NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) | RFA CA 20 055

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 20 055

The NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH grant program meant to help exceptional early-stage postdoctoral researchers move efficiently from mentored training into fully independent, faculty-level research careers. The central goal is to grow and sustain a strong pipeline of new, talented, NCI-supported investigators by giving them structured support during the critical period when they are finishing postdoctoral work and competing for tenure-track (or equivalent) positions. A key feature of this specific opportunity is that it is the K99/R00 version that requires independent basic experimental studies with humans, meaning the proposed research is expected to involve human participants or human-derived materials in a way that fits NIH definitions for human subjects research in basic experimental contexts.

This award targets postdoctoral fellows who already have a research doctoral degree and/or a clinical doctoral degree and who are ready for independence without needing many additional years of mentored training beyond the doctorate. In practical terms, it is designed for people who can credibly make the jump to leading their own lab or independent research program on a relatively short timeline, but who would benefit from a funding mechanism that bridges the last phase of postdoctoral development and the early years of a faculty appointment. The program is structured to encourage a timely transition by pairing a mentored phase (the K99 portion) with a subsequent independent phase (the R00 portion), with the expectation that the awardee will secure an independent, tenure-track or equivalent research position to activate the R00 support.

NCI positions this mechanism as both a career development and research support tool. During the transition, the award provides NCI-backed resources that are intended to help recipients publish, build a distinct scientific niche, and establish the early track record needed to compete successfully for longer-term independent NIH funding. While the broad focus is aligned with NCI priorities in cancer research, the notice also explicitly highlights that applicants working in data science and cancer control science are especially encouraged to apply, signaling particular interest in research that strengthens computational, analytical, population-level, implementation, prevention, behavioral, outcomes, or related approaches that can improve cancer-related knowledge and public health impact.

From an eligibility standpoint, the opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant under NIH (AgencyName: National Institutes of Health) and is associated with CFDA number 93.398. Eligible applicant organizations are broad and include many types of U.S. public and private entities: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible organizations. The announcement also calls out a range of institution types that NIH and NCI often aim to include and support, 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and certain tribal governments and tribal organizations (including some categories other than federally recognized tribal governments).

There are important geographic and foreign involvement rules spelled out in the listing. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. At the same time, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S. applicant may include certain well-justified elements of the work performed abroad or involving foreign collaborators, as long as NIH policy requirements are met and the overall application remains anchored in an eligible applicant organization.

The specific opportunity identifier for this grant is Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-20-055, with an original closing date of 2021-02-26 and a creation date of 2020-10-28. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided source data, so applicants would typically rely on the full funding announcement and NIH guidance for budget limits, project period structure, and other administrative details. Overall, the program is best understood as an NCI-supported launchpad for postdoctoral researchers who are very close to independence and whose proposed cancer-relevant research, including required basic experimental studies involving humans, can form the foundation of a distinct and competitive independent research career.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans 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 2020-10-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-26. (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.

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