NIH K-awards

The NIH just released this year's K-award announcement. The K-series allow for 3 to 5 years of protected time to develop the skills and portfolio needed to succeed as a PI. There are specific grants for various levels of training and backgrounds from postdoc to junior faculty to mid-career investigator. You can sort out which one is right for you at  https://researchtraining.nih.gov/programs/career-development

K-awards are just about the best grants you can get because they support a large fraction of your effort (typically 75% to 100%) for a fairly long time. Protected time being one of the 5 magic ingredients of a successful research career, this is a really good thing! I had a K23 and it made a big difference. They are just about the best way to transition from wannabe investigator to successful independent career PI.

Let me know if you have any questions.

- Ben Littenberg