The Department of Health and Human Services, through the NIH HEAL Initiative, announces the K99/R00 Career Transition Award aimed at promoting diversity within Pain and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) research. This opportunity targets postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds, facilitating their transition to independent academic careers and addressing growing concerns stemming from the opioid crisis and chronic pain management. The program supports a maximum of five years of funding, with an initial two-year mentored phase followed by a three-year independent phase, contingent upon the candidate's progress and securing a tenure-track position. Successful applicants must demonstrate a solid plan for their career development and research, ideally involving basic experimental studies with human participants, aligning with NIH's objectives. Emphasis is placed on attracting candidates from underrepresented groups in the biomedical workforce, fostering diverse perspectives in research. Key eligibility requirements include having no more than four years of postdoctoral experience and being within a mentored training role at the time of application. The initiative aims to increase the number of qualified independent researchers, responding effectively to national health crises.