Quick Facts on Research Training and Career Development Awards

NRSA Institutional Research Training Grants (T32)

Five-year duration, with the chance to renew.

Funding includes:

• NRSA Stipend Levels.
• Trainee travel.
• Institutional training-related expenses.
• Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.
• Trainees must devote full-time effort during the trainee appointment period.
• On a case-by-case basis, institutional costs for accommodating disabled trainees in addition to usual costs paid by training-related expenses.

Domestic, non-profit, private, or public educational institution with an outstanding research and academic environment, including suitable staff and facilities.

Senior investigators who head research or training programs generally apply for T32s on behalf of their institution.

Requires different elements than R01s. Institution must show:

• Clear objectives and quality training program, including special features (e.g., lab rotations, seminar series, entrance requirements; advisory committee).
• Proposed training program director who is a well-recognized scientist with a long training track record.
• Senior-level faculty with publications history, grants from NIH or similar agencies, and training experience.
• Successful past trainees.
• Adequate source of trainees.
• T32-specific minority recruitment plan.
• Course on responsible conduct of research.

NIAID encourages new applications to show relevance to biodefense.

In preparing their applications, institutions should use the Fillable Institutional Research Training Grant Application Forms and Data Tables section of the PHS 398 application.

NRSA Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grants (T35)

Pre-doctoral trainees only.

Up to five years, with the chance to renew.

NRSA Stipend Levels. Stipends are prorated for the number of months of support.

Trainee-related expenses prorated for the number of months of support for each trainee.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified direct costs.

Trainees must devote full-time effort during the trainee appointment period, usually two or three months in the summer.

Domestic, non-profit, private, or public institutions with a high quality research program in the proposed areas, including suitable staff and facilities.

Allow eligible institutions to develop or enhance research training opportunities for people interested in careers in biomedical and behavioral research.

Institution must show:

• Proposed training in either basic or clinical aspects of the health-related sciences.
• Training program director is responsible for the selection and appointment of trainees and the overall direction of the training program.
• Training program director and associated faculty should have a documented record of success in conducting research and a proven track record of training scientists for careers in basic or clinical research.

Duration of three to five years, not renewable.

Salary up to $75,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.

Research development support of $25,000 each year.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.

Minimum nine person months effort required each year.

In the last two years of a K01 award, NIH permits concurrent salary support from a peer-reviewed grant from any federal agency if 1) your K award is active, and 2) you are a PI on a competing research project grant or director of a subproject on a multicomponent grant from NIH or another federal agency. See the April 10, 2008 Guide notice.

Clinician or Ph.D. in the fields of epidemiology and outcomes research and must have accomplished independent research experience after earning your degree.

Applicants who are more junior in terms of their research career.

Institution must have a well-established research and clinical career development program and qualified faculty in clinical or basic research to serve as mentors.

Mentor is recognized as an accomplished investigator in the proposed research area and has a track record of success in training independent investigators.

Proposes a period of study and career development consistent with previous research experience.

Independent Scientist Award (K02)

Duration of three to five years (minimum of three), not renewable.

Salary up to $75,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.

No research support provided.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of total direct costs.

Minimum nine person months effort required each year.

Salary support from other NIH research grants is unallowable during the K02 award.

Commitment to a career in biomedical or behavioral research.

Doctoral degree and their own research project grant (R01 or equivalent). Most successful candidates are assistant professors eligible for promotion or tenure or are just-promoted associate professors.

While building on the science in the investigator's R01, shows how applicant's ideas have developed over the course of research and describes career development plans. K02 should be almost an offshoot of R01.

Recommendations are not required.

Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08)

and

Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)

Duration of three to five years, not renewable. For K08, award length depends on experience.

Salary up to $75,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.

Research development support of $25,000 each year.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.

Minimum nine person months effort required each year.

In the last two years of a K08 and K23 award, NIH permits concurrent salary support from a peer-reviewed grant from any federal agency if 1) your K award is active, and 2) you are a PI on a competing research project grant or director of a subproject on a multicomponent grant from NIH or another federal agency. See the April 10, 2008 Guide notice.

Commitment to a career in biomedical or behavioral research.

For K08, clinical doctoral degree such as M.D., D.V.M., or O.D., a professional license to practice in the United States, and current work in basic research. See the March 31, 2008 Guide notice.

