NIH K08 Grants — Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development Award
Mentored research training for clinician-scientists doing lab/translational research
Funding
Salary support + ~$30K research/year
Duration
3–5 years
Eligibility
Clinicians (MD, DO, DDS, etc.) within ~5 years of training completion
Activity code
K08
What is the NIH K08 grant?
The K08 is the NIH career development award for clinician-scientists (MDs, DOs, DDSs, etc.) doing laboratory or translational research. It provides 75% protected research time plus a research allowance for 3–5 years and is the standard training-to-independence path for physician-scientists planning to run a research lab.
Recent K08 awards (last 24 months)
Live data from NIH RePORTER1,296
Awards
$93,711,953
Total funding (sample)
$187,424
Average award
Sample reflects up to the most recent 500 NIH RePORTER awards with this activity code in the past 24 months. Total project count is the full RePORTER count.
Most recently awarded K08 grants
Benjamin Bates · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES, NJ · NIH
$249,218
FY 2026
Project: 5K08CA283268-03
Neel Bhatt · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, WA · NIH
$161,892
FY 2026
Project: 5K08AG090629-02
Rossana Calderon · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES, NY · NIH
$166,644
FY 2026
Project: 5K08DK140637-03
Andrew Dylag · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, NY · NIH
$162,141
FY 2026
Project: 5K08HL155491-05
Joseph Bednash · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, OH · NIH
$163,620
FY 2026
Project: 5K08HL169725-03
SETH BLOOM · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL, MA · NIH
$182,304
FY 2026
Project: 5K08AI171166-04
Anjali Dixit · STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CA · NIH
$191,274
FY 2026
Project: 5K08DA060977-02
Marios Arvanitis · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, OH · NIH
$165,563
FY 2026
Project: 7K08HL166690-04
Top NIH institutes funding K08
By total funding in the last 24 months
- 1.NIH491 · $92,379,593
- 2.AHRQ9 · $1,332,360
Top funded institutions
Most K08 awards in the last 24 months
- 1.MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL28 awards
- 2.UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR27 awards
- 3.WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY27 awards
- 4.UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO27 awards
- 5.YALE UNIVERSITY16 awards
- 6.UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH16 awards
Who applies for K08
When to choose K08
When NOT to choose K08
Search tips for K08
- K08 awards are concentrated at academic medical centers — useful for tracking clinician-scientist talent pipelines.
Search NIH grants by activity code
Find K08-funded PIs
K08 funding trends
K08 frequently asked questions
What is the difference between K08 and K23?
K08 supports clinicians doing primarily lab-based or translational research. K23 supports clinicians doing patient-oriented research (clinical trials, observational studies, behavioral interventions). Both are mentored 3–5 year career development awards.
How much salary support does the K08 provide?
K08 salary support varies by institute and your institutional salary cap, but covers up to 75% effort. Most institutes cap K08 salary support around $100K–$130K/year.
Can I apply for an R01 while still on K08?
Yes — applying for R01 in the last 1–2 years of K08 is standard practice and expected. The K08 is designed to bridge to R01 independence.
Related NIH grant types
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
Mentored training for clinicians doing patient-oriented research
Pathway to Independence Award
Postdoc → faculty transition (mentored K99 then independent R00)
Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award
Career development for new investigators needing mentored training
Mid-Career Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research
Protected time for established clinician-scientists to mentor