Mentored Career Development Award to Promote Faculty Diversity in Biomedical Research (K01 Independent Clinical Trial Required) | RFA HL 25 008

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 25 008

The Mentored Career Development Award to Promote Faculty Diversity in Biomedical Research (K01) (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HL-25-008) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity, led through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), that aims to strengthen and expand the pipeline of independent biomedical researchers from diverse backgrounds, including investigators from groups that are underrepresented in NHLBI-relevant research areas. The central idea is to provide structured, mentored career development support so that promising faculty can gain advanced research skills, deepen their scientific focus, and build the track record needed to transition into research independence. The award is positioned for investigators working in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical science, and it emphasizes a training and research plan that is carefully guided by an experienced mentor with a strong record of scholarship and of developing successful independent investigators.

Scientifically, the NOFO is geared toward basic, clinical, and translational research that uses modern methods and rigorous experimental approaches to address problems in cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematologic diseases, as well as sleep disorders. A notable priority is relevance to both the general population and health disparities populations, reflecting NHLBI interest in advancing science that can improve outcomes broadly while also addressing inequities in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In practical terms, applicants are expected to propose a focused research and career development program that fits within NHLBI mission space and that clearly shows how the candidate will acquire new expertise, publish impactful work, and move toward competing successfully for independent research funding.

The application is submitted by an eligible institution on behalf of an eligible faculty candidate, with the candidate carrying out special study and supervised research under a primary mentor (and potentially co-mentors). The mentor is expected to be an accomplished investigator in the proposed area and to provide a well-structured environment for the candidate's development, including scientific guidance, training opportunities, and professional development support. The mentored nature of the award is central: it is meant to be a stepping-stone to independence rather than a standalone research project, so the career development plan and mentoring strategy are as important as the scientific aims.

A key boundary of this particular NOFO is how it handles clinical trials. Despite the title including the phrase "Independent Clinical Trial Required," the body of the announcement specifies that this NOFO is intended for candidates whose proposed research does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary clinical trial. Candidates can, however, propose gaining experience by participating in a clinical trial that is led by a mentor or co-mentor, which allows clinical exposure and training without placing the candidate in the role of the trial's lead investigator. If the candidate intends to lead a clinical trial or lead an ancillary study tied to an ongoing trial, the NOFO directs them to apply instead to the companion opportunity RFA-HL-25-009.

Eligibility is broad on the applicant organization side and includes many types of domestic entities typically eligible for NIH grants. Listed 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; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses, among others. The NOFO also highlights institution types that often play an outsized role in educating and employing scholars from underrepresented backgrounds, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations.

At the same time, there are clear geographic limits. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant institution may include certain types of foreign involvement when justified and consistent with NIH policy, even though the primary applicant organization must be domestic.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the health funding category, associated with CFDA (now Assistance Listing) numbers 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, and 93.840. The opportunity was created on May 9, 2024, and the listed original closing date is May 7, 2027. The provided summary does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would typically need to consult the full NOFO text and NIH guidance for budget structure, project period limits, salary support rules, and other standard K01 program requirements.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a mentored, faculty-focused career development pathway sponsored by NHLBI to broaden the diversity of the biomedical research workforce and to help early-stage faculty build the expertise, mentorship support, and research foundation needed for independence, with a clear emphasis on heart, lung, blood, and sleep research and with specific guardrails around not serving as the lead investigator for an independent clinical trial under this particular announcement.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Career Development Award to Promote Faculty Diversity in Biomedical Research (K01 Independent Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-09.
• 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 RFA HL 25 008

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