Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - No Independent Clinical Trials) | PA 18 373

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 373

The Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - No Independent Clinical Trials), funding opportunity number PA 18 373, is an NIH career development grant designed to help early-career clinicians build the skills, research experience, and track record needed to become independent investigators. The central aim is workforce development: supporting people with clinical doctoral degrees as they transition into research-focused careers that address important biomedical and behavioral health needs in the United States. A defining feature of the K08 mechanism is that it provides structured mentorship and dedicated, protected time to pursue intensive research training and career development activities, rather than expecting applicants to already be fully independent.

This opportunity supports a mentored research experience in biomedical and behavioral research, including translational research that bridges basic discoveries and clinical or real-world health applications. The emphasis is on a supervised development period, typically meaning the candidate works closely with an experienced mentor (and often a mentoring team) while building a clear career development plan. In practice, applicants are expected to propose a training and research pathway that strengthens their ability to design studies, generate publishable findings, secure future funding, and ultimately lead a research program that has a meaningful impact on health. The title also signals an important limitation: it is the "No Independent Clinical Trials" parent announcement, meaning the award is not intended to support an applicant-led independent clinical trial as the primary research activity under this mechanism.

NIH lists a wide range of eligible applicant organizations, reflecting the fact that the grant is administered through an institution on behalf of a candidate. Eligible applicants include many types of U.S.-based organizations such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Higher education institutions are broadly eligible, including public and state-controlled universities as well as private institutions of higher education. Nonprofit organizations can apply whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education (since those are listed separately). For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also included among eligible applicant types, as well as a general "other" category, which NIH sometimes uses to capture additional organizational structures that meet federal eligibility requirements.

The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants that NIH wants to ensure are included and aware of the opportunity. These include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; and U.S. territories or possessions. It also notes that Indian/Native American Tribal Governments that are not federally recognized are included among the "other eligible applicants" list, alongside other mission-driven entities that may serve specific communities or regions.

On the foreign eligibility side, the rules are narrow and worth paying attention to. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. At the same time, the notice clarifies that "foreign components" may be allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means a U.S. applicant organization could include a justified portion of the work being carried out abroad under NIH rules, with prior disclosure and approval as required.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program run by the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity is categorized under a grant funding instrument and sits within a broad funding activity area that includes education and health (and related public well-being domains). The listing references multiple CFDA numbers (now often referred to under Assistance Listing numbers), indicating that several NIH institutes and centers may use this parent K08 announcement to support candidates across different disease areas and research missions. The source data also shows an original closing date of 2019-01-07 and a creation date of 2017-11-21, which helps place the announcement in time, though NIH parent announcements are often reissued or updated over time with new versions and receipt dates.

Overall, the K08 (No Independent Clinical Trials) is best understood as a mentored clinician-scientist development pathway: it funds protected time and a structured, supervised research and career development plan so clinically trained professionals can become competitive, independent health researchers. It is geared toward building long-term research capacity rather than simply funding a single short-term project, and it is designed to align the candidate, mentor(s), and institution around a coherent plan that leads to sustained contributions in biomedical, behavioral, and translational science.

• 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 - No Independent Clinical Trials)" 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, 93.307, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.855, 93.859, 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 18 373

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