Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 16 007
Apply for RFA AG 16 007
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Behavioral Epigenomics of Aging in Twin Studies (U24)" 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 Jun 4, 2015 and posted on Jun 4, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 14, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $450,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments County governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Independent school districts Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- 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) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Behavioral Epigenomics of Aging in Twin Studies (U24) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AG-16-007) is a National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging (NIA) cooperative agreement designed to push twin research beyond traditional quantitative genetics and into large-scale behavioral epigenomics. The main scientific idea is to use the unique strengths of twin studies to disentangle how genes and environments work together across adulthood and older age, but with an expanded toolkit that includes epigenomic measures (and related molecular data) tied to behavioral outcomes. NIA highlights that twin cohorts have already been central for understanding how factors like lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions, and social engagement influence aging, along with age-related changes in cognition and personality and markers of healthy aging such as well-being. This FOA aims to accelerate progress by building shared infrastructure and coordinated approaches rather than primarily paying for large new sample collections within individual studies.
At the center of the announcement is the creation of a “twin epigenomic network” that connects existing twin studies of aging and makes them function more like a coordinated consortium. The network is intended to facilitate collaboration across cohorts and institutions so that epigenomic and other molecular data can be more consistently generated, compared, and combined. A major deliverable implied by the FOA is harmonization work: aligning behavioral and aging phenotypes across studies (for example, making measures of cognition, personality, social factors, and well-being as comparable as possible), and standardizing or coordinating (epi)genotype collection procedures so data are compatible across sites. The goal is to reduce the usual barriers that make cross-cohort meta-analysis difficult, such as inconsistent measurement protocols, different sample processing pipelines, or non-comparable phenotype definitions.
Another key emphasis is methods development. The FOA calls for the development of statistical methods appropriate for analyzing and meta-analyzing complex datasets that integrate multiple layers of information, including genomic variation, epigenomic profiles, gene expression, and behavioral phenotypes. In practical terms, this points to consortium-level challenges: modeling relatedness and twin structure correctly, accounting for batch effects and platform differences, handling longitudinal aging data, and developing approaches that can combine results across cohorts while respecting differences in design and measurement. The network is essentially expected to serve as a hub that helps the field move toward robust, reproducible integrative analyses rather than isolated one-off studies.
Importantly, the announcement signals that the award is not primarily meant to bankroll large-scale biospecimen collection for epigenomic assays within particular cohorts. It explicitly notes that larger-scale support for collecting samples suitable for epigenomic analysis in specific studies may be available through other funding opportunities. That framing suggests this U24 is more about coordination, shared resources, harmonization, and analytic strategy than about paying for extensive new lab work in multiple cohorts, although it still supports the infrastructure needed to make epigenomic work across twin studies feasible and coherent.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism (U24), which typically means NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement and active collaboration between the awardee and the agency compared with a standard research project grant. The FOA anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1), with an estimated total funding amount of $450,000 and an award ceiling of $300,000. The program falls under CFDA 93.866 (Aging Research) and does not require cost sharing or matching.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations, spanning public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and a wide range of governmental entities (state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and tribal governments and organizations). The eligibility language also explicitly includes many institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions, as well as faith-based and community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. Foreign institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, though foreign components (as defined in NIH policy) are allowed, which typically means certain project elements may involve foreign collaborations under NIH rules even though the applicant organization must be domestic.
Key dates reflect that this was posted and created on June 4, 2015, with an original and current closing date of January 14, 2016, and an archive date of February 14, 2016, meaning the specific competition is no longer open but remains a useful reference point for the kinds of consortium-building and harmonization activities NIA has prioritized in behavioral genomics of aging. The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants website under the RFA link provided, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact was listed for access or technical issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): The Behavioral Epigenomics of Aging in Twin Studies (U24)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled The Behavioral Epigenomics of Aging in Twin Studies (U24).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-AG-16-007.
Which NIH institute is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
What funding mechanism does this use?
This uses a U24 cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally implies substantial NIH programmatic involvement and an expectation of active collaboration between NIH and the awardee.
What is the main purpose of this U24?
The main purpose is to push twin research beyond traditional quantitative genetics into large-scale behavioral epigenomics by building shared infrastructure and coordinated approaches across existing twin studies of aging.
What is the central scientific idea behind the project?
The core idea is to use the unique strengths of twin studies to help disentangle how genes and environments work together across adulthood and older age, while adding epigenomic measures (and related molecular data) connected to behavioral outcomes.
What kinds of prior twin-study contributions does NIA highlight?
NIA notes that twin cohorts have been central for understanding how factors like lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions, and social engagement influence aging, as well as age-related changes in cognition and personality and markers of healthy aging such as well-being.
What is meant by a "twin epigenomic network"?
The FOA centers on creating a twin epigenomic network that links existing twin studies of aging so they can function more like a coordinated consortium, enabling collaboration across cohorts and institutions.
What is the network expected to enable across twin cohorts?
The network is intended to make epigenomic and other molecular data more consistently generated, compared, and combined across sites and studies.
Does this FOA prioritize collecting large new samples?
No. The announcement emphasizes that the award is not primarily meant to bankroll large-scale biospecimen collection for epigenomic assays within particular cohorts. It points out that larger-scale support for collecting samples in specific studies may be available through other funding opportunities.
What kinds of activities are emphasized instead of new sample collection?
The FOA emphasizes consortium-style work such as coordination, shared resources, harmonization, standardization of procedures, and analytic strategy and methods development to support robust cross-cohort epigenomic research in aging twin studies.
What does "harmonization