Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 19 117

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 19 117

The Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) is an NIH career development grant aimed at helping clinically trained professionals build the research skills, track record, and mentorship support needed to become independent investigators in areas that matter to U.S. health needs. The central idea is to give qualified individuals with a clinical doctoral degree dedicated, protected time to pursue a structured and intensive research career development experience under close supervision. The work can be biomedical, behavioral, or translational in nature, and the award is framed as a continuation of a long-running NIH pathway for developing clinician-scientists who can eventually compete successfully for independent research funding.

This specific announcement is the "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" version of the parent K08. That means applicants cannot propose a project where they themselves would lead an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial. However, it does allow applicants to gain meaningful clinical trial experience as part of their training, as long as the trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor and the applicant is not the lead investigator. If an applicant intends to lead a clinical trial (or lead an ancillary clinical trial) as part of the K08 research plan, NIH directs them to apply to a separate companion funding opportunity that is designed for that scenario.

Administratively, this is a discretionary NIH grant program (Funding Opportunity Number PA 19 117) that falls under broad public service areas including health and related domains. It is tied to multiple CFDA numbers (now often referenced under assistance listings), reflecting that many NIH institutes and centers participate in the parent K08 mechanism. The opportunity was created on December 20, 2018, and the listed original closing date in the provided record is May 12, 2020, which suggests this particular posting reflects a specific cycle or snapshot in time rather than an always-open listing.

Eligibility to apply is broad at the organizational level and includes many types of U.S.-based entities that can serve as the applicant institution for a mentored career development award. Examples include public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, independent school districts, special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights several categories of organizations as eligible applicants, 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 (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws clear boundaries around foreign involvement: non-U.S. institutions (foreign institutions) cannot apply as the applicant organization, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. Even so, foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant institution may include certain foreign elements in the project when appropriately justified and compliant with NIH policy.

In practical terms, the K08 is best understood as a mentored career development pathway rather than a standard research project grant. The expectation is that the applicant will propose a cohesive plan that combines a focused research project with a training and mentoring structure that clearly moves them toward independence. The "protected time" feature is a defining element: the award is designed to carve out substantial effort for research and career development activities, supported by a mentorship team, so the clinician-scientist can deepen research expertise, generate publishable results, and build a foundation for future independent funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, 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 Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-12-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-12. (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 19 117

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: