NIDCR Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award for a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce (F99/K00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 060

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 060

The NIDCR Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award for a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce (F99/K00) is an NIH grant opportunity designed to help exceptional graduate students move smoothly from the later stages of their doctoral training into a mentored postdoctoral research position. The central goal is to strengthen and diversify the dental, oral, and craniofacial research pipeline by supporting trainees from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from groups that are underrepresented in biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social science research. By funding this transition as a single, coordinated program, the award aims to reduce common barriers that can disrupt training momentum at the point when students finish a PhD or a dual-degree clinician-scientist program and begin postdoctoral work.

The award is structured as a phased mechanism. The first phase, the F99 component, supports the trainee while they complete the final portion of their predoctoral training, typically focused on finishing dissertation research and meeting degree requirements. The second phase, the K00 component, supports the same individual after they move into a mentored postdoctoral position that continues building their research skills and publication record in dental, oral, and craniofacial science. The intent is that, by the end of the K00 phase, recipients are well-positioned to compete for independent research faculty positions and later pursue additional NIDCR career development funding or independent research project grants.

A key restriction in this specific announcement is the clinical trial policy. Applicants are not allowed to propose leading an independent clinical trial as part of this award. However, the FOA does allow a trainee to gain experience in a clinical trial environment as long as the trial is led by a sponsor or co-sponsor and the fellow is not the one directing it. In practical terms, this means the research and training plan can involve clinical trial-related activities or exposure, but the applicant cannot be the primary driver responsible for conducting the trial as an independent study under this mechanism.

The funding opportunity is issued by the National Institutes of Health, specifically the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). It is a discretionary grant program in the health category and is identified by Funding Opportunity Number PAR-21-060 and CFDA number 93.121. The opportunity supports a broad range of applicant organization types, including 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), and small businesses, reflecting the variety of research and training environments where dental, oral, and craniofacial science is conducted.

The FOA also highlights eligibility considerations tied to the diversity and training mission. It explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). At the same time, it makes clear that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. That said, foreign components, as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, which can permit certain project elements or collaborations to occur outside the United States if they meet NIH policy requirements.

From the timeline information provided, the opportunity was created on February 8, 2021, and the original closing date listed is January 7, 2024. The summary information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would typically rely on the full FOA text and NIH guidance for detailed budgeting limits, project period expectations, and review considerations.

Overall, this F99/K00 program is best understood as a career-stage bridge: it funds a promising trainee near the end of graduate school, keeps them supported during the handoff into a postdoc, and focuses that combined period on building the research foundation needed to become an independent dental, oral, and craniofacial investigator. It is also explicitly designed to broaden participation in the research workforce by prioritizing the development of scientists from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds while maintaining NIH rules around what kinds of clinical trial leadership are and are not permitted under this mechanism.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCR Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award for a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce (F99/K00 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): 93.121.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-02-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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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