Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 11 013
Apply for RFA AI 11 013
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Allergen Epitope Research and Validation Cnters (U19)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855 Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research 93.856 Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 7, 2011 and posted on Apr 7, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts Small businesses City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education State governments County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Foreign (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity RFA-AI-11-013, titled "Allergen Epitope Research and Validation Centers (U19)," supports multi-project, center-style research programs aimed at taking advantage of the growing availability of well-characterized T cell allergen epitopes. The overall goal is to use these defined epitopes as precise tools to study allergen-specific immune responses in people, especially in ways that clarify how allergic disease develops, worsens, or changes over time. Rather than focusing broadly on allergy triggers in general, the FOA emphasizes dissecting immune responses at the level of specific T cell epitopes so investigators can map which T cells respond, what those T cells look like phenotypically, what they do functionally, and how they contribute to allergen-specific immune memory.
A central expectation of the program is mechanistic work tied to clinically meaningful allergic disease settings. The FOA calls for studies that examine the progression and/or shifts in severity of both seasonal and perennial allergic diseases, with examples such as seasonal allergic rhinitis and asthma exacerbations triggered by exposures like pet dander. In practical terms, applicants are expected to connect epitope-driven T cell measurements to real-world disease dynamics, such as symptom severity across an allergy season, fluctuations linked to ongoing indoor exposure, or changes associated with repeated or intermittent allergen encounters. The research is intended to go beyond descriptive immune profiling by testing mechanistic hypotheses about how epitope-specific T cell responses relate to disease activity and outcomes.
The announcement also highlights the importance of understanding immune changes that occur with therapeutic intervention, particularly immunotherapy. This includes immunotherapy for seasonal allergies, perennial allergies, and food allergies, with the expectation that projects will track and interpret how epitope-specific T cell phenotypes and functions shift during treatment. In other words, the FOA is interested in whether immunotherapy reshapes the T cell response (for example, altering cytokine patterns, functional responsiveness, or memory characteristics) in ways that explain clinical improvement, lack of response, or changes in disease course.
While the program is centered on leveraging existing, well-characterized T cell allergen epitopes, it allows a limited amount of new epitope identification. That said, novel epitope discovery is not meant to be the primary thrust. Any new identification work must be tightly linked to, and mainly serve, the mechanistic aims of studying T cell responses to already-known epitopes. The intent is to keep the emphasis on validation and mechanistic interpretation rather than building large, standalone epitope discovery pipelines.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary NIH opportunity using the cooperative agreement mechanism (U19), which typically indicates substantial NIH programmatic involvement and support of coordinated, multi-component research efforts. The estimated total funding amount listed is $2.8 million. No cost sharing or matching is required. The FOA was posted on April 7, 2011, with an original and current closing date of July 22, 2011, and an archive date of August 22, 2011.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic applicants. Eligible applicants span public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), local and state governments, independent school districts, special district governments, and various tribal entities. The FOA explicitly includes eligibility for organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, foreign organizations, and foreign components of U.S. organizations. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the program is associated with CFDA numbers 93.855 (Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research) and 93.856 (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research).
In summary, this U19 center program is designed to push allergen epitope research into a more clinically and mechanistically informative phase: using defined T cell epitopes to understand what allergen-specific T cells do during natural disease progression and during treatment, how those cells are shaped into memory, and which phenotypes and functions are most closely tied to allergic disease severity and therapeutic change.
FAQs: NIH RFA-AI-11-013 Allergen Epitope Research and Validation Centers (U19)
What is the funding opportunity number and title?
The opportunity is NIH RFA-AI-11-013, titled "Allergen Epitope Research and Validation Centers (U19)."
What type of award mechanism is used?
This funding opportunity uses the NIH cooperative agreement mechanism (U19), which is typically used for coordinated, multi-project, center-style programs with substantial NIH programmatic involvement.
What is the overall purpose of this FOA?
