Learn more about citizenship at the National Institutes of Health Grants Policy Statement.

Health professional doctoral degree examples include M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., O.D., D.C., Pharm.D., and N.D., as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research or practice. Individuals with the Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in clinical disciplines such as clinical psychology, nursing, clinical genetics, speech-language pathology, audiology or rehabilitation are also eligible. Individuals holding the Ph.D. in a non-clinical discipline, but who are certified to perform clinical duties, should contact the NIGMS program official.

The NIGMS expects that applicants seeking the K99/R00 award are postdoctoral scientists in biomedical science who require at least 12 months of mentored research training and career development to become a competitive candidate for an independent faculty position. This typically means acquiring and gaining skills with new research tools, systems, or methodological approaches and organizational and management skills critical for an independent research career in an academic setting. Applicants should understand that the K99/R00 award supports both research project aims and career development objectives with both elements considered in review of the application. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))

For the purposes of the K23 award, patient-oriented research is defined as research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens, and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) directly interacts with human subjects. This area of research includes: 1.) mechanisms of human disease, 2.) therapeutic interventions, 3.) clinical trials, and 4.) the development of new technologies. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues but do not deal directly with patients. In other words, patient-oriented research is research in which it is necessary to know the identity of the patients from whom the cells or tissues under study are derived. (PA-24-185)

Learn more about the NIGMS mission at the NIGMS Overview webpage.

The NIGMS expects that applicants seeking the K99/R00 award are postdoctoral scientists in biomedical science who require at least 12 months of mentored research training and career development to become a competitive candidate for an independent faculty position. This typically means acquiring and gaining skills with new research tools, systems, or methodological approaches and organizational and management skills critical for an independent research career in an academic setting. Applicants should understand that the K99/R00 award supports both research project aims and career development objectives with both elements considered in review of the application. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))

The K99 is not intended to extend time in the postdoctoral lab while an individual is on the job market. Individuals nearing the end of their 4-year eligibility must make a strong case for the need for additional mentored training. Individuals who are testing the academic job market by applying or interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions are not the intended candidates for NIGMS K99/R00 awards. A decision to apply for independent, tenure-track faculty positions implies that the applicant (with the concurrence of their mentor) is prepared to launch an independent career. An invitation to interview for a faculty position also indicates that search committees consider an individual as a competitive candidate who is prepared for independence. Therefore, applicants who have been actively interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions will generally be considered a lower priority for funding by NIGMS. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))

If you are a current or former program director/principal investigator (PD/PI) or project leader on NIH grants, check appropriate NOFO for further details on eligibility.

If you are a current or former program director/principal investigator (PD/PI) or project leader on NIH grants, check appropriate NOFO for further details on eligibility.

If you are a current or former program director/principal investigator (PD/PI) or project leader on NIH grants, check appropriate NOFO for further details on eligibility.

The NIGMS expects that applicants seeking the K99/R00 award are postdoctoral scientists in biomedical science who require at least 12 months of mentored research training and career development to become a competitive candidate for an independent faculty position. This typically means acquiring and gaining skills with new research tools, systems, or methodological approaches and organizational and management skills critical for an independent research career in an academic setting. Applicants should understand that the K99/R00 award supports both research project aims and career development objectives with both elements considered in review of the application. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))

The K99 is not intended to extend time in the postdoctoral lab while an individual is on the job market. Individuals nearing the end of their 4-year eligibility must make a strong case for the need for additional mentored training. Individuals who are testing the academic job market by applying or interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions are not the intended candidates for NIGMS K99/R00 awards. A decision to apply for independent, tenure-track faculty positions implies that the applicant (with the concurrence of their mentor) is prepared to launch an independent career. An invitation to interview for a faculty position also indicates that search committees consider an individual as a competitive candidate who is prepared for independence. Therefore, applicants who have been actively interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions will generally be considered a lower priority for funding by NIGMS. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))

The K99 is not intended to extend time in the postdoctoral lab while an individual is on the job market. Individuals nearing the end of their 4-year eligibility must make a strong case for the need for additional mentored training. Individuals who are testing the academic job market by applying or interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions are not the intended candidates for NIGMS K99/R00 awards. A decision to apply for independent, tenure-track faculty positions implies that the applicant (with the concurrence of their mentor) is prepared to launch an independent career. An invitation to interview for a faculty position also indicates that search committees consider an individual as a competitive candidate who is prepared for independence. Therefore, applicants who have been actively interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions will generally be considered a lower priority for funding by NIGMS. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))

The K99 is not intended to extend time in the postdoctoral lab while an individual is on the job market. Individuals nearing the end of their 4-year eligibility must make a strong case for the need for additional mentored training. Individuals who are testing the academic job market by applying or interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions are not the intended candidates for NIGMS K99/R00 awards. A decision to apply for independent, tenure-track faculty positions implies that the applicant (with the concurrence of their mentor) is prepared to launch an independent career. An invitation to interview for a faculty position also indicates that search committees consider an individual as a competitive candidate who is prepared for independence. Therefore, applicants who have been actively interviewing for tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions will generally be considered a lower priority for funding by NIGMS. (Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00))