NIDCD Research Career Enhancement Award for Established Investigators (K18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Grant for experienced researchers to enhance their research programs by gaining new skills, specifically for studying hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language sciences.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: February 8, 2027 (New applications) | March 8, 2027 (Resubmissions) | May 7, 2027 (Closing date)
Funding Amounts: Salary support up to the applicable NIH cap, plus $40,000 annually for research development; six months–two years
Summary: Mentored career enhancement helps established investigators acquire new research capabilities in hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language sciences.
Key Information: Candidates must commit at least 50% effort and cannot lead an independent clinical trial under this opportunity.
Description
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) offers this K18 award to established investigators seeking to broaden or redirect their research through intensive mentored training. It focuses on Associate Professors, Professors, and equivalent investigators in nonacademic settings with records of scientific accomplishment and independent research support. Investigators outside the communication sciences may participate to add research within NIDCD’s mission.
The experience provides protected time to learn new techniques, emerging technologies, or scientific approaches and catalyze collaborations. Training generally combines didactic or laboratory instruction with a small research project in a host laboratory, either at the applicant institution or elsewhere. The goal is new or augmented research programs competitive for NIH funding. Research experience in a mentor-led clinical trial is permitted, but candidates cannot lead an independent trial, trial feasibility study, or ancillary clinical trial.
