The objective of the NIDCR Award for Sustaining Outstanding Achievement in Research (SOAR) is to provide longer-term support to NIDCR-funded investigators, who are in their mid-career stage, and have outstanding records of research productivity, mentorship and professional service to the research community. It is expected that the SOAR Award will propel the investigator along this career trajectory and allow him/her to embark on ambitious longer-term projects of extraordinary potential within the mission of NIDCR. This award supports research projects for up to eight years.
Deadlines:
RFA-DE-20-002 Expiration Date February 25, 2020
Only single PD/PI applications are allowed. Applications with multiple PD(s)/PI(s) will NOT be accepted.
Eligibility is limited to investigators with at least one active NIDCR-supported PD/PI R01 or R01 equivalent (DP1, U01, R56 only), AND at least five years of continuous NIDCR support as PD/PI, on September 30, 2019, excluding fellowships and career development awards. The following funding mechanisms are considered as part of the continuous NIDCR support: R01, R00, R56, DP1, DP2, R15, or U01 only . Only the first no cost extension year of the NIDCR-supported R01 or R01 equivalent award counts as one year of active NIDCR support. All other additional no cost extension years do not count toward continuous support years.
In addition, applicants must have no more than ten years of research career experience following the loss of his/her Early Stage Investigator (ESI) status at the time of application. Loss of ESI status could be due to receipt of a competitive substantial NIH independent research award, or expiration of status. Not counted toward research time within the ten years following the loss of ESI status is well-justified leave for personal or family situations such as illness, disability, active military service, parental leave or family care responsibilities, or time spent in clinical training or clinical care unrelated to research. Any time away from research within the ten years following the loss of ESI status should be explained in the Biographical Sketch.
This award targets investigators in their mid-career stage, and is NOT intended for supporting new and early stage investigators, or well-established investigators. Applicants are highly encouraged to contact NIDCR staff to assess suitability prior to application submission.
