Angiogenesis in the Nervous System in Health and Disease (R21) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NIH PA 08 016 - Angiogenesis in the Nervous System in Health and Disease (R21)

What is NIH PA 08 016?

PA 08 016 is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "Angiogenesis in the Nervous System in Health and Disease (R21)." It supports exploratory, early-stage research focused on how blood vessels form, remodel, and function within the nervous system in both normal physiology and disease.

What research focus does this FOA support?

This FOA supports studies that build foundational understanding of nervous system angiogenesis, including how angiogenic responses are controlled and how vascular changes intersect with conditions related to neurology, vision, aging, cancer, and mental health.

What does "angiogenesis in the nervous system" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this FOA, angiogenesis refers to the formation and remodeling of blood vessels within nervous system tissues (such as brain, spinal cord, and eye) and how these vascular processes function in health and are altered in disease.

Which NIH activity mechanism is used for this opportunity?

The FOA uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) mechanism, which is intended for exploratory, early-stage projects, often characterized as high-risk/high-reward or proof-of-concept work.

Is preliminary data required for an R21 under this FOA?

The FOA describes the R21 mechanism as supporting pilot studies and early proof-of-concept projects that may not yet have extensive preliminary data.

What is the maximum award amount for PA 08 016?

The award ceiling listed for this R21 opportunity is $200,000.

Are awards guaranteed if an application is submitted?

No. The FOA states that awards depend on the availability of funds and on receiving a sufficient number of scientifically meritorious applications. This means there is no guaranteed number of awards.

Which NIH Institutes participate in this FOA?

The FOA is issued as a Program Announcement by multiple NIH Institutes, including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

What kinds of scientific questions are encouraged by this announcement?

The FOA encourages research that explains mechanisms controlling angiogenic responses to physiological and pathological stimuli in the nervous system, including how angiogenesis is initiated, regulated, and resolved, and how signaling pathways, cellular interactions, and microenvironmental cues shape vascular growth in health versus disease.

Does the FOA include research on vascular development and patterning?

Yes. The announcement emphasizes research on development and patterning of nervous system vasculature, including how vascular networks are organized during development, how they integrate with neural tissues, and how unique vascular features of the brain, spinal cord, and eye are established and maintained.

Does the FOA support research that connects abnormal angiogenesis to disease?

Yes. Another highlighted area is the etiology of disorders that affect vascular development or ongoing angiogenesis in the nervous system, including applications that connect abnormal vessel formation or remodeling to disease mechanisms, progression, or functional outcomes.

Is there a related NIH opportunity with the same scientific scope?

Yes. This R21 FOA runs in parallel with a companion announcement of the same scientific scope that uses the R01 mechanism (PA 08 015).

How is the companion R01 related to this R21 FOA?

The companion FOA (PA 08 015) covers the same scientific scope but uses the R01 mechanism, which is generally associated with larger, more definitive research projects compared with the exploratory R21.

Does NIMH participate in both the R21 and the companion R01 announcement?

No. The FOA notes that NIMH participates in the R21 FOA (PA 08 016) but does not participate in the companion R01 FOA (PA 08 015). This may matter for applicants whose projects align strongly with NIMH priorities.

What is the opportunity category, instrument type, and general activity areas?

The opportunity category is discretionary, the instrument type is a grant, and activity areas span education and health. CFDA listings include neuroscience and neurological disorders, vision research, aging research, cancer cause and prevention, and mental health research.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status); small businesses; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and various government entities (state, county, city or township, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities). Tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations are also eligible.

Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA explicitly states that foreign institutions are eligible to apply.

Are government entities eligible applicants under this FOA?

Yes. The eligible applicant types include several government entities such as state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.

Are tribal entities eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA includes eligibility for federally recognized tribal governments as well as other tribal organizations.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of an award.

When was this FOA posted, and when was it archived?

The announcement was posted on October 23, 2007, and has an archive date of February 7, 2011.

What are the submission deadlines for this opportunity?

The FOA lists "multiple receipt dates," meaning applicants were expected to follow the standard NIH submission cycles applicable during the active period of the announcement rather than a single one-time deadline.

What kind of projects is this FOA designed to stimulate?

PA 08 016 is designed to stimulate concise, innovative R21 projects that test emerging ideas and generate foundational data on how vascular growth and remodeling in the nervous system is controlled, patterned during development, and disrupted in disease.

How might this FOA fit into longer-term research planning?

The FOA is positioned to support early-stage work that can provide a stronger scientific foundation and generate data that may later support larger, more definitive studies, including projects that could be suitable for an R01 when appropriate.