal aim. Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity. Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on Required: Only accepting applications that propose an independent clinical trial(s).

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. NINDS will contribute up to $ 100,000 commensurate with salary and effort, as well as fringe benefits during Phase II. In Phase I, the NIH will contribute salary up to $75,000 plus fringe benefits per year, commensurate with the applicant institution's salary structure for persons of equivalent qualifications, experience, and rank.

The requested Phase I salary must be consistent both with the established salary structure at the institution and with salaries actually provided by the institution from its own funds to other staff members with equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the department concerned. The total Phase I salary requested must be based on a full-time, 12-month staff appointment.

For information regarding NIH policy on determining full-time professional effort for career awards, see NOT-OD-04-056 . If full-time, 12-month salaries are not currently paid to comparable staff members, the salary proposed must be related appropriately to the existing salary structure. Confirmation of salary is required prior to the issuance of an award.

Fringe benefits based on the sponsoring institution’s rate and the percent of effort are provided in addition to the salary. per year. Further guidance on budgeting for career development salaries is provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The entire research effort during Phase II need not be associated with this K22 award, and salary for this effort need not come entirely from this K22 award. For Phase II activation, institutions should provide a startup and salary package equivalent to that provided to a newly hired faculty member who does not have a grant.

Salary support in addition to that provided by the K22 award may be obtained from any non-federal source, as long as 75% effort is protected for research. If the K22 awardee obtains an NIH R01 or federal equivalent as PD/PI, he/she may draw appropriate salary from that federal award in the final 2 years of the K The total salary, however, may not exceed the legislatively mandated salary cap. See: http://grants.

nih. gov/grants/policy/salcap_summary. htm .

Other Program-Related Expenses Research expenses may include (a) tuition and fees related to career development activities; (b) supplies, equipment and technical personnel; c) travel to research meetings or training; and (d) statistical services including personnel and computer time.

NINDS will contribute $25,000 in Phase I and $100,000 in Phase III per year toward the research development costs of the award recipient, which must be justified and consistent with the stage of development of the candidate and the proportion of time to be spent in research or career development activities.

Reasonable Accommodations: As part of this award, funds may be requested to make changes or adjustments in the research setting that will make it possible for a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions associated with the project.

The accommodations requested under this program must be directly related to the performance of the proposed role on the research project and must be appropriate to the disabilities of the individual. Some types of accommodations that might be provided under this award include: specialized equipment, assistive devices, and personnel such as readers, interpreters, or assistants.

In all cases, the total funds for accommodations requested must be reasonable. Salary for mentors, secretarial and administrative assistants, Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this FOA.

Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education: Hispanic-serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions 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 Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government 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 The sponsoring institution may be private (profit or nonprofit) or public, including the NIH Intramural Programs and other Federal laboratories.

NIH Intramural Programs and other Federal laboratories are not eligible to apply for the independent phase. In order for an intramural postdoctoral fellow to activate the Phase II of K22 award, the candidate must transition to atenure-track assistant professor or equivalent position at an extramural institution.

Specific information is available for intramural candidates on the Electronic Submission Intranet link available only to users internal to NIH. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are not allowed.

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) 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 Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number.

After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application. System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) 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. 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.

eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants. gov registration.

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 DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.

gov registration. 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.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Diversity candidates (as defined in eligiblity catergory below) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) are invited to work with his/her mentor(s) 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.

Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key component of the NIH strategy to identify, develop, support and maintain the quality of our scientific human capital ( NOT-OD-15-053 ).

Every facet of the United States scientific research enterprise from basic laboratory research to clinical and translational research to policy formation requires superior intellect, creativity, and a wide range of skill sets and viewpoints.

NIH’s ability to help ensure that the nation remains a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation is dependent upon a pool of highly talented scientists from underrepresented backgrounds who will help to further NIH's mission. Research shows that diverse teams working together and capitalizing on innovative ideas and distinct perspectives outperform homogenous teams.

Scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems.

There are many benefits that flow from a diverse NIH-supported scientific workforce, including fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of the researchers, advancing the likelihood that underserved or health disparity populations participate in and benefit from health research, and enhancing public trust.

In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, educational and research opportunities are not equally available to all. NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups identified as underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, which includes: A.

Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), the nation's leading provider of statistical data on the U.S. science and engineering enterprise.)

The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. B.

Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended . See NSF data at http://www. nsf.

gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-5_updated_2014_10. pdf . The overarching goal of this FOA is to enhance the pool of independent neuroscience research investigators from underrepresented backgrounds.

For the purpose of this announcement, institutions must identify candidates who will increase diversity within the neuroscience workforce on a national basis. The disadvantaged eligibility criterion is not applicable because this announcement focuses on providing support for individuals at the postdoctoral and above academic level.

Candidates for this award must (1) have earned a terminal clinical or research doctorate or a combined clinical and research doctoral degree; (2) have at least 2 years of postdoctoral training in neuroscience research at the time of submission of the initial application; (3) have no more than a total of 5 years postdoctoral experience at the time of application.

are NOT eligible for the NINDS K22 to Promote Diversity if they: Have currently or previously held an independent research faculty position, or its equivalent, in academia, industry or elsewhere; or Have more than 5 years of prior postdoctoral research training at the time of initial application or resubmission; or Have been an independent PD/PI on NIH research grants (e.g. R01, P01), NIH career development awards (e.g., K01, K07, K08, K23, K25, but not including the K00 award), or project leaders on sub-projects of program project (P01) or center (P50) grants; or Have an application pending for any other NIH career development award, including a Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00).

(or equivalent research doctorate degree) candidates in positions other than postdoctoral fellow positions : It is recognized that some institutions appoint postdoctoral fellows in positions with other titles although they are still in non-independent, mentored training positions.. It is incumbent upon the candidate to provide evidence that his or her position complies with the intent of this eligibility requirement.

If a potential applicant is in a position that is not clearly identifiable as a postdoctoral training position, an official statement of the institution’s policy (e.g. published position description in an official institutional document) must be included that documents the position as a mentored, postdoctoral training position. following is provided as an aid to distinguish independent from non-independent positions.

However, it is not sufficient merely to cite one or more of the following items to document eligibility. for non-independence may include: The candidate’s research is entirely funded by another investigator’s grants. The candidate’s research is conducted entirely in another investigator’s assigned space.

According to institutional policy, the candidate cannot hire postdoctoral fellows or technical staff or be the responsible supervisor of According to institutional policy, the candidate is not allowed to submit an application as the PD/PI of an NIH research grant application The candidate lacks other rights and privileges of faculty, such as attendance at faculty meetings.

Conversely, evidence for independence, and therefore lack of eligibility, includes: The candidate has a full-time faculty position.

The candidate received a start-up package for support of his/her The candidate has research space dedicated to his/her own The candidate may attend faculty meetings, be the responsible supervisor for graduate students, and/or hire technical support or postdoctoral According to institutional policy, the candidate may apply for independent research funding as the PD/PI of an NIH research grant.

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