The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the NIDCD Early Career Research (ECR) Award (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) to support emerging researchers in establishing independent careers focused on areas such as hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, or language. This grant aims to facilitate exploratory and developmental projects that can generate preliminary data for future R01 applications, with a maximum funding amount of $375,000 available over three years. The program is particularly significant for advancing the careers of underrepresented individuals in research and enhancing knowledge in biomedical and behavioral sciences. Interested applicants must comply with specific application processes, including registration with eRA Commons and Grants.gov, and should submit their applications by February 17, 2027. For further inquiries, applicants can contact NIH Grants Information at grantsinfo@nih.gov or visit the additional information link at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-119.html.