The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is offering the NIAID Physician-Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00). This grant aims to support outstanding postdoctoral researchers with a clinical doctorate degree in their transition from mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track, or equivalent faculty positions. The award is intended to increase the number of highly trained physician-scientists conducting biomedical research to help address the national workforce shortage in this field.

The award is structured in two phases: the K99 mentored phase and the R00 independent phase. The K99 phase provides up to two years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development, while the R00 phase provides up to two years of independent research support contingent upon obtaining an approved tenure-track or equivalent faculty position. The program does not support independent clinical trials; however, applicants may propose a research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor. Candidates must have no more than four years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of application and must not have held an independent research position before receiving the award.

Eligible applicants include individuals with a clinical doctorate degree (e.g., MD, DO, DDS/DMD, DVM/VMD, MD/PhD, DNP) who devote the majority of their time to biomedical research. The grant is open to U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, lawful permanent residents, and non-U.S. citizens with appropriate visas. The K99 phase institution will serve as the applicant organization, while the R00 phase institution will need to support the awardee's transition to independence. Eligible applicant institutions include public and private higher education institutions, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, state and local governments, tribal entities, and certain federal agencies.

Applications follow standard NIH due dates, with the first deadline under this announcement set for February 12, 2023. For AIDS-related applications, the first deadline is May 7, 2023. The expiration date for this funding opportunity is January 8, 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or NIH’s ASSIST system and must comply with NIH policies, including the Data Management and Sharing Policy. Review criteria include the candidate’s research potential, the quality of the proposed career development plan, the significance of the research plan, and institutional support.

Funding for the K99 phase includes up to $75,000 per year in salary support and $25,000 for research development costs. The R00 phase provides up to $249,000 per year, covering salary, research expenses, and indirect costs. The number of awards is contingent on NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. NIH expects awardees to transition seamlessly from the K99 to the R00 phase without gaps in funding. Institutions are required to demonstrate a strong commitment to the applicant's development and provide the necessary support for their transition to an independent research career.

Applicants are encouraged to seek confirmation of eligibility from NIAID before applying. For further information, potential applicants may contact Dr. Jyothi Arikkath (AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov) for scientific/research inquiries, Dr. James T. Snyder (james.snyder@nih.gov) for peer review matters, and Kalaya M. Goffigan (kalaya.goffigan@nih.gov) for financial or grants management questions.