The National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases

Career Development (K) Awards

• NIDDK encourages K applications from postdoctoral fellows (MD, PhD, or equivalent) after they have completed usually no more than 5 years of postdoctoral research, with the exception of the K24 (definition)
• All mentored K awards, except for the K99/R00, require that the applicant:
  • be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
  • be located at a U.S. institution
  • have preliminary data on which to base his/her hypothesis-driven 3-5 year research project in an area of interest to NIDDK (see below)
  • have one or more mentors
  • be able to devote, usually, 75% effort to the K-award.
• The NIDDK supports many types of K awards. If you are an MD, and are doing basic research: K08. If you are an MD, doing clinical research where you interact directly with patients for your research (not just to fulfill your commitment to your department): K23. If you are a PhD, or a non-board eligible MD: K01. If you are a non-biomedically trained PhD (mathematics, organic chemistry, etc.) moving into biomedical research: K25. The NIDDK does not support the K02 award for more senior scientists, but as a clinical investigator you should consider the K24, once your career is established. The new Pathway to Independence award (K99) is a two-phased approach to shortening the post-doctoral period for outstanding fellows, and is open to non-U.S. citizens.Our overview of all the K awards offered by the NIDDK gives you the conditions of each award in abbreviated form.
• The areas of scientific interest to the NIDDK are: diabetes, endocrinology, metabolic disorders, gene therapy, cystic fibrosis, obesity, digestive diseases, liver diseases, nutrition, eating disorders, kidney and urologic disorders, and hematologic diseases.
• The NIDDK limits the combination of K support from a K12 and any subsequent individual K award to no more than 6 years.

• For more information, see FAQs for K-awardees