Clinician Scientist Awards
NCI Research Specialist (Clinician Scientist) Award (R50)
The Research Specialist Award is designed to encourage the development of stable research career opportunities for exceptional clinician scientists who want to continue to participate in the NCI clinical trials networks through leadership in the (1) development of national clinical trials, (2) implementation of NCI clinical trials in their institutions, and (3) national service to the NCI clinical trials networks through participation in the scientific review committees, monitoring committees and other activities, but not serve as principal investigators of research project grants. These clinician scientists are vital to sustaining the NCI-funded clinical trials enterprise. The Research Specialist Award is intended to provide salary support and sufficient autonomy so that individuals are not solely dependent on NCI grants held by others or other sources of support for cancer research career continuity.
Notice of Funding Opportunity for NCI Research Specialist (Clinician Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-274.html
Application Due Dates
November 04, 2024
November 04, 2025
Pre-Application Webinar: Access the pre-application webinar recording.
R50 Clinician Scientist Award FAQs
How is “other significant funding” defined for this award mechanism?
Other significant NIH funding refers to large research grants, program projects, and cooperative agreements, with activity codes such as a R01, P01, U01, UG1, UM1, etc. Applicants for the R50 Clinician Scientist award may not be the PI on these types of awards (or MPI for multi-PI awards). This is not a complete list and applicants who are unsure of a particular grant mechanism should send their questions to the scientific/research contacts listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Are applicants who currently hold a K08 eligible for this mechanism?
The R50 requires between 2.4 and 4.8 person-months effort and a maximum of 6.0 person months total from NCI grants, including the R50. This means that an investigator can have at most 3.6 person-months effort on other NCI grants. Please note that the K08 requires substantially more effort than this (see Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) for details) and is therefore not likely to be compatible with the R50.
Applicants who are completing the final year of their K08 award may be eligible to apply for the R50 if they propose a start date that begins after the K08. R50 applications submitted in November 2024 are expected to have an earliest start date of July 2025. Those submitted in November 2025 are expected to have an earliest start date of July 2026.
Would applying to the R50 affect my Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) status?
No, an investigator will retain their ESI status if they receive a R50. See List of Smaller Grants & Awards that Maintain ESI Status for more details.
How is “PD/PI” defined in the section of the NOFO about Letters of Support?
The NOFO defines “PD/PI” in the following two ways:
PD/PI of the grant/program relevant to your applicant, e.g. NCTN, NCORP, LAPs, etc.
Other individuals, such as a NCTN institutional or program PI, disease committee chair, etc.
Is the SF424 Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form required?
The R50 award does not provide direct support for research; therefore, the application should answer “no” for Human Subjects on the SF424 Human Subject and Clinical Trial Information form.
Is a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) required?
No, a DMSP is not applicable for this NOFO.
What information should be provided in the Other Support document (Just-in-Time information)?
In addition to the general guidelines found in Just-in-Time Procedures, applicants for the NCI Clinician Scientist R50 award should provide evidence of activities in support of NCI clinical trials that add up to the total effort requested in the budget and align with the Research Plan. The Other Support document should indicate clearly how those activities are linked to other NCI grants and/or cooperative agreements that are relevant to the support or conduct of NCI clinical trials. The grant number for each grant and/or cooperative agreement should be specified and, where applicable, the NCT number for specific clinical trials should also be listed.
For example, 4.8 calendar months effort for an R50 might be broken down as follows:
Title: NCI Clinician Research Specialist Award
Major Goals: To support salary for Dr. Research Specialist to devote to other NCI funded clinical trials
Status of Support: Active
Project Number: R50CA654321-03
Name of PD/PI: Specialist, Research
Source of Support: NIH/NCI
Primary Place of Performance: University of Anywhere USA
Project/Proposal Start and End Date: (MM/YYYY) (if available): 01/01/2020-12/31/2024
Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $175,000
Person Months (Calendar/Academic/Summer) per budget period.
|
Person Months (##.##) |
|
|
1. 2020 |
4.8 |
|
2. 2021 |
4.8 |
|
3. 2022 |
4.8 |
|
4. 2023 |
4.8 |
|
5. 2024 |
4.8 |
The R50 PI works on the following NCI-funded clinical trials and activities:
5U10CA123456-05, NCT0123456 – 1.2 CM
5U10CA234567-04, NCT1234567 – 1.2 CM
5UM1CA345678-03, phase 1 trial under development – 1.2 CM
5P30CA456789-02, other aim (e.g., increasing efficiency, capacity, accruals at an institutional level that is not specific to a single trial) – 1.2 CM
Examples of relevant grants and/or cooperative agreements include, but are not limited to, a U10 for an NCTN Group Operations Center, P30 Cancer Center Support Grant, UM1 for ETCTN, or NCORP Research Base, Community Site, M/U Community Site awards. If the R50 PI receives salary support from one of the awards that are included in their list of NCI-funded clinical trials and activities, the effort being devoted to the R50 award must be clearly distinct from and in addition to the salaried effort supported from the other award, unless the salary is being relinquished upon receipt of the R50 award. If effort is not related to a specific clinical trial or is for a trial under development without an NCT number, that should be stated clearly.
What information needs to be provided in the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) to provide evidence of activities in support of NCI clinical trials?
If there has been a change in Other Support, answer “Yes” to D.2.c Changes in other support, “Has there been a change in the active other support of senior/key personnel since the last reporting period?” and provide current Other Support following the guidance provided in the previous question.
If there has not been a change in Other Support, please provide an attachment in RPPR Section G.1 Special Notice of Award Terms and Notice of Funding Opportunity Reporting Requirements that delineates effort devoted to NCI-funded clinical trials. This attachment should indicate the NCI grants and/or cooperative agreements that are relevant to the support of conduct of NCI Clinical Trials. The grant number for each grant and/or cooperative agreement should be specified and, where applicable, the NCT number for specific clinical trials should also be listed. If effort is not related to a specific clinical trial or is for a trial under development without an NCT number, that should be stated clearly.
Early Career Cancer Clinical Investigator Award (ECIA)
The Early Career Cancer Clinical Investigator Award (ECIA) recognizes and supports outstanding early career clinical investigators at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers who demonstrate a commitment to becoming an academic clinical researcher and supporting the NCI-funded clinical trials enterprise. The ECIA is designed to promote the retention of early career investigators who wish to initiate a career path that focuses on interventional cancer clinical trials and academic clinical research. Eligible candidates for the ECIA are full-time faculty members who are board-certified clinicians and least two years post last clinical fellowship and no more than six years from their initial academic appointment.
Applicants are nominated by their Cancer Center Director based on qualifications, interests, accomplishments, and motivation, and based upon the nominee's intent to pursue an academic career in clinical research. The award provides partial salary support for two years for the awardee to engage in activities and efforts related to the award, with the awardee devoting at least 15 percent effort to the activities associated with this award.
For more information about how to apply, contact the ECIA program at NCIECIA@mail.nih.gov.
The ECIA was previously known as the Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award (CCITLA).