NIAID Revises FY19 K Award Payline Following IDSA, Stakeholder Advocacy

The National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) has announced that the interim 2019 payline for K awards (except K99) would be set at 18 – an increase from the Institute’s October interim payline of 14 and level with the payline from 2018. 

At a time when the need for infectious diseases researchers to combat antimicrobial resistance, global outbreaks, and biosecurity threats is growing, low baseline funding for career development grants could challenge efforts to bring new ID physician scientists to the field. IDSA has urged NIAID to increase existing K award levels, and to consider implementing additional mechanisms to improve the funding landscape for early career researchers, in line with recommendations from the NIH Next Generation Researchers Initiative.

Institute leadership has been receptive to IDSA’s recommendations and concerns, and IDSA leadership is scheduled to meet with NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, MD, FIDSA this month to further discuss the NIAID research training budget and opportunities to optimize the pipeline for the next generation of ID physician-scientists.

IDSA will also continue to urge Congress to increase funding for NIH, NIAID, and other applicable Institutes and Centers, recognizing that recent vital increases have not yet been sufficient to make up for previous years of more stagnant funding, inflation, and growing needs.