NIH HEAL Initiative PainCare Clinician Training Program (PCTP): Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development award (K23 - Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 24 220

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 220

The NIH HEAL Initiative PainCare Clinician Training Program (PCTP) Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award uses the NIH K23 mechanism to build a pipeline of clinicians who can become independent, patient-oriented pain researchers. It is positioned under the NIH HEAL Initiative, specifically aligned with HEALs Clinical Research in Pain Management program, and it is meant to support a coordinated cohort of early-career investigators rather than isolated, one-off training awards. The central idea is to give promising clinician-researchers structured mentorship plus dedicated, protected research time and NIH-backed support early in their careers, so they can generate publishable results, build a fundable research trajectory, and transition into independent NIH funding focused on pain care and pain management.

A defining feature of this specific K23 announcement is that it is a clinical trial required opportunity. In practical terms, applicants should be proposing patient-oriented research that includes a clinical trial component, consistent with NIH definitions. The work is expected to be directly grounded in research involving human participants and clinically meaningful outcomes, and it should fit within the broader HEAL priorities around improving pain management and clinical practice. The award is meant to help recipients develop the skills, preliminary data, collaborations, and track record needed to lead future trials or broader patient-centered programs in pain care.

The opportunity is issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a discretionary grant under Funding Opportunity Number PAR-24-220. It spans multiple CFDA listings (93.213, 93.273, 93.286, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866), which signals that multiple NIH Institutes or Centers may participate or that the program intersects several NIH funding streams. While the listing does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided source text, the intent is clearly career development support during the early-career period, with the expectation that awardees will emerge with an independent research direction and competitiveness for subsequent NIH research project grants.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizational types, reflecting NIHs standard openness to a wide range of applicant institutions that can host mentored clinical research. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education where applicable); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicant categories often emphasized to broaden participation and reach, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal government agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the geographic and organizational scope is explicitly limited to avoid foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. This means the proposed work, performance sites, and formal collaborating components must be structured so they remain fully compliant with NIH restrictions on foreign components for this particular funding opportunity.

Key administrative details in the source data include an original closing date of 2027-07-12 and a creation date of 2024-06-28, indicating a multi-year window in which NIH intends to accept applications under this program announcement. Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a HEAL-aligned K23 pathway for clinicians committed to patient-oriented pain research, where the expectation is not only mentored training but also the execution of a clinical trial and the clear development of an independent research niche in pain management that can sustain a long-term NIH-funded career.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH HEAL Initiative PainCare Clinician Training Program (PCTP): Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development award (K23 - Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.273, 93.286, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-07-12.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 24 220

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