Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 24 185

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 24 185

The Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is an NIH career development grant designed to help early-stage clinician-researchers build the skills, experience, and publication record needed to become independent investigators in patient-oriented research. It is specifically geared toward individuals who hold a clinical doctoral degree and have made a clear commitment to conducting research that directly involves human participants or uses human-derived data and materials in ways that are meaningfully tied to patient care and clinical outcomes. The core idea is protected, structured time for mentored research and career development so that a clinician can transition from a mentored phase into an independent research career focused on improving health through studies grounded in patient interaction and clinically relevant questions.

This particular parent announcement is labeled "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which signals an important boundary for applicants planning their research activities. In practical terms, the proposed K23 research plan cannot be built around an independently led clinical trial by the candidate as the primary driver of the award. The mechanism is meant to support mentored development in patient-oriented research without positioning the applicant as the independent sponsor/leader of a clinical trial within the K23. Applicants typically need to ensure their project fits NIH rules for this funding opportunity and aligns with any additional institute- or center-specific guidance, especially if there are any interventional components, ancillary studies, or involvement with an existing trial.

The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the funding instrument is a discretionary grant under a broad set of health-related assistance listings (multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the parent mechanism because many NIH institutes participate). The opportunity is listed as PA-24-185, created on April 9, 2024, and it remains open with an original closing date of May 7, 2027. While the posting includes an "Award Ceiling" field, no specific ceiling amount is stated in the provided source text, and the number of expected awards is not specified here either, which is common for parent NIH announcements because actual award counts and budgets can vary by institute, fiscal year, and application pressure.

Eligibility is expansive at the organizational level and includes many standard U.S. applicant types such as state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories, including 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.

At the same time, there are clear limits related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning certain types of internationally performed activities may be permissible when they meet NIH policy requirements and are justified within the scope of an otherwise eligible U.S.-based application.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a mentored career development pathway for clinically trained professionals who want to specialize in patient-oriented research, with the award structured to provide mentorship, training, and research support while the candidate develops into an independent clinician-scientist. The emphasis is on building a strong, supervised research trajectory in clinical or patient-centered research settings, rather than launching an independently run clinical trial as the central feature of the award.

• 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 Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 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, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, 93.361, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-05-07.
• 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 24 185

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