Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) | PA 20 192

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 192

The NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA-20-192) designed to strengthen the nation’s clinical research workforce by supporting established, mid-career clinician-scientists. The core goal is to buy protected time for eligible health-professional doctorates so they can (1) devote a significant portion of their effort to patient-oriented research (POR) and (2) serve as active research mentors, particularly for clinical residents, clinical fellows, and/or junior clinical faculty. In practice, this mechanism is meant to help midcareer investigators maintain and expand a sustained program of human-subjects-focused research while also building a pipeline of newer clinician-investigators through structured mentorship and training in real clinical research settings.

A defining feature of this specific K24 parent announcement is the emphasis on independent basic experimental studies with humans, meaning the supported research must be patient-oriented and involve direct interactions with human participants or human-origin data/specimens in a way that fits NIH’s expectations for human-subjects research. The award is not simply a career development supplement; it is framed as a way to protect time for an investigator who already demonstrates research independence and productivity, so that their clinical and administrative responsibilities do not crowd out continued patient-oriented investigation and high-quality mentoring. The mentoring component is central rather than optional: applicants are expected to function as experienced mentors who can guide multiple trainees or junior faculty, helping them develop rigorous clinical research skills, responsible conduct, and career momentum toward independent funding.

Eligibility is broad at the organizational level, reflecting NIH’s intent to make the mechanism accessible across many sectors involved in health research and clinical training. Eligible applicant organizations include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments). Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, and both for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also listed as eligible. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the opportunity makes clear limits around foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, foreign components are allowed when they meet NIH’s definition under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which is a common NIH approach that permits certain international collaborations while keeping the applicant institution domestic.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is run by the National Institutes of Health and uses the grant funding instrument. It is categorized under Education, Environment, and Health funding activity areas and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.113, 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.866), reflecting that multiple NIH Institutes and Centers may participate or align the mechanism with different program authorities. The opportunity record shows an original closing date of 2024-05-07 and a creation date of 2020-05-06. Specific fields such as an award ceiling and expected number of awards are not provided in the supplied source data, which typically means applicants need to consult the full NIH funding announcement and the related NIH Institute/Center participation details to understand budget parameters, award duration, and the likely scale of awards.

Overall, this K24 mechanism is best understood as a midcareer stabilizer and multiplier: it protects the awardee’s time to conduct hands-on human research while formally recognizing and resourcing their role as a mentor who can develop the next generation of patient-oriented investigators. The “Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required” framing signals that NIH expects the supported work to be firmly rooted in studies involving human participants, and that the awardee’s environment should support both the research program and the mentoring plan in a way that leads to measurable trainee development and sustained patient-oriented research productivity.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 - 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): 93.113, 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-05-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-07. (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.

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