NIDCR Dentist Scientist Career Transition Award for Intramural Investigators (K22 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) | PAR 19 151

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 151

The NIDCR Dentist Scientist Career Transition Award for Intramural Investigators (K22; PAR-19-151) is a National Institutes of Health grant opportunity designed to help dentist-scientists move from NIH intramural training into independent research careers at extramural (non-NIH) institutions. It specifically targets highly qualified dentists who are currently in NIH Intramural postdoctoral fellowship positions and gives them a structured pathway with two linked goals: first, additional mentored research time within the NIH intramural environment, and second, independent grant support to launch and sustain their own research program once they secure a position at an eligible external institution. In practical terms, it is meant to bridge the common career gap between being a well-trained fellow and becoming an independently funded faculty-level investigator.

This particular K22 announcement is narrowly focused on basic science experimental studies that involve human participants and that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial, even though the intent is basic, mechanistic science rather than product development or clinical application. Under NIH policy (as referenced in NOT-OD-18-212), these are described as prospective basic science studies involving human participants. The key feature is that the research prospectively assigns human participants to specific conditions, meaning the study design includes an experimental manipulation of one or more independent variables, and then measures biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans. The purpose of doing so must be to understand fundamental biological or behavioral mechanisms, without having a specific near-term application toward a treatment, device, or other product. If a proposed human study is oriented toward developing or testing an intervention with a specific practical or translational endpoint in mind, applicants are directed instead to the companion "Clinical Trial Required" FOA (PAR-18-360), which better fits studies aiming at processes or products.

This FOA is also not the right fit for applicants who are not planning to lead an independent basic experimental study with humans (or an independent clinical trial) as part of their transition. If the applicant does not plan to run an independent human experimental study, or if they mainly want to gain experience by working on a trial or human experimental study that is led by another investigator, they are instructed to apply to a different companion FOA (noted in the text as PAR-19-NNN). In other words, PAR-19-151 is built for people who will be taking ownership of an independent human-participant basic experimental study as they move into independence.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary NIH grant in the health funding category, listed under CFDA 93.121, and administered by the National Institutes of Health through NIDCR (the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research). The eligible applicant landscape is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district, independent school districts), as well as public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. It also explicitly highlights institutional categories often associated with serving underrepresented or specific communities, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and AANAPISI institutions, along with eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and certain tribal entities.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions related to non-U.S. participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" may be allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means a portion of the project can be performed outside the U.S. under specific NIH rules and with appropriate justification and approvals, even though the applicant organization itself must be eligible and primarily domestic.

The source data indicates the original closing date for this opportunity was January 7, 2022, and it does not list an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided excerpt. Overall, the program is best understood as a dentist-scientist career transition mechanism that couples intramural mentored development with extramural independence, specifically for investigators whose independent research direction involves prospective, experimentally manipulated, basic science studies in human participants that still qualify as NIH-defined clinical trials.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCR Dentist Scientist Career Transition Award for Intramural Investigators (K22 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-01-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 19 151

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: