World Trade Center Health Program Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), is soliciting applications for the World Trade Center Health Program Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01). This program is authorized under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 and its amendments. The award provides up to three years of support for mentored career development in health research focused on populations affected by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The purpose is to facilitate the transition of junior investigators from mentored research to independent careers, ultimately strengthening the scientific workforce in WTC-related health research. The program provides support for up to 75 percent of the awardee’s professional time to be dedicated to mentored research activities. Eligible applicants must justify the need for mentored research experience and demonstrate how the proposed research will enhance their career trajectory toward independence. Projects must address issues of diagnostic or treatment uncertainty relevant to individuals covered under the WTC Health Program, which includes responders, screening-eligible survivors, and certified-eligible survivors. Research is intended primarily to benefit the 9/11-exposed population and does not need to be generalizable to broader groups. NIOSH has identified six major areas of clinical research interest for this award: implementation research, health services research, health equity research, treatment research, prevention research, and quality of life research. Relevant focus areas include, but are not limited to, respiratory diseases, cancers, cardiovascular disease, psychiatric conditions, cognitive function, resilience, and healthy aging. The program emphasizes inclusivity, requiring applicants to address health disparities and ensure adequate representation of historically underrepresented groups, such as women, minorities, and foreign-born individuals. The funding mechanism is a grant with an estimated total of $5.2 million in direct and indirect costs available for this cycle, with six to ten awards anticipated. Awardees may receive up to $100,000 annually in salary support and up to $60,000 annually for research development costs. Indirect costs are capped at 8 percent of modified total direct costs. Funds may be used for tuition, research expenses, equipment, travel, and statistical services but not for mentor or administrative salaries. The maximum project period is three years. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based higher education institutions, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, state, county, and local governments, Native American tribal governments and organizations, public housing authorities, independent school districts, and other eligible entities as outlined in the announcement. Non-U.S. entities and foreign components of U.S. institutions are not eligible. The principal investigator must hold a research or health-professional doctoral degree and be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or lawful permanent resident at the time of award. Current or former recipients of major individual research awards such as R01 or U01 are not eligible. The application process requires use of Grants.gov and the NIH eRA Commons, with options for submission through ASSIST, institutional system-to-system platforms, or Grants.gov Workspace. Letters of intent are recommended but not required, with due dates approximately one month prior to the full application deadlines. Application deadlines are December 5, 2023; October 29, 2024; and October 28, 2025, all due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Scientific merit reviews occur in March of each year, followed by advisory council review in April and earliest possible start dates in July. Applicants are encouraged to submit early to allow for error correction. Applications must adhere strictly to the Career Development (K) Instructions and NOFO-specific requirements. In addition to standard application materials, applicants must provide study population details, primary diseases or conditions under study, dissemination and evaluation plans, a risk questionnaire, and data management plans. For questions, applicants may contact Laurel Garrison, MPH, Scientific Review Officer at CDC NIOSH, via telephone at 513-533-8324 or by email at LEE5@cdc.gov. Technical submission support is available from the NIH eRA Service Desk (commons@od.nih.gov, 301-402-7469 or 1-866-504-9552). The NOFO is set to expire on October 29, 2025. Applications are not subject to Executive Order 12372 intergovernmental review. Evaluation will consider candidate qualifications, career development plan, research significance and feasibility, mentoring arrangements, institutional environment, inclusivity, and adherence to requirements such as responsible conduct of research training. Awards are contingent on availability of funds, merit review outcomes, and program priorities.

Apply early, ensure WTC alignment, address health disparities, follow K instructions strictly