For K23, Ph.D. or clinical degree and just-completed specialty or subspecialty training; current research involving direct work with patients.

Three main elements to success:

1. Strong CV, with outstanding academic record and letters of recommendation.
2. Mentor who is a top-notch scientist with superior funding, robust publication history, and the time and interest to mentor the investigator.
3. State-of-the-art Research Plan and strong institutional commitment, such as a promised faculty appointment after the award term.

NIAID will not accept K-series applications proposing to conduct new, independent clinical trials. For more information, read the March 28, 2008, Guide notice.

Research Scholar Development Award (K22)

Duration of two years, not renewable.

Direct costs of $150,000 in the first year and $100,000 in the second year. Up to $50,000 of the award can be spent on the PI's salary each year (exclusive of fringe benefits); the rest can be spent in any way. If funds are not needed for salary support, they may be used for research expenses.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.

Minimum nine person months effort required each year.

In the last two years of a K22 award, NIH permits concurrent salary support from a peer-reviewed grant from any federal agency if 1) your K award is active, and 2) you are a PI on a competing research project grant or director of a subproject on a multicomponent grant from NIH or another federal agency.

Postdoc with no more than five years of research experience and meets any of the following criteria:

• Works on an NIAID training grant (T32) or in a laboratory supported by an NIAID research grant or cooperative agreement.
• Has an individual fellowship (F32).
• Is hired on a research supplement to promote diversity.
• Is employed by an NIAID intramural laboratory.

See the March 30, 2006, Guide notice for more information.

In the first of two application phases, applicant submits a CV that details career goals, a Research Plan, and three recommendations.

Within a year of receiving a fundable score, investigator must be offered an assistant professorship at an academic institution. To qualify for the second phase, he or she must show that the position offers an assistant professorship, laboratory, significant start-up funds, and minimal teaching or other responsibilities.

Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)

Duration of three to five years (minimum of three), renewable.

Salary equal to the percent effort of the current NIH salary cap, plus fringe benefits.

Research development costs of up to $50,000 each year.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.

Minimum effort of three to six person months required each year.

Established clinician or Ph.D. who is committed to patient-oriented research and has concurrent research support, such as R01, pharmaceutical company funding, or participation in a clinical trial.

Should have completed clinical training within the past 15 years, although NIAID allows some flexibility on this requirement.

Interest in mentoring or teaching other young physicians in clinical research.

Incorporates 75 percent science and 25 percent mentoring, teaching, and career development, not straight science like an R01.

Includes strong justification for additional funding and plans for mentoring or sponsoring junior researchers.

NIAID will not accept K-series applications proposing to conduct new, independent clinical trials. For more information, read the March 28, 2008, Guide notice.

Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award (K25)

Duration of three to five years (minimum of three), not renewable.

Salary up to $75,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.

Research development costs of $20,000 each year.

Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.

Minimum nine person months effort required each year.

In the last two years of a K25 award, NIH permits concurrent salary support from a peer-reviewed grant from any federal agency if 1) your K award is active, and 2) you are a PI on a competing research project grant or director of a subproject on a multicomponent grant from NIH or another federal agency. See the April 10, 2008 Guide notice.

Junior faculty member with an advanced degree in engineering or quantitative science, such as Ph.D. or M.S.E.E., who wants to integrate this expertise with biomedicine.

Former PIs on NIH research projects or subprojects and previous recipients of certain awards aren't eligible.

Less detailed Research Plan suffices because peer reviewers recognize investigator's limited experience.

Duration of one to two years for initial mentored phase (K99); up to three years for independent investigator phase (R00), not renewable.

NIAID will give preference to applications requesting one year of mentored (K99) and two years of independent (R00) support.

Salary up to $75,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.

Research development costs up to $25,000 each year.

For K99 phase, Facilities and Administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.

Minimum nine person months effort required each year.

Clinical or research doctoral degree with no more than five years of postdoctoral research training at the time of submission, who has plans to apply for an assistant professorship at an academic institution.

Should include a career development plan, Research Plan with a description of the project to be pursued in the R00 phase, and at least three letters of reference. During the initial mentored (K99) phase, the investigator must secure a tenure-track, full-time assistant professor position at an academic institution.

To qualify for the independent investigator (R00) phase, the investigator's division or department chair will need to submit a letter demonstrating the institution's commitment to the investigator by providing protected research time, space, facilities, and other support needed to conduct the proposed research.