Mentored Career Transition Award for Intramural Fellows (K22 Clinical Trials Required) | PA 18 613

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 613

The Mentored Career Transition Award for NIMH Intramural Fellows (K22 Clinical Trials Required) is an NIH grant opportunity (PA-18-613) created to help postdoctoral fellows in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Division of Intramural Research Programs (DIRP) move efficiently from an intramural postdoc appointment into an extramural, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty role at an eligible US institution. The central idea is to reduce the gap between strong postdoctoral training and true research independence by providing a structured, mentored pathway that continues across the transition to a new institution, with added research support once the awardee launches their extramural lab or program.

This K22 is explicitly built as a two-phase mentored career development program. In the first phase, the candidate remains in the NIMH intramural environment and continues advanced training under mentorship, focusing on building the skills, publications, preliminary data, and professional readiness needed to compete for a faculty appointment. The second phase begins after the candidate secures an eligible extramural faculty position in the US; during this phase, mentorship continues and the award provides research support intended to help the investigator establish momentum quickly, generate key findings, and position themselves to compete successfully for independent NIH research grants. In practice, the two-phase structure is meant to make the jump to independence less risky by ensuring the candidate has both a development plan and resources that carry over into the early faculty years.

A defining feature of this specific FOA is that clinical trials are required in the way NIH uses that term. It is intended for applicants who will serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, an independent clinical trial feasibility study, or a standalone ancillary study connected to an existing trial. In other words, the applicant is expected to be driving a clinical trial effort that is their responsibility, rather than simply participating in someone else s trial for experience. If an applicant does not plan to lead an independent clinical trial, or if they primarily want clinical trial experience under another investigator s leadership, they are directed to apply instead to the companion FOA referenced in the announcement (PA-18-NNN).

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health funding area (CFDA 93.242) and is administered by the National Institutes of Health. A broad range of organization types may be eligible to apply, including public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses, along with other eligible entities as allowed by NIH. The FOA also highlights inclusion of institution types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and eligible federal agencies. At the same time, it clearly restricts foreign involvement: non-US entities are not eligible to apply, non-US components of US organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined in NIH policy are not allowed.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted career transition mechanism for NIMH intramural postdocs who are ready to step into an independent, faculty-level role and who plan to build their early independent program around a clinical trial they will lead. The award is meant to combine mentorship continuity with tangible research support at the moment it is often most needed: right after the move into an extramural faculty appointment, when new investigators are expected to produce results, publish, and compete for larger independent funding while also setting up their lab and clinical research infrastructure. The source data lists an original closing date of 2021-01-07, and it does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the fields provided.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Career Transition Award for Intramural Fellows (K22 Clinical Trials Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-01-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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 18 613

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