The purpose is to support multi-project, center-style research programs that take advantage of the growing availability of well-characterized T cell allergen epitopes. The goal is to use defined epitopes as precise tools to study allergen-specific immune responses in people in ways that clarify how allergic disease develops, worsens, or changes over time.
What is the main scientific focus: general allergy triggers or specific T cell epitopes?
The focus is on dissecting immune responses at the level of specific T cell epitopes rather than broadly studying allergy triggers in general. The FOA emphasizes mapping which T cells respond to defined epitopes, what those T cells look like phenotypically, what they do functionally, and how they contribute to allergen-specific immune memory.
What kinds of research programs does the FOA aim to support?
It aims to support multi-project, center-style research programs (U19) that are mechanistic and tied to clinically meaningful allergic disease settings. The research is expected to move beyond descriptive immune profiling by testing mechanistic hypotheses linking epitope-specific T cell responses to disease activity and outcomes.
What is meant by "mechanistic" work in this context?
Mechanistic work here refers to studies that do more than catalog immune responses. Applicants are expected to test hypotheses about how epitope-specific T cell phenotypes, functions, and memory relate to allergic disease development, progression, severity changes, and treatment-associated changes.
What types of allergic diseases or clinical settings are highlighted?
The FOA calls for studies examining progression and/or shifts in severity of both seasonal and perennial allergic diseases. Examples mentioned include seasonal allergic rhinitis and asthma exacerbations triggered by exposures such as pet dander.
Does the FOA emphasize real-world disease dynamics?
Yes. Applicants are expected to connect epitope-driven T cell measurements to real-world disease dynamics, such as symptom severity across an allergy season, fluctuations linked to ongoing indoor exposure, or changes associated with repeated or intermittent allergen encounters.
Is immunotherapy a key topic in this program?
Yes. A highlighted expectation is understanding immune changes that occur with therapeutic intervention, particularly immunotherapy, including immunotherapy for seasonal allergies, perennial allergies, and food allergies.
What kinds of immune changes during immunotherapy are of interest?
The FOA is interested in how epitope-specific T cell phenotypes and functions shift during treatment, including whether immunotherapy reshapes the T cell response (for example, altering cytokine patterns, functional responsiveness, or memory characteristics) in ways that explain clinical improvement, lack of response, or changes in disease course.
Is new epitope identification allowed?
A limited amount of new epitope identification is allowed, but it is not intended to be the primary thrust of the program.
How should new epitope discovery fit within a proposed project?
Any new epitope identification must be tightly linked to, and mainly serve, the mechanistic aims of studying T cell responses to already-known epitopes. The intent is to emphasize validation and mechanistic interpretation rather than building large, standalone epitope discovery pipelines.
What is the estimated total funding amount listed for this FOA?
The estimated total funding amount listed is $2.8 million.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states that no cost sharing or matching is required.
Who is the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this program?
The program is associated with CFDA 93.855 (Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research) and 93.856 (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research).
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic applicants. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); local and state governments; independent school districts; special district governments; and various tribal entities.
Are foreign organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations.
Are minority-serving and other specified institutions eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and regional organizations.
What are the key dates for this FOA?
The FOA was posted on April 7, 2011. The original and current closing date is July 22, 2011. The archive date is August 22, 2011.
What does it mean that this is a "discretionary" NIH opportunity?
The FOA is described as a discretionary NIH opportunity, indicating it is offered at NIH's discretion under its program priorities, and it uses the cooperative agreement structure to support coordinated efforts.
What is the central expectation for awarded centers?
A central expectation is mechanistic research tied to clinically meaningful allergic disease settings, using defined T cell allergen epitopes to understand allergen-specific T cell behavior during natural disease progression and during treatment, including how those responses are shaped into immune memory and how they relate to disease severity and therapeutic change.
What makes this a "center-style" program?
The FOA supports multi-project, coordinated research programs (U19) designed to function as centers, meaning multiple integrated research components working together around a common theme: using well-characterized T cell allergen epitopes as tools for clinically relevant, mechanistic studies.
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