NINDS K99: Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD) Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award

Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-24-213

Deadlines: October 12, 2024, November 12, 2024, February 12, 2025, March 12, 2025

Background

The purpose of the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) is to help outstanding postdoctoral researchers complete needed, mentored training and transition in a timely manner to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. The K99/R00 award is intended to foster the development of an independent research program that will be competitive for subsequent independent funding and that will help advance the mission of the NIH. Candidates must have no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application. The K99/R00 award is intended for individuals who require at least 12 months of mentored research and career development (K99 phase) before transitioning to the R00 award phase of the program. Consequently, the strongest candidates will require, and will propose, a well-conceived plan for 1-2 years of substantive mentored research and career development that will help them become competitive candidates for tenure-track faculty positions and prepare them to launch robust, independent research programs. An individual who cannot provide a compelling rationale for at least one year of additional mentored research experience and career development at the time of award is not a strong candidate for this award.

Purpose

The specific purpose of this NOFO is to assist eligible postdoctoral researchers with their transition to tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions and establishment of independent research programs in the field of ADRD. The NINDS ADRD K99/R00 program is intended to foster the development of a creative, independent researcher that will be competitive for subsequent independent funding and that will help advance the mission of the NIH in ADRD research areas in particular. It is expected that the proposed research will be rigorously designed, executed, analyzed, and interpreted (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/reproducibility/index.htm.

Applications appropriate for this NOFO may propose biomedical research across the spectrum of ADRD, including LBD, VCID, FTD, and MED, or mixed dementias, especially mixed with cerebrovascular disease or Lewy bodies. The pre-symptomatic, early symptomatic, and dementia stages of these diseases and syndromes can be addressed. Applications may include, but are not limited to, the following research areas:

  • Basic and clinical studies to advance understanding of the biological mechanisms, both at the molecular, cellular and/or systems levels, that underlie ADRD
  • Basic and clinical studies to advance understanding of the similarities and differences in biological mechanisms and pathology between ADRD and/or other neurodegenerative disorders and beyond
  • Translational/preclinical studies to determine the scientific premise of potential therapeutic targets and investigational therapies of ADRD
  • Clinical studies to refine diagnoses of ADRD, develop biomarkers, or advance understanding of the clinical sequelae of ADRD
  • Clinical research on health equities in ADRD

For more information, please see the opportunity webpage.