NIH Director's Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)
This grant supports exceptional recent doctoral graduates to start independent NIH-funded research careers immediately, bypassing traditional postdoc training, in any NIH-relevant field; clinical trials are optional.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
National Institutes of Health has archived this opportunity.
Funder: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Due Dates: October 10, 2025 (forecasted)
Funding Amounts: Estimated total program funding: $5,100,000; ~9 awards expected; individual award size varies.
Summary: Supports outstanding early career scientists seeking to rapidly transition to independent research positions without traditional postdoctoral training.
Key Information: Only single PI applications; applicant must complete terminal degree/clinical training between May 1, 2024 and Sept 30, 2026; institutional commitment required.
Description
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5, Clinical Trial Optional) is part of the NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. Its purpose is to support exceptional early career scientists who wish to skip the conventional postdoctoral training period and immediately launch independent research programs. The award provides substantial, flexible funding for innovative projects across the full spectrum of NIH mission areas, including clinical trials if proposed.
This opportunity is designed for newly graduated scientists demonstrating the maturity, creativity, and skills to conduct independent research. Applications are welcome from all areas relevant to NIH; preliminary data are not required.
