NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) | PAR 19 141

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 141

The NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist-Scientist Pathway to Independence Award is an NIH grant mechanism (K99/R00) built to help promising dual degree dentist-scientists move from a mentored postdoctoral stage into a stable, independent faculty research career. The core goal is workforce development: NIDCR is trying to grow and sustain a pipeline of clinician-scientists who can lead original research programs in oral, dental, and craniofacial science. The structure is specifically meant to speed up the transition to independence by supporting a defined period of mentored training followed by a longer period of independent research once the awardee secures a tenure-track or equivalent position.

The award is split into two phases. The K99 phase provides up to two years of mentored, postdoctoral-level support where the applicant is expected to deepen research skills, publish, and position themselves competitively for an independent faculty job. If the transition milestones are met, the award converts to the R00 phase, which provides three to five years of support for independent research once the applicant has moved into an independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty role. A notable feature here is the possibility of extending the independent R00 phase to five years to accommodate clinical specialty training, as long as that clinical training effort does not exceed 3 person-months per year (about 25 percent effort) during any R00 year. In practical terms, that option is intended to make it realistic for dentist-scientists to continue essential clinical training without losing the continuity and momentum needed to establish an independent research lab and funding trajectory.

This specific funding opportunity announcement is the version that covers independent basic experimental studies involving humans. NIH treats these as a type of clinical trial because they prospectively assign human participants to conditions, but the scientific intent is basic research rather than testing an intervention for a clear clinical or product-development application. The kinds of projects that fit here are studies where the investigator experimentally manipulates an independent variable in humans and measures biomedical or behavioral outcomes to understand fundamental mechanisms or phenomena, without a primary goal of developing or validating a specific treatment, device, or clinical process. If the proposed human study is more directly aimed at a practical application toward a process or product, the applicant is expected to use the companion clinical-trial-required announcement instead (referenced as PAR-18-432 in the text). If an applicant is not planning to lead their own independent basic experimental study with humans or clinical trial, and instead is seeking experience on a trial led by someone else, they are directed to apply under a different companion announcement (noted in the description as PAR-19-NNN).

The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health, and the activity area is health research (CFDA 93.121). It is offered as a discretionary grant under the NIDCR portfolio. The funding opportunity number is PAR-19-141, and the original closing date listed in the source information is 2022-01-07. While the excerpt does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the emphasis is clearly on supporting a selective cohort of highly competitive early-career dual degree dentist-scientists with a credible plan for rapid progression to independence.

Eligibility in the provided text focuses heavily on which organizations may apply, reflecting NIH’s broad institutional eligibility landscape. Eligible applicants include many domestic U.S. entities such as state, county, city, and special district governments; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; a range of nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities); and certain for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights categories of institutions that NIH often calls out for outreach and inclusion, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, along with faith-based or community-based organizations and certain regional organizations. At the same time, it draws clear lines regarding foreign involvement: non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components may be allowed under NIH policy as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning some part of the research may involve a foreign element if it meets NIH’s rules and is appropriately justified, even though the applicant organization itself must be eligible and essentially U.S.-based.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as a career-launch award tailored to dual degree dentist-scientists who are ready to propose and lead rigorous, prospective basic experimental research that involves human participants, and who can make a strong case that two years of targeted mentoring plus multi-year independent support will result in a successful transition into a long-term, independently funded academic research career.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCR Dual Degree Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00 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): 93.121.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-12-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 19 141

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