Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 24 188

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 24 188

The NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24) is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 24 188) designed to strengthen the clinical research workforce by giving established, mid-career clinician-scientists protected time to do patient-oriented research and to mentor the next generation of clinical investigators. The core idea is to support health-professional doctorates who already have a record of conducting patient-oriented research (POR) so they can devote a meaningful portion of their professional effort to advancing research that directly involves human participants and to providing structured mentorship for clinicians in training. In practice, this award is meant to help experienced investigators stay productive and engaged in hands-on clinical research while also building a pipeline of well-trained residents, fellows, and junior faculty who can become independent patient-oriented researchers.

A defining feature of this specific parent announcement is the restriction reflected in the title: "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed." That means the K24 mechanism under this announcement is not intended to support the awardee in leading an independent clinical trial as the primary purpose of the award. The program’s emphasis is on protected time for patient-oriented research activities and mentoring, rather than using the K24 as a vehicle to launch or run an investigator-initiated clinical trial. (Applicants still need to align their plans with NIH policy and the specific clinical trial definitions and instructions that apply to this funding announcement.)

The primary beneficiaries of the mentoring component are clinical residents, clinical fellows, and/or junior clinical faculty. The award is structured to reinforce the applicant’s role as a research mentor, typically within an academic medical center or similar clinical research environment, where trainees and early-career clinicians can gain direct experience in designing patient-oriented studies, navigating regulatory and ethical requirements, managing data and participant protections, writing manuscripts, and developing competitive grant applications. In other words, NIH is investing not just in one investigator’s time, but in a mentoring ecosystem that improves the long-term capacity of institutions to produce high-quality patient-oriented research and independent clinical investigators.

Eligibility is broad on the organizational side, reflecting NIH’s intent to reach many different institutional contexts where clinical research training and mentoring occur. Eligible applicants include 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; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly states that 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 NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, which can matter for projects that include certain types of international collaborations or activities conducted abroad under a U.S. applicant organization.

Administratively, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the opportunity sits within the broad activity category covering education, environment, and health. The listing includes multiple CFDA numbers (now often referenced as Assistance Listing numbers) that correspond to various NIH institutes and centers participating in this parent program announcement. The opportunity was created on 2024-04-25, and the original closing date is listed as 2027-05-07, indicating that NIH expects to keep this parent announcement active over multiple receipt cycles during that window. The notice does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided text, which is common for NIH parent announcements because actual budgets, award sizes, and the number of funded applications depend on institute-specific priorities, available appropriations, and the strength of the submitted applications in peer review.

In summary, PA 24 188 is aimed at mid-career clinician-investigators who are already engaged in patient-oriented research and who are positioned to be impactful mentors. NIH support through the K24 is intended to buy protected time and stabilize the effort needed for sustained patient-oriented research productivity and high-quality mentorship, while explicitly avoiding the use of this particular parent mechanism to run an independent clinical trial as the central activity of the award.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 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, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, 93.361, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.855, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-25.
• 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 24 188

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