NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 18 367

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 367

The NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 Clinical Trial Required), funding opportunity number PAR-18-367, is a National Institutes of Health grant mechanism designed to help promising postdoctoral researchers make the jump into independent, tenure-track academic careers. The core goal is to support the transition from a postdoctoral fellowship (or an equivalent early research position) into an assistant professor role (or a comparable independent position), with the expectation that the awardee will build a sustainable, independent research program in the biomedical arena. A defining feature of this opportunity is its explicit focus on strengthening diversity in the research workforce: the National Cancer Institute (NCI), through the Diversity Training Branch (DTB) in the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD), invites applications specifically from scientists who are from backgrounds that are nationally underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and/or social sciences. The program’s broader context is aligned with NCI’s cancer health disparities mission, reinforcing the idea that expanding who conducts cancer research can also expand what questions get asked and how effectively research addresses diverse populations.

This K22 is structured to provide protected time for research by supplying salary support and research funds for a period of three years, starting when the candidate begins a tenure-track faculty appointment. In practical terms, the award is meant to create breathing room during the high-pressure early faculty period, so the investigator can focus on launching a research program, generating publishable findings, and building the foundation needed for future independent NIH funding. As indicated in the title, the award is “Clinical Trial Required,” meaning the supported research is expected to involve a clinical trial component under NIH definitions, rather than being strictly preclinical or observational. Applicants should therefore be prepared to propose a project that fits NIH’s clinical trial policy framework and to plan for the regulatory, ethical, and operational responsibilities that come with clinical research.

Eligibility in the listing is broad on the institutional side, spanning many U.S.-based organization types that can serve as applicant institutions. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in that category); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other miscellaneous eligible entities. The announcement also highlights a variety of mission-relevant institution types 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), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. Even with this wide range of eligible U.S. entities, the opportunity is clear that foreign participation is not permitted in the form of applicant organizations or components: non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within the education and health activity area, under CFDA number 93.398, and is administered by the National Institutes of Health (with NCI as the sponsoring institute for this program). The source record lists an original closing date of 2021-05-07 and a creation date of 2017-11-20, indicating this is an established program announcement rather than a one-time competition. While the excerpt does not specify an award ceiling or the number of expected awards, the intent is clear: this mechanism is meant to be a career acceleration tool for underrepresented postdoctoral scientists, providing a time-limited but strategically crucial period of protected support to establish independence, build a research portfolio, and position the investigator for long-term success as an independent cancer researcher.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.398.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-05-07. (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 PAR 18 367

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