Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

The purpose of the NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) is to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research. The K02 award provides three to five years of salary support and "protected time" for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers. Key aspects of this opportunity include: • The award is for basic science experimental studies involving humans. • These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. • Applicants must be newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus. • The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions.