The goal of the Pathway to Independence Award (PI) is to facilitate receiving an R01 award earlier in an investigator's research career and ultimately to increase and maintain a strong legion of new and talented NIH-supported independent investigators.

The PI award provides up to five years of support composed of two phases. The initial phase will provide 1-2 years of mentored support for highly promising, postdoctoral research scientists. The initial phase is followed by up to 3 years of independent support contingent on securing an independent research position. Award recipients will be expected to compete successfully for independent R01 support from the NIH during the career transition award period.

The PI Award is limited to researcher's holding doctoral degrees who have less than 5 years of research experience since their doctoral degree and are still in a mentored position. The initial application for the mentored phase may be submitted on behalf of the candidate (principal investigator) by any domestic for-profit or non-profit institution/organization such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories, and eligible agencies of the Federal government, including NIH intramural laboratories. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.

The subsequent application for the independent phase may be submitted on behalf of the awardee (principal investigator) by any domestic for-profit or non-profit institution/organization such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories at which the awardee has been recruited. Agencies of the Federal government (including NIH intramural laboratories) and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply for the independent phase of the PI award.

Applicants may submit only one PI Award application, and may not simultaneously submit applications or have awards pending for any other PHS career development award (K-series mechanisms). Up to two revisions of an application will be accepted. Pathway to Independence Awards are neither renewable nor transferable from one principal investigator to another.

The K99 phase of the award provides support in the form of salary (up to $75,000 per year plus fringe benefits), research development support (up to $30,000 for expenses such as tuition/fees, books, supplies/equipment, and travel to meetings), ancillary personnel support, and 8 percent facilities and administrative costs (formerly called indirect costs). The total cost for the independent investigator R00 phase may not exceed $249,000 per year. This amount includes salary, fringe benefits, research support allowance and applicable indirect costs.

UPDATE: The K99 mentored phase salary is now capped for competing awards issued after January 1, 2009 at $100,000 per year for a 75% effort (9 person-months) commitment. Please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-CA-09-022.html for further salary details.

Program Announcement

New Electronic PA required for February 12, 2009 Grant Submission: PA-09-036 NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)

This replaces PA-07-297 NIH Pathway to Independence (PI) Award (K99/R00)

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