Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Required) | PA 20 206

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 206

The Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is an NIH career development grant designed to help clinically trained investigators build a long-term research career centered on patient-oriented research. It is meant for individuals who already hold a clinical doctoral degree and have clearly committed to conducting research that directly involves human subjects, patient populations, or clinical phenomena. The overall goal is to provide a structured, mentored path that helps a developing clinician-researcher gain the skills, experience, and publication track record needed to become an independent investigator, typically by combining a supervised research project with a formal career development and training plan.

This specific opportunity is the "Parent K23 - Independent Clinical Trial Required" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-20-206), which signals that the proposed work is expected to include an independent clinical trial as a central component. In practice, this means the applicant is not only conducting patient-oriented research, but is also taking responsibility for designing and leading a clinical trial in a way that meets NIH expectations for independent trial leadership. The K23 structure emphasizes mentored development, so applicants generally propose a primary mentor and often a team of co-mentors who provide complementary expertise (for example, clinical content, trial methodology, biostatistics, implementation, or ethics), along with a training plan that addresses any gaps in the applicant's preparation.

The award is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and uses the grant funding instrument. It falls under broad public assistance activity categories that include health, education, and human services. Multiple NIH CFDA numbers are associated with the announcement (including 93.113, 93.121, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.859, 93.865, and 93.866), reflecting that many NIH Institutes and Centers may participate depending on the disease area or research focus.

Eligibility is broad at the organizational level. A wide range of U.S.-based entities can apply, including state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions when specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible applicants. The announcement also highlights several categories of institutions and organizations that are explicitly included as eligible applicants, such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), 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 that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis reflects NIH's intent to ensure that a diverse range of institutions can host and support mentored clinical investigators, including those in underserved or historically underrepresented settings.

Restrictions apply to non-U.S. organizations. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, foreign components are allowed when they meet NIH's definition in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In practical terms, that means the primary applicant organization must be eligible and domestic, but certain project elements can include a foreign component if it is well justified scientifically and administratively and complies with NIH policy.

Key administrative details included in the source data are that the opportunity is discretionary, was created on 2020-05-12, and listed an original closing date of 2024-05-07. The provided listing does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which often varies by NIH Institute/Center, budget availability, and application volume. Overall, this K23 announcement is best understood as a mentored, career-building mechanism for clinician-scientists who want to become independent leaders in patient-oriented research and who are prepared to take on the responsibilities of conducting an independent clinical trial within a mentored career development framework.

• 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 Required)" 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, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-05-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-07. (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.

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