Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) | PA 18 372

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 372

The Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) is an NIH career development grant designed to help clinicians with doctoral-level clinical degrees build the skills, experience, and publication track record needed to become independent, productive investigators. Its central goal is workforce development: supporting early-career clinician-scientists as they transition into research careers that can meaningfully address U.S. health-related research priorities. The program does this by funding a structured, closely supervised research and training period, during which the awardee receives protected time away from routine clinical or other professional duties so they can focus intensely on research, mentored learning, and career development activities.

This particular parent opportunity is labeled "Independent Clinical Trial Required," which signals that the proposed research is expected to include an applicant-led clinical trial as a key component of the career development plan. In practice, this means the candidate is not just participating in someone else’s clinical trial; they are expected to be responsible for the design and conduct of an independent trial as part of their mentored research trajectory. The broader scientific scope is intentionally wide and includes biomedical research, behavioral research, and translational research, reflecting NIH’s interest in supporting clinician-scientists across many disciplines and disease areas.

The funding mechanism is a discretionary grant administered by the National Institutes of Health, and it falls under the federal activity categories of education and health (with related listings that also include income security and social services). The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (now generally referred to under broader assistance listing structures), reflecting that many NIH Institutes and Centers participate in or recognize the parent K08 framework. The opportunity number provided for this announcement is PA 18 372, and the source information lists an original closing date of 2019-01-07 and a creation date of 2017-11-21, which is helpful context for understanding the timing of the specific notice referenced.

Eligibility is broad at the organizational level, spanning many types of U.S.-based entities that can serve as the applicant organization and host the mentored career development environment. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when specified in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and certain tribal and housing authorities. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis signals NIH’s intent to ensure the mechanism is accessible across a wide range of institutions, including those serving underserved communities and institutions that broaden participation in biomedical research.

At the same time, the notice draws clear boundaries around non-U.S. eligibility. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations or foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, the announcement notes that foreign components may be allowed, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In practical terms, that typically means a U.S. institution must be the applicant and primary grantee, but specific parts of the project can sometimes be conducted abroad if there is strong scientific justification and the arrangement complies with NIH policy and review expectations.

Overall, this K08 opportunity is best understood as a mentored runway to independence for clinician-scientists: it supports a multi-year period of protected research effort, formal career development, and intensive mentoring in a rigorous research environment. The expected outcome is that awardees emerge with stronger methodological expertise, a clear scientific niche, peer-reviewed publications, preliminary data, and the experience needed to compete successfully for independent research funding while contributing to research that advances human health.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PA 18 372

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