Productivity of National Cancer Institute K Awardees and their transition to independent funding.

Abstract

9010 Background: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) mentored career development (K) awards program plays an essential role in supporting early-career scientists in the United States.Understanding factors that influence the transition from mentored to independent funding is crucial to optimize support for early-career cancer researchers. Here, we examine the productivity of K awardees and explore factors that predict a successful transition to independence. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized publicly available data from: 1) the National Institutes of Health Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results database to obtain data on awards, total costs, and funding mechanisms, and 2) the NIH iCite database to obtain data on publications, citations, and mean relative citation ratio. We included principal investigators (PIs) who received NCI mentored K awards between 1981 and 2013 to allow for at least 10 years of follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to explore predictors of attaining an R01-equivalent award. Results: Between 1981-2013, 1,778 K awards were awarded by the NCI, with a median total cost of $128,036 (interquartile range [IQR]: 89,420-138,085) per award/year. Of the 1,778 PIs, 759 (42.7%) received an R01-equivalent award over a total of 4,827 person-years, with a median time to award of 5.52 years (IQR: 3.88-7.79) and an incidence rate of 0.16 awards per person-year (95% CI: 0.15, 0.17). In multivariable logistic regression models, PIs who received a K08 (odds ratio [OR]=1.47 [95% CI=1.09, 1.99]), K22 (OR=1.72 [95% CI=1.06, 2.77]), or a K99 (OR=1.55 [95% CI=1.06, 2.29]) displayed greater odds of attaining an R01-equivalent award compared to K01 awardees. Similarly, PIs based in independent hospitals (OR=1.45 [95% CI=1.12, 1.88] vs. institutes of higher education), who focused on molecular/cellular research (OR=1.37 [95% CI=1.03, 1.81] vs. human research), had a greater number of publications per year (OR=1.40 [95% CI=1.25, 1.57]; per additional publication/year), had a higher mean relative citation ratio (OR=1.65 [95% CI=1.31, 2.15]; per 5 units increase), and published for a longer time interval (OR=1.09 [95% CI=1.06, 1.12]; per additional year), displayed greater odds of receiving an R01-equivalent award, while total cost did not (p=0.14). Conclusions: Between 1981 and 2013, 42.7% of K awardees received an R01-equivalent award, with a median transition time of 5.52 years. Productivity metrics, including greater publication and citation rates, were associated with a higher likelihood of successful transition. These findings underscore the crucial role of mentored awards in advancing scientific careers and emphasize the importance of providing mentorship and resources to early-career scientists to enhance their overall research impact.