Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 395
The Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Clinical Trial Required), funding opportunity number PA 18 395, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) career development grant designed to bring more quantitatively trained researchers into NIH-relevant health and biomedical research. Its central goal is to attract investigators who have strong backgrounds in quantitative science or engineering but whose prior work has not primarily focused on health, disease, or clinical research questions. In practice, this program is meant to help a productive quantitative professional pivot their skills into biomedical and clinical problem spaces by pairing them with experienced mentors and providing the structure and time needed to retrain, collaborate, and produce impactful, NIH-aligned research.
A defining feature of the K25 mechanism is the emphasis on mentored career development through a period of protected time. The award supports a supervised plan of study and research, allowing the recipient to deepen their understanding of biomedical or clinical domains while applying and extending their quantitative expertise. The opportunity specifically highlights applicants from fields such as mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering. The intent is not to fund a purely technical project in isolation, but to create a pathway where quantitative methods are integrated into health and disease research, building the recipient into an independent investigator who can operate comfortably across both quantitative and biomedical environments.
As indicated in the title, this particular parent announcement is the "Clinical Trial Required" version, which means the proposed career development and research plan is expected to include a clinical trial component consistent with NIH definitions and requirements. Applicants considering this opportunity typically need to ensure that their proposal aligns with NIH expectations for clinical trial conduct, oversight, and reporting, and that the mentoring team and institutional environment can support those responsibilities.
Eligibility to apply is broad at the organizational level. Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S.-based 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; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also listed as eligible, along with other categories captured under NIH eligibility rules.
The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types that NIH aims to include and encourage, such as 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. These categories reflect NIH's interest in broad participation across institution types and communities, including organizations that serve populations historically underrepresented in biomedical research.
At the same time, the opportunity draws clear boundaries around non-U.S. applicants. 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 to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant organization can include certain well-justified international elements within the project under NIH rules, even though the primary applicant institution must be domestic.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program under the NIH umbrella, with the funding activity category listed under a broad set of public-interest areas including education and health. The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing numbers), reflecting that it can be relevant across multiple NIH institutes and centers and therefore may align with a range of disease areas and research missions. The original closing date shown in the source data is 2019-01-07, and the record creation date is 2017-11-22; in real-world use, parent NIH announcements often have multiple receipt dates over time, so applicants typically confirm the currently active due dates and participating NIH institutes in the live listing and the NIH Guide notice history.
Overall, the K25 (Clinical Trial Required) is best understood as a mentored transition award: it is meant to help a quantitatively oriented scientist or engineer build biomedical and clinical trial research expertise while continuing to leverage their technical strengths, with enough protected time and mentoring support to develop into a competitive, independent NIH-funded investigator working on questions of health and disease.Apply for PA 18 395
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.173, 93.233, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847, 93.865, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-07. (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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Clinical Trial Required) - PA 18 395
What is the Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Clinical Trial Required)?
The Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Clinical Trial Required) is an NIH career development grant designed to bring more quantitatively trained researchers into NIH-relevant health and biomedical research. It supports a mentored period of training and research so a quantitative scientist or engineer can pivot their expertise into biomedical and clinical research problem areas.
What is the funding opportunity number for this program?
The funding opportunity number is PA 18 395.
What is the central purpose of this K25 program?
The central purpose is to attract investigators with strong quantitative backgrounds whose prior work has not primarily focused on health, disease, or clinical research questions, and to help them transition into NIH-aligned biomedical and clinical research through mentoring and protected time.
Who is this award intended for (in terms of background and career direction)?
This award is intended for productive professionals trained in quantitative science or engineering who want to redirect their work toward biomedical and clinical questions. The program is structured to help them retrain, collaborate with experienced mentors, and generate impactful research in NIH-relevant areas.
What kinds of quantitative fields does NIH explicitly highlight for applicants?
The opportunity highlights applicants from fields such as mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering.
Is this award meant to fund a purely technical or methods-only project?
No. The intent is not to fund a purely technical project in isolation. The goal is to integrate quantitative methods into health and disease research so the recipient develops the ability to work effectively across quantitative and biomedical environments.
What does "mentored" mean in the context of this award?
Mentored means the award supports a supervised plan of study and research guided by experienced mentors. The structure is intended to help the recipient build biomedical or clinical domain knowledge while applying and extending their quantitative expertise.
What is meant by "protected time" under the K25 mechanism?
The K25 mechanism emphasizes a period of protected time for supervised career development activities, including training and research. The protected time is meant to provide the space needed to retrain, collaborate, and progress toward independence in NIH-relevant research.
What does "Clinical Trial Required" mean for this parent announcement?
"Clinical Trial Required" means the proposed career development and research plan is expected to include a clinical trial component consistent with NIH definitions and requirements.
Do applicants need to address clinical trial conduct and oversight in their proposal?
Yes. Because a clinical trial component is expected, applicants typically need to ensure their proposal aligns with NIH expectations for clinical trial conduct, oversight, and reporting, and that their mentoring team and institutional environment can support those responsibilities.
What types of U.S. organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based 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; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are listed as eligible, along with other categories captured under NIH eligibility rules.
Are institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations explicitly included?
Yes. The announcement explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types NIH aims to include and encourage, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, and other organizations serving communities historically underrepresented in biomedical research.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed among the additional eligible applicant types NIH aims to include and encourage.
Are U.S. territories or possessions included as eligible applicants?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among the additional eligible applicant types NIH aims to include and encourage.
Are eligible federal agencies included as eligible applicants?
Yes. Eligible federal agencies are listed among the additional eligible applicant types NIH aims to include and encourage.
Can a non-U.S. (foreign) institution apply directly as the applicant organization?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.
Can a U.S. organization apply if the project includes a non-domestic component of that U.S. organization?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
Are any international elements allowed at all?
Yes. "Foreign components" (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This means a U.S. applicant organization may include certain well-justified international elements within the project under NIH rules, even though the primary applicant must be a domestic organization.
What kind of grant is this from an administrative perspective?
This is a discretionary grant program under the NIH umbrella.
What broad activity areas does the opportunity fall under?
The funding activity category is listed under broad public-interest areas including education and health.
Why does the opportunity reference multiple CFDA (Assistance Listing) numbers?
Multiple CFDA (Assistance Listing) numbers are associated with the opportunity because it can be relevant across multiple NIH institutes and centers, and may align with a range of disease areas and research missions.
What is the closing date shown in the provided information?
The original closing date shown in the provided source data is 2019-01-07.
What is the record creation date shown in the provided information?
The record creation date shown is 2017-11-22.
Does the listed closing date necessarily reflect the currently active due date?
Not necessarily. The information notes that parent NIH announcements often have multiple receipt dates over time, so applicants typically confirm the currently active due dates and participating NIH institutes in the live listing and NIH Guide notice history.
How should someone describe this award in plain terms?
It is a mentored transition award that helps a quantitatively oriented scientist or engineer build biomedical and clinical trial research expertise while continuing to leverage their technical strengths, with the goal of developing into an independent NIH-funded investigator working on health and disease questions.
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|---|
| NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 18 397 Funding Number: PA 18 397 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Opportunities for Collaborative Research at the NIH Clinical Center (U01 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 646 Funding Number: PAR 18 646 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on the Health of Women of Understudied, Underrepresented and Underreported (U3) Populations An ORWH FY18 Administrative Supplement (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 676 Funding Number: PA 18 676 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Exploratory/Developmental Clinical Research Grants in Obesity (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 720 Funding Number: PA 18 720 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortia (RDCRC) for Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (U54 Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for RFA TR 18 020 Funding Number: RFA TR 18 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 854 Funding Number: PAR 18 854 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Discovery of Biomarkers, Biomarker Signatures, and Endpoints for Pain (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 18 041 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 041 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 042 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 042 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Analytical and/or Clinical Validation of a Candidate Biomarker for Pain (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 18 046 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 046 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 043 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 043 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Predoctoral Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) - Institutional Research Training Program [T32] Apply for RFA OD 19 011 Funding Number: RFA OD 19 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Optimization of Non-addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 19 010 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Translational Development of Devices to Treat Pain (U18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA EB 18 003 Funding Number: RFA EB 18 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Translational Devices to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 19 016 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 016 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Optimization of Non-addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain - (U44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 19 020 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Translational Devices to Treat Pain (U44 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 19 017 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 017 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Administrative Supplement for Research on Bioethical Issues Apply for PA 19 217 Funding Number: PA 19 217 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Development of Therapies and Technologies Directed at Enhanced Pain Management (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 20 008 Funding Number: RFA NS 20 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL INITIATIVE: Development of Therapies and Technologies Directed at Enhanced Pain Management (R43/R44 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 20 010 Funding Number: RFA NS 20 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Developmental Centers for AIDS Research (P30 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 20 107 Funding Number: PAR 20 107 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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