NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K08 Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 21 299

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 299

The NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K08 Clinical Trial Required), funding opportunity number PAR-21-299, is an NIH/National Cancer Institute career development grant designed to help clinically trained investigators build the skills, track record, and independence needed for long-term research careers in cancer-related fields. It supports people who hold a clinical doctoral degree and need a sustained, mentored period of protected time to develop as clinician-scientists through intensive, supervised research and structured career development. The program sits within the long-running NIH K08 framework and is focused on strengthening the nation’s health-related research workforce by helping early-career clinical researchers transition toward independent funding and leadership roles.

A defining feature of this NCI-specific K08 is its explicit emphasis on promoting diversity in the cancer research workforce. The award is intended for clinical scientists from backgrounds that have been shown to be nationally underrepresented in health-related science, and for those who are committed to a career in basic biomedical, behavioral, or translational cancer research. This includes work aimed at understanding and addressing cancer health disparities. In practical terms, the grant is meant to provide the time, mentorship, and research environment necessary for an awardee to deepen technical expertise, produce high-quality publications and preliminary data, and develop a coherent research direction that can compete well for subsequent NIH research project grants such as the R03, R21, or R01.

Because this is the "Clinical Trial Required" version of the K08, the supported research is expected to include a clinical trial component as defined by NIH policy. Applicants should plan for a project that meets NIH’s definition of a clinical trial and should be prepared to address the additional design, oversight, and compliance elements that come with clinical trial research (for example, appropriate human subjects protections and trial-related monitoring expectations). The overarching goal is still mentored career development, but the research plan needs to align with the clinical trial requirement stated in the opportunity title.

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under the broad activity areas of education and health, with CFDA number 93.398. Eligible applicant organizations are wide-ranging and include many domestic public and private entities such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where specified); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, as well as tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicant types that align with the diversity and workforce-development mission, 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, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the program places firm limits on foreign involvement in the application. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. These restrictions mean applicants must be based at eligible U.S. organizations without foreign components in the proposed work.

Key administrative details from the listing include the sponsoring agency (National Institutes of Health, specifically NCI), the opportunity category (discretionary), and the original closing date shown as 2024-09-07. The posting indicates the opportunity was created on 2021-09-10. Award ceiling and expected award counts are not specified in the provided source information, which typically means applicants need to consult the full funding announcement or NIH guidance for budget structure, salary and research support limits, project period expectations, and institute-specific policies that govern K08 applications.

Overall, this K08 is best understood as a mentored runway for clinically trained investigators who want to become independent cancer researchers, with a special focus on supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and strengthening the diversity of the cancer research pipeline. The expected outcome is not just completion of a single project, but a clear progression toward independence: stronger research skills, an established mentoring network, a focused research niche in cancer science (including disparities research where relevant), and a competitive foundation for future NIH investigator-initiated grants.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K08 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 2021-09-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-07. (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 21 299

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