NCI Funding for Trainees

Direct any questions you have regarding the funding opportunities below to Lawrence Boise, PhD, via email.

The NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Outstanding Early Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require an extended period of mentored research training beyond their doctoral degrees. The objective of this award is to facilitate a timely transition of these fellows from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions. The program will provide independent NCI research support during this transition to help awardees to launch competitive, independent research careers. Researchers in the scientific areas of data science and cancer control science are especially encouraged to apply.

Eligibility criteria:

• Postdocs with less than two years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the application due date
• U.S. citizenship or permanent residency not required - Individuals on visas are eligible to apply
• Candidate must be nominated by an institution

Internal Nomination Process

Each institution may submit four applications for this program. Emory University intends to select its institutional designees by January 8, 2024. Applications are due on February 14, 2024.

Winship Cancer Institute will be handling the internal nomination process. Anyone wishing to be considered to apply for this award should send the following materials, compiled into a single PDF, as an email attachment to Winship Education and Training via email by Friday, December 15, 2023.

1. An NIH NRSA (F31) style biosketch (Please make sure to use a form that was revised May 2023.)
2. Specific Aims (Please make sure to follow the K99/R00 format; 1 page maximum.)
3. A letter of nomination from your sponsor/mentor

The NCI Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition (F99/K00) Award is targeted at outstanding graduate students in the 3rd and 4th year with demonstrated potential and a commitment to pursuing an independent career in cancer research. This transitional award is akin to the K99/R00 awards for senior postdocs wherein it supports the last 1-2 years of graduate training and then up to 4 years of support in the postdoctoral phase (up to 6 years total). It therefore provides the student with a "portable" transition award, making them even more competitive for the top postdoctoral positions. There is no citizenship requirement for this award.

The PhD research does not need to be cancer-focused however, the K00-phase or post-doctoral work should be cancer-focused. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for postdoctoral positions at institutions other than where their predoctoral research was conducted. The two award phases are intended to be continuous in time.

Eligibility criteria:

• Students in years 3 or 4 of PhD graduate training only
• International students ARE eligible
• Current F31 awardees/applicants ARE eligible

Internal Nomination Process

Each institution can only nominate one student. Emory University intends to select its institutional designee by October 6, 2023. Applications are due on November 17, 2023. 

Winship Cancer Institute will be handling the internal nomination process. Anyone wishing to be considered to apply for this award should send the following materials, compiled into a single PDF, as an email attachment to Lawrence Boise, PhD, via email by Friday, September 29, 2023.

1. An NIH NRSA (F31) style biosketch (Please make sure to use a form that was revised October 2021 and approved through January 31, 2026.)
2. The Specific Aims page for the grant. All applicants must use these two specific aims: 1) The Dissertation Research Project and 2) The Postdoctoral Research Direction 
3. A letter of nomination from your sponsor/mentor