NCI Research Specialist (Laboratory-based Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 285

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 285

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is offering the NCI Research Specialist (Laboratory-based Scientist) Award under funding opportunity number PAR-21-285. This is a discretionary grant mechanism (R50) aimed at supporting laboratory-based scientists working in any area of NCI-funded cancer research, spanning basic, translational, clinical, or population science programs, as long as the work is rooted in a laboratory-based role. A key point is that this opportunity is meant for highly skilled, non-tenure-track scientists who want a long-term, stable research career embedded within an existing NCI-funded program rather than pursuing a path as an independent principal investigator. Clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, which means the supported activities cannot be structured as a clinical trial as defined by NIH.

The main purpose of the R50 Research Specialist Award is to strengthen the biomedical research workforce by creating durable, well-supported positions for exceptional scientists who are essential to keeping sophisticated research programs running. These are the kinds of roles that often carry deep technical expertise, continuity, and institutional knowledge, such as leading complex experimental workflows, managing advanced laboratory platforms, developing and optimizing specialized methods, ensuring rigor and reproducibility, and training or supervising other lab members in highly technical areas. The FOA is explicit that competitiveness is expected to be high and that it is primarily targeted at standout candidates who are committed to remaining in a specialist capacity within a larger cancer research enterprise rather than transitioning to independent investigator status.

Eligibility to apply is broad across U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and various units of government such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The announcement also highlights additional eligible organization types, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA draws a firm boundary around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. In addition, 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 permitted. In practical terms, the applicant organization, the supported work, and the project components need to be fully domestic to fit the rules of this opportunity.

From an administrative and catalog standpoint, this opportunity sits within NIH health and education funding activity categories and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers: 93.393 through 93.399. The source data lists an original closing date of November 1, 2021, and it does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided fields, which typically means applicants would need to rely on the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for detailed budget and award expectations.

Overall, PAR-21-285 is best understood as a career-stability and workforce-sustaining grant for advanced laboratory scientists in cancer research who bring high value through specialized expertise and long-term contribution within an already NCI-funded research program, without requiring (or encouraging) the leap to independent investigator status and without supporting clinical trial activities.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Research Specialist (Laboratory-based Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.397, 93.398, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-07-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-11-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 21 285

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