NIH Offers New Type of K99/R00

In 2020, NIH first offered a new career development award: The MOSAIC K99/R00. This award will kickstart careers of investigators from diverse backgrounds.

Why Is Diversity Needed?

Via @NIGMSTraining

To date, NIH efforts to enhance diversity have focused on earlier training stages, with programs for undergraduates and predocs. The Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) awards bring these efforts into later career stages.

How Is the MOSAIC K99/R00 Different from a Regular K99/R00?

For the MOSAIC awards, NIH encourages applications from those with underrepresented backgrounds at their institution. For the majority of the United States, this is likely to include women and non-white, non-Asian ethnicities. However, at specific institutions, for example Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), other backgrounds may be considered underrepresented. Other categories of underrepresentation may include disabilities of any type and disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

Awardees will form small national cohorts based on scientific interests. Scientific societies awarded funds from a concurrent opportunity, the MOSAIC Institutionally Focused Research Education Award to Promote Diversity (UE5), will provide career development activities, additional mentoring, and forums to exchange ideas.

Standard eligibility criteria, such as US citizenship/permanent residency, length of time from terminal degree, and career stage still apply. As with other K99/R00 awards, the first two years will be spent in mentored postdoctoral research training, while the final three years of the award provide independent research support post-transition to faculty.

What’s Different About This Application?*

Description of Institutional Environment

Two pages instead of one
In addition to the usual resources and activities available to the applicant that would be listed in any K99 application, should include institutional policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion, ensure accessibility, foster a safe and positive environment, and prevent discriminatory practices

Diversity Statement

New section (one-page maximum)
Describe applicant’s previous and present achievements and activities that enhance diversity, particularly those in the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity
Describe planned activities to develop and enhance skills to promote equity and inclusion in the research environment and work effectively with researchers of all backgrounds

The mentor’s personal statement on his or her biosketch must address or include:

Record of training others in rigorous and unbiased experimental design
Efforts to enhance workforce diversity
Willingness to participate in activities organized by the MOSAIC Institutionally Focused Research Education Award to Promote Diversity (UE5)

* Drawn from the NIGMS MOSAIC applicant webinar, September 24, 2019, pp. 24-28

Standard due dates apply [February, June, October]. Participating institutions: NIGMS, NIBIB, NINR, NIMHD, NHGRI, NIA, NLM, NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA, NHLBI, NIEHS, NIDCD, NIDCR, NICCIH, NIAID, NINDS.

PAR-19-343 MOSAIC K99/R00 (career development award)

NIGMS MOSAIC Applicant Webinar

NIGMS Feedback Loop Blog – New MOSAIC Programs Announced