Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 13 332
Apply for PA 13 332
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Audacious Goals Initiative High Priority Research Area Intersection of Aging and Biological Mechanisms of Eye Disease (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 13, 2013 and posted on Aug 13, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Independent school districts Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) State governments Small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Special district governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) 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 Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Audacious Goals Initiative High Priority Research Area: Intersection of Aging and Biological Mechanisms of Eye Disease (R01) (Funding Opportunity Number PA 13-332) was a National Eye Institute (NEI) grant program under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) designed to push forward new and genuinely innovative research on how aging biology connects to the onset and progression of major eye diseases. The central idea behind the opportunity was that advanced age is one of the strongest risk factors for many leading causes of vision loss, and that a deeper, more mechanistic understanding of what changes in the eye and related systems during aging could open the door to better prevention, earlier detection, and treatments that slow or delay disease rather than reacting after major damage has occurred. This was offered as an R01 research grant, meaning it supported substantial, investigator-driven research projects rather than small pilot awards.
The FOA encouraged projects that tackle the aging-disease connection from several complementary angles. First, it sought studies that explain how the core biology of aging contributes to eye disease, meaning research that goes beyond describing age as a risk factor and instead identifies specific aging processes (cellular, molecular, tissue-level, or systemic) that create vulnerability to retinal, optic nerve, lens, corneal, or ocular surface pathology. Second, it emphasized the transition period where normal aging begins to tip into early disease, highlighting homeostasis, the body and tissue systems that keep conditions stable. Applicants were encouraged to study how breakdowns in protective or regulatory processes (for example, stress response systems, clearance and repair pathways, immune regulation, vascular regulation, or metabolic balance) may allow aging tissue to cross a threshold into pathology. Third, the program aimed to support work that defines the biological staging of eye disease, not just clinical staging. That includes mapping measurable biological events that occur as disease develops, which can clarify pathophysiology, support earlier diagnosis, and reveal new therapeutic entry points. This theme explicitly called for the identification of biomarkers and the exploration of therapies informed by a clearer understanding of disease stage and mechanism. Fourth, it prioritized research that carefully distinguishes normal ocular changes that come with aging from changes that are truly pathophysiologic, since confusing the two can slow down diagnosis, distort clinical trial design, and misdirect therapeutic development.
The eye diseases and conditions named as motivating examples were those where aging is a major driver of population risk and burden, including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye syndrome, and presbyopia. While these conditions differ substantially, the FOA was framed around the possibility that shared aging-related mechanisms, as well as tissue-specific aging effects, could be clarified through targeted research. The practical goal was to generate knowledge that can be translated into strategies to prevent disease onset, delay progression, or reduce severity, especially by intervening earlier in the aging-to-disease continuum.
In terms of the kind of science it supported, the announcement was intentionally broad and welcoming to different research styles. Applications could be design-directed, developmental, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven, which signaled openness to exploratory projects as long as they were innovative and aimed at the key scientific objectives. It also noted that small, multidisciplinary teams using integrative approaches were appropriate, reflecting an expectation that solving these problems may require combining expertise across aging biology, ophthalmology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, bioengineering, imaging, computational biology, and other relevant fields.
Administratively, this was a discretionary grant opportunity in the health category (CFDA 93.866, Aging Research) with no cost sharing or matching requirement. It was posted and created on August 13, 2013, with an original and final listed closing date of January 7, 2017, and an archive date of February 7, 2017, meaning the opportunity is no longer open but remains as a reference point for the program’s priorities. Eligibility was wide and included many U.S. applicant types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, state, county, city/township, and special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities, and federally recognized and other tribal governments and organizations. It also explicitly included a broad set of mission-relevant institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations. Importantly, foreign organizations and foreign institutions were eligible to apply, and foreign components of U.S. organizations were allowed consistent with NIH policy.
The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-13-332.html, and the contact listed for access or technical problems was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV. Overall, the FOA can be understood as a targeted R01 mechanism meant to accelerate high-impact research at the intersection of aging biology and ocular disease mechanisms, with a strong emphasis on early disease transitions, biologically grounded staging and biomarkers, and clearer separation of normal aging from disease processes to ultimately reduce age-related vision loss.
FAQs: Audacious Goals Initiative High Priority Research Area: Intersection of Aging and Biological Mechanisms of Eye Disease (R01) (PA-13-332)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity was a National Eye Institute (NEI) program under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) titled "The Audacious Goals Initiative High Priority Research Area: Intersection of Aging and Biological Mechanisms of Eye Disease (R01)." The Funding Opportunity Number was PA-13-332, and it supported R01 research projects focused on how the biology of aging contributes to major eye diseases.
What was the main goal of the program?
The program aimed to advance genuinely innovative research that explains, at a mechanistic level, how aging processes connect to the onset and progression of major eye diseases. A central motivation was that advanced age is one of the strongest risk factors for many leading causes of vision loss, and understanding the biology behind that risk could enable better prevention, earlier detection, and treatments that slow or delay disease rather than responding after substantial damage.
What type of grant mechanism was used?
It was offered as an NIH R01 research grant mechanism, intended to support substantial, investigator-driven research projects (as opposed to small pilot awards).
What scientific themes did the FOA emphasize?
The FOA encouraged projects addressing the aging-disease connection from multiple complementary angles, including:
- Identifying specific cellular, molecular, tissue-level, or systemic aging processes that create vulnerability to eye pathology (not just stating that age is a risk factor).
- Studying the transition period where normal aging begins to shift into early disease, including the role of homeostasis and how protective/regulatory processes break down.
- Defining biological staging of eye disease (not only clinical staging), including mapping measurable biological events across disease development.
- Distinguishing normal ocular aging changes from changes that are truly pathophysiologic, to avoid confusion that can hinder diagnosis, trial design, or therapy development.
What kinds of biological processes or systems were highlighted as relevant to the aging-to-disease transition?
The FOA pointed to breakdowns in protective or regulatory processes that maintain stability (homeostasis) as a key area of interest. Examples mentioned included stress response systems, clearance and repair pathways, immune regulation, vascular regulation, and metabolic balance.
Did the FOA encourage biomarker discovery?
Yes. A stated theme was defining biological staging and mapping measurable biological events as disease develops, which explicitly included identifying biomarkers and exploring therapies informed by clearer understanding of disease stage and mechanism.
Which eye diseases or conditions were specifically named?
The announcement listed motivating examples where aging is a major driver of risk and burden, including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye syndrome, and presbyopia.
Was the program limited to those named diseases?
Only the named examples are provided in the description. The broader framing focused on major eye diseases where aging biology is connected to onset and progression, and it also raised the possibility of shared aging-related mechanisms as well as tissue-specific aging effects.
What kinds of research approaches were considered appropriate?
The announcement was intentionally broad and welcomed multiple research styles. Applications could be design-directed, developmental, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven, as long as they were innovative and aligned with the scientific objectives around aging biology and eye disease mechanisms.
Did the FOA encourage multidisciplinary or integrative work?
Yes. It noted that small, multidisciplinary teams using integrative approaches were appropriate, reflecting an expectation that progress may require combining expertise across fields such as aging biology, ophthalmology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, bioengineering, imaging, computational biology, and other relevant disciplines.
What practical or translational impact was the program aiming for?
The practical goal was to generate knowledge that could translate into strategies to prevent disease onset, delay progression, or reduce severity, particularly by intervening earlier in the aging-to-disease continuum and by enabling earlier diagnosis and new therapeutic entry points.
What does the FOA mean by "biological staging" versus "clinical staging"?
Based on the description, "biological staging" refers to identifying and mapping measurable biological events that occur as disease develops, which can clarify pathophysiology and support earlier diagnosis. This is distinct from clinical staging, which typically relies on observable clinical signs and symptoms. The FOA emphasized biological staging as a way to reveal mechanisms, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets.
Why was distinguishing normal aging from disease emphasized?
The FOA prioritized careful separation of normal ocular changes that come with aging from changes that are truly pathophysiologic. It noted that confusing the two can slow diagnosis, distort clinical trial design, and misdirect therapeutic development.
What was the CFDA number and program category?
The opportunity was listed in the health category under CFDA 93.866 (Aging Research).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted, and what were the closing and archive dates?
It was posted and created on August 13, 2013. The original and final listed closing date was January 7, 2017, and the archive date was February 7, 2017.
Is this funding opportunity currently open?
No. The description indicates it is no longer open and remains available as a reference point for the program's priorities.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as wide and included many U.S. applicant types such as:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3))
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
- State, county, city/township, and special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities
- Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal governments and organizations
Were specific institution types explicitly included?
Yes. The description explicitly included mission-relevant institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations.
Could foreign organizations apply?
Yes. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions were eligible to apply, and foreign components of U.S. organizations were allowed consistent with NIH policy.
Where could applicants find the full FOA text?
The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants website at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-13-332.html
Who was listed as the contact for access or technical problems?
The contact listed for access or technical problems was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
How would you summarize the focus of PA-13-332 in one sentence?
It was a targeted NEI/NIH R01 funding opportunity designed to accelerate high-impact research connecting aging biology to the mechanisms, early transitions, biological staging, and biomarkers of major eye diseases, with the aim of reducing age-related vision loss through earlier and more effective intervention.
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