The NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is designed to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators. The program is for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require an extended period of mentored research training beyond their doctoral degrees. The objective of this award is to facilitate a timely transition of these fellows from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. • The program will provide independent NCI research support during this transition to help awardees launch competitive, independent research careers. • Researchers in the scientific areas of cancer control, cancer prevention, and cancer data sciences are especially encouraged to apply. • This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is for basic science experimental studies involving humans. • Types of studies that should be submitted under this NOFO include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions and assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans for the purpose of understanding the fundamental aspects of phenomena without specific application towards processes or products in mind.