Notice to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The ACE K32 Award provides up to three years of salary and research support for early-stage postdoctoral scholars to pursue mentored research and career development toward independent biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research careers.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (projected) | February 2026 (projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $80,000/year for salary plus up to $30,000/year for research development costs; up to 3 years of support per award.
Summary: Supports early-stage postdoctoral scholars with mentored research and career development in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research fields.
Key Information: Forecasted opportunity; all dates are projected and subject to change.
Description
The Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is an anticipated funding opportunity from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other NIH Institutes and Centers. The program is designed to support rigorous, mentored scientific research and career development for early-stage postdoctoral scholars. The ACE K32 provides up to three years of support early in the postdoctoral period, serving as a foundation for an independent research career in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.
The award emphasizes innovative research ideas and strong career development and mentorship plans, aiming to prepare postdocs for more advanced NIH career development awards and eventual research independence. Preliminary data are not required. Applications must be submitted by the institution where the postdoctoral research will be conducted.
