Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 24 191

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 24 191

The Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (K25) is an NIH career development grant meant to bring accomplished quantitative scientists and engineers into NIH-relevant health and biomedical research. It targets investigators whose prior work has been primarily in quantitative or technical disciplines rather than focused on health and disease, and it is designed to help them retool and transition their expertise into biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research questions that align with NIH missions. In practice, the award supports a structured period of mentored training and research, giving the recipient protected time to build new domain knowledge, form collaborations in the health sciences, and produce publishable work that demonstrates a clear trajectory toward an independent research career at the intersection of quantitative methods and health.

A defining feature of this specific announcement, "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed," is that the proposed K25 research plan cannot include the applicant leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial. The applicant may, however, gain clinical trial-related experience if the trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor, which allows candidates to learn clinical research processes without serving as the trial’s principal lead. If an applicant intends to lead a clinical trial or ancillary trial as the main investigator, NIH directs them to apply under the companion FOA intended for that purpose rather than this one. This distinction is important for shaping the research strategy, mentorship plan, and human subjects approach so the application stays compliant.

The program is geared toward professionals with strong quantitative and engineering backgrounds such as mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering. The core expectation is that the award will help integrate those technical strengths with biomedical or health-focused questions, for example by developing new models and algorithms, advancing imaging or computational methods, strengthening study design and statistical approaches in health research, improving data science methods for biomedical datasets, or building tools that enable new types of analysis relevant to disease, treatment, prevention, or health systems. The mentored structure is central: applicants are expected to work under supervision and guidance while expanding their health-research competencies, and the protected time is meant to ensure they can focus meaningfully on training and research rather than being pulled primarily into other professional duties.

Eligibility for applying is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. 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; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as certain Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The opportunity also explicitly notes eligibility considerations for a range of institution types often highlighted by NIH, including 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), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. In terms of geographic eligibility, non-U.S. (foreign) entities 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 its Grants Policy Statement) may be allowed, which can matter for collaborations or parts of a project conducted abroad under NIH rules.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program offered by the National Institutes of Health under Funding Opportunity Number PA-24-191, categorized under the broad activity area of education and health-related training/career development. It is associated with multiple CFDA numbers reflecting the many NIH institutes and centers that may participate. The opportunity was created on April 23, 2024, and lists an original closing date of May 7, 2027, indicating a multi-year window during which applications may be accepted according to NIH submission cycles and standard due dates. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided text, which is common for NIH parent or broad FOAs where budgets and award counts depend on institute participation, applicant needs, and annual appropriations.

Overall, the K25 described here is best understood as a bridge award for quantitatively trained researchers who want to pivot into health and disease research with strong mentorship and dedicated time, while keeping the applicant out of the role of leading a clinical trial. The most competitive fit is typically a candidate with a demonstrated quantitative track record and a well-justified plan for acquiring biomedical expertise, supported by mentors and an environment that can translate their methods into impactful NIH-relevant research outputs and set them up for later independent funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 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, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.233, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.310, 93.313, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-23.
• 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 24 191

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