Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 08 024
Apply for PAR 08 024
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assay Development for High Throughput Molecular Screening (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310 Trans NIH Research Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on Nov 9, 2007.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Multiple Receipt Dates See Link to Full Announcement for details.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $8,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) County governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Special district governments State governments Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments Private institutions of higher education.
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply. Eligible agencies of the Federal Government can apply. Faith based or community based organizations can apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity titled "Assay Development for High Throughput Molecular Screening (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 08-024) is a discretionary grant program designed to speed up the discovery of new molecular probes that can be used to study biological function. The core idea is to support researchers who can build, refine, or adapt biological assays so they can run reliably in automated high throughput screening (HTS) formats. In practical terms, the grant is aimed at getting assays to the point where they are "HTS-ready," meaning they can be executed at scale with robotics and automation and produce consistent, interpretable results suitable for large screening campaigns.
A major feature of this program is the downstream pathway it enables: once an assay is successfully developed and formatted for HTS, it can be screened by the Molecular Libraries Production Centers Network (MLPCN). The MLPCN is set up to run large-scale screens against extensive libraries of small-molecule compounds, with the goal of identifying chemicals that show meaningful biological activity in the assay. Those active compounds can become molecular probes that researchers use to interrogate pathways, validate targets, or explore disease-relevant biology. This opportunity, along with the MLPCN, sits within the broader NIH Molecular Libraries and Imaging Roadmap Initiative, which was built to expand the nation’s capacity to discover chemical tools and imaging approaches that accelerate biomedical research.
The mechanism of support for this announcement is the NIH R21, which is typically used for exploratory and developmental research projects. R21 awards are commonly chosen when the work is innovative, early-stage, or focused on proving feasibility and generating strong preliminary results rather than supporting a long, mature research program. In this case, the R21 structure aligns with the program’s emphasis on assay development and optimization, where technical risk can be higher and the main deliverable is a robust screening-ready assay rather than a fully characterized therapeutic candidate.
In terms of funding scale, NIH projected approximately $8 million in total funding availability for each of the years 2008, 2009, and 2010 under this program announcement. Applications were accepted on two receipt dates per year, and NIH anticipated making around 40 awards per year. Award sizes were expected to vary because assay development projects can differ widely in complexity and cost depending on the biology, the detection technology, the degree of automation required, and the amount of validation needed. As with most competitive NIH programs, the final number of awards and total dollars committed depended on both the quality of the applications received and the budget justifications proposed.
Eligibility for PAR 08-024 was broad, reflecting the program’s goal of attracting strong assay development capabilities from many sectors. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), state and local governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. The announcement also explicitly stated that foreign institutions were eligible to apply, that eligible federal agencies could apply, and that faith-based and community-based organizations could apply as well. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
Administratively, the sponsoring agency was the National Institutes of Health, and the associated CFDA number listed was 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support). The opportunity was originally posted on November 9, 2007, and remained open through multiple receipt dates (rather than a single deadline), with the archive date listed as April 20, 2010. The full announcement was hosted through NIH’s grants policy and guidance site, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact was provided for access or linking issues.
Overall, this grant opportunity can be understood as a bridge between biological discovery and chemical tool development: it funds the crucial, often time-consuming work of turning a biological concept into a scalable, automated assay that can be used to screen large chemical libraries. The intended payoff is a pipeline of new, biologically informative small-molecule probes that researchers can use to explore mechanisms, validate hypotheses, and open up new directions in biomedical science.
FAQs: Assay Development for High Throughput Molecular Screening (R21) (PAR 08-024)
What is the NIH funding opportunity PAR 08-024?
PAR 08-024 is an NIH discretionary grant opportunity titled "Assay Development for High Throughput Molecular Screening (R21)." It supports projects that develop, refine, or adapt biological assays so they can run reliably in automated high throughput screening (HTS) formats.
What is the main goal of this grant program?
The goal is to speed up discovery of new molecular probes by funding the work needed to make biological assays "HTS-ready" - meaning they can be executed at scale using robotics/automation and generate consistent, interpretable results suitable for large screening campaigns.
What does "HTS-ready" mean in this context?
"HTS-ready" refers to an assay that has been formatted and optimized to run reliably in automated high throughput screening, producing robust and reproducible outputs that can be used to screen large libraries of small-molecule compounds.
What kinds of projects does PAR 08-024 support?
The program supports research teams that can build new assays, improve existing assays, or adapt assays into HTS-compatible formats. Emphasis is on assay development and optimization, including steps needed for automation and consistent performance at scale.
What is the intended deliverable from an R21 under this opportunity?
The intended deliverable is a robust screening-ready assay, rather than a fully characterized therapeutic candidate. The program is positioned as a bridge from biological ideas to scalable assays that enable discovery of biologically active small molecules.
What NIH grant mechanism is used for this program?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for exploratory and developmental research where innovation and feasibility testing are central, and where technical risk may be higher than in more mature programs.
Why is an R21 a good fit for assay development work?
Assay development and optimization often involve technical uncertainty and iterative improvement. The R21 structure aligns with projects aimed at proving feasibility and generating strong preliminary results, with the key output being an assay that performs well in HTS conditions.
What happens after an assay is successfully developed under this program?
Once an assay is successfully developed and formatted for HTS, it can be screened by the Molecular Libraries Production Centers Network (MLPCN), which runs large-scale screens against extensive libraries of small-molecule compounds to identify biologically active chemicals.
What is the MLPCN?
The Molecular Libraries Production Centers Network (MLPCN) is a network set up to conduct large-scale screening campaigns using broad libraries of small-molecule compounds, with the aim of identifying active compounds in validated assays.
What are molecular probes in the context of this opportunity?
Molecular probes are small-molecule compounds identified through screening that show meaningful biological activity in the assay. These probes can be used as research tools to study pathways, validate targets, and explore disease-relevant biology.
How does this opportunity fit into broader NIH efforts?
PAR 08-024 and the MLPCN are part of the NIH Molecular Libraries and Imaging Roadmap Initiative, which was created to expand national capacity for discovering chemical tools and imaging approaches that accelerate biomedical research.
How much funding was NIH expecting to make available?
NIH projected approximately $8 million in total funding availability for each of the years 2008, 2009, and 2010 under this program announcement.
How many awards did NIH anticipate making each year?
NIH anticipated making around 40 awards per year, depending on application quality and available funds.
Will every award have the same budget size?
No. Award sizes were expected to vary because assay development projects can differ significantly in complexity and cost, depending on the biology, detection technology, automation requirements, and the level of validation needed.
How often could applicants submit applications each year?
Applications were accepted on two receipt dates per year during the active period of the announcement.
Does the program require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); state and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. The announcement explicitly stated that foreign institutions were eligible to apply.
Can federal agencies apply?
Yes. The announcement stated that eligible federal agencies could apply.
Are faith-based and community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly stated that faith-based and community-based organizations could apply.
Which agency sponsors this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).
When was PAR 08-024 originally posted?
The opportunity was originally posted on November 9, 2007.
When was the archive date for this funding opportunity?
The archive date listed was April 20, 2010.
Was there a single deadline for submission?
No. The opportunity remained open through multiple receipt dates rather than having a single deadline.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted through NIH's grants policy and guidance site.
Who was listed as the contact for access or linking issues?
NIH's Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact was provided for access or linking issues.
What is the overall purpose of this grant opportunity in practical terms?
In practical terms, this opportunity funds the work needed to turn a biological concept into a scalable, automated assay that can be used to screen large chemical libraries, with the payoff being new small-molecule probes that enable deeper biological and disease research.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 08 024) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) Research Advancement Award (SC1) Apply for PAR 08 026 Funding Number: PAR 08 026 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) Pilot Project Award (SC2) Apply for PAR 08 027 Funding Number: PAR 08 027 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) Research Continuance Award (SC3) Apply for PAR 08 028 Funding Number: PAR 08 028 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) in the Molecular Libraries Probe Production Centers Network (MLPCN) (R03) Apply for PAR 08 035 Funding Number: PAR 08 035 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Reducing Mental Illness Stigma and Discrimination (Collaborative R01) Apply for PAR 08 040 Funding Number: PAR 08 040 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIMH Research Education Grants (R25) Apply for PAR 08 079 Funding Number: PAR 08 079 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Alcohol Research Education Project Grants (R25) Apply for PAR 08 082 Funding Number: PAR 08 082 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Health Behavior Change in People with Mental Disorders (R01) Apply for PA 08 089 Funding Number: PA 08 089 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Metagenomic Analyses of the Oral Microbiome (R01) Apply for PA 08 090 Funding Number: PA 08 090 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Novel Approaches to Study Polymicrobial Diseases (R01) Apply for PA 08 091 Funding Number: PA 08 091 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Novel Approaches To Study Polymicrobial Diseases (R21) Apply for PA 08 092 Funding Number: PA 08 092 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| CAM Practitioner Research Education Project Grant Partnership Competitive Renewal (R25) Apply for PAR 08 095 Funding Number: PAR 08 095 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Family Planning Service Delivery Improvement Research (R01) Apply for PAR 08 999 Funding Number: PAR 08 999 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Genome Wide Association Analysis of Existing Data Sets for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01) Apply for PAR 08 123 Funding Number: PAR 08 123 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mouse Models Containing Human Alleles Novel Tools to Study Brain Function (R21/R33) Apply for PAR 08 158 Funding Number: PAR 08 158 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Adverse Metabolic Side Effects of Second Generation Psychotropic Medications Leading to Obesity and Increased Diabetes Risk (R01) Apply for PAR 08 160 Funding Number: PAR 08 160 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mechanisms of Alcohol Induced Tissue Injury (R01) Apply for PA 08 164 Funding Number: PA 08 164 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Secondary Analysis of Existing Alcohol Epidemiology Data (R01) Apply for PA 08 167 Funding Number: PA 08 167 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Secondary Analysis of Existing Alcohol Epidemiology Data (R21) Apply for PA 08 168 Funding Number: PA 08 168 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Secondary Analysis of Existing Alcohol Epidemiology Data (R03) Apply for PA 08 169 Funding Number: PA 08 169 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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