Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2009 STAR H1
Apply for EPA G2009 STAR H1
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Approaches to Assessing Potential Food Allergy from Genetically Engineered Plants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.509 Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 6, 2009 and posted on Oct 6, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2010 Please refer to the full announcement, including Section IV, for additional information on submission methods and due dates.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,700,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $425,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) 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 Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- See Section III of the announcement for additional eligibility information.
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Opportunity Summary:
This EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number EPA G2009 STAR H1) supports applied research aimed at improving how regulators and scientists predict whether a protein expressed in a genetically engineered (GE) plant could act as a food allergen, particularly when that protein functions as a pesticidal protein (often called a plant-incorporated protectant). The core problem the EPA is trying to address is that there is no single, definitive laboratory test that can reliably determine the allergenic potential of a brand-new dietary protein. Because of that, current safety evaluations rely on a "weight of evidence" approach that pieces together multiple lines of information. The agency is funding research that can strengthen that approach by generating better methods, better models, and clearer indicators of allergenic risk.
The scientific focus is on understanding the key factors that drive human immune responses to proteins consumed in food, with an emphasis on outcomes that matter for allergy risk: immune sensitization (the process of developing an allergy), oral tolerance (the normal process where the immune system learns not to overreact to food proteins), and the triggering of allergic symptoms in already-sensitized individuals. The RFA specifically invites proposals that examine how dose (how much protein is eaten), route of sensitization (how initial exposure that leads to allergy may occur, such as via the gut or potentially other exposure routes), and the physicochemical properties of the ingested protein (such as structural stability, solubility, folding, aggregation, and related characteristics) influence whether the immune system treats that protein as harmless or as a threat. The EPA is also interested in how the food matrix and the gastrointestinal environment shape these outcomes, meaning applicants can study how a protein behaves when consumed as part of a real food (for example, interactions with fats, carbohydrates, processing conditions, or other ingredients) and what happens to it during digestion (for example, changes due to pH, enzymes, bile salts, and gut conditions that can alter protein breakdown and exposure to the immune system).
Programmatically, the overall aim is to improve safety assessment for GE plants by enhancing the ability to estimate the "potency" of unknown proteins relative to known allergenic and non-allergenic proteins. In practical terms, this means generating data and methods that help distinguish higher-concern proteins from lower-concern ones, and that provide more predictive confidence than is possible with any single indicator. The results are intended to feed directly into improved risk assessment tools and evaluation frameworks used in the regulation of foods derived from modern biotechnology, especially where pesticidal proteins are present in the diet.
On the funding and administrative side, this is a discretionary grant competition in the environmental research category under CFDA 66.509 (STAR Research Program). The EPA anticipated making about 4 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $1.7 million. The maximum award amount listed is $425,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entities: public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including counties, cities or townships), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and eligible nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (with additional eligibility details referenced in Section III of the full announcement).
Key dates in the notice show it was posted on October 6, 2009, with an application closing date of January 7, 2010, and an archive date of February 6, 2010. Applicants were directed to consult the full announcement for specific submission instructions and any detailed deadline requirements (notably Section IV). For access issues related to the full announcement, the contact listed was Susan Laessig at the EPA (202-343-9617).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is this funding opportunity?
This is an EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number EPA G2009 STAR H1) supporting applied research to improve how regulators and scientists predict whether a protein expressed in a genetically engineered (GE) plant could act as a food allergen, especially when the protein is a pesticidal protein (often called a plant-incorporated protectant).
2. What problem is the EPA trying to solve with this grant?
The EPA is addressing the lack of a single, definitive laboratory test that can reliably determine the allergenic potential of a brand-new dietary protein. Because no single test is sufficient, current evaluations rely on a "weight of evidence" approach that combines multiple lines of information. This funding is intended to strengthen that approach with better methods, models, and indicators of allergenic risk.
3. What types of research are encouraged?
The opportunity supports applied research that improves prediction of allergenic potential for proteins in GE plants, particularly pesticidal proteins. The emphasis is on research that strengthens risk assessment by improving methods and data used in a weight-of-evidence framework.
4. What specific immune outcomes does the RFA emphasize?
The scientific focus highlights outcomes that matter for allergy risk, including:
- Immune sensitization (developing an allergy)
- Oral tolerance (the immune system learning not to overreact to food proteins)
- Triggering of allergic symptoms in already-sensitized individuals
5. Which key factors does the EPA want applicants to study?
The RFA specifically invites proposals examining how these factors influence whether the immune system treats an ingested protein as harmless or as a threat:
- Dose (how much protein is eaten)
- Route of sensitization (how initial exposure leading to allergy may occur, such as via the gut or potentially other exposure routes)
- Physicochemical properties of the protein (for example, structural stability, solubility, folding, aggregation, and related characteristics)
6. Does the opportunity include research on real-world food conditions?
Yes. The EPA is also interested in how the food matrix and the gastrointestinal environment shape allergy-relevant outcomes. This includes how proteins behave when consumed as part of a real food (including interactions with fats, carbohydrates, processing conditions, or other ingredients) and what happens during digestion (including effects of pH, enzymes, bile salts, and other gut conditions that can affect protein breakdown and immune exposure).
7. What is the overall program aim from a regulatory perspective?
The overall aim is to improve safety assessment for GE plants by enhancing the ability to estimate the "potency" of unknown proteins relative to known allergenic and non-allergenic proteins. Practically, this means producing data and methods that help distinguish higher-concern proteins from lower-concern ones, with more predictive confidence than any single indicator can provide.
8. How will the results be used?
The results are intended to feed directly into improved risk assessment tools and evaluation frameworks used in regulating foods derived from modern biotechnology, especially where pesticidal proteins are present in the diet.
9. How many awards did the EPA anticipate making?
The EPA anticipated making about 4 awards under this opportunity.
10. What is the estimated total funding level?
The estimated total program funding level is $1.7 million.
11. What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount listed is $425,000.
12. Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity.
13. What type of grant competition is this?
This is a discretionary grant competition in the environmental research category under CFDA 66.509 (STAR Research Program).
14. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- State and local governments (including counties, cities or townships)
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Eligible nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status
Additional eligibility details are referenced as being in Section III of the full announcement.
15. What are the key dates for this opportunity?
- Posted date: October 6, 2009
- Application closing date: January 7, 2010
- Archive date: February 6, 2010
16. Where should applicants look for submission instructions and detailed deadline requirements?
Applicants were directed to consult the full announcement for specific submission instructions and any detailed deadline requirements, notably in Section IV.
17. Who is the contact for access issues related to the full announcement?
For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed contact is Susan Laessig at the EPA, phone 202-343-9617.
18. Does the opportunity focus specifically on pesticidal proteins in GE plants?
Yes. While the broader topic is allergenicity prediction for proteins expressed in GE plants, the opportunity particularly highlights proteins that function as pesticidal proteins (plant-incorporated protectants).
19. What does "weight of evidence" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this context, "weight of evidence" refers to the current approach to allergenicity safety evaluations that combines multiple lines of information because there is no single definitive lab test for allergenic potential. The funded research is intended to strengthen that combined-evidence approach with improved methods and clearer indicators.
20. What does "potency" mean here?
In this opportunity, "potency" refers to estimating the allergenic risk strength of an unknown protein relative to known allergenic and non-allergenic proteins, with the goal of better distinguishing higher-concern proteins from lower-concern ones in safety assessments.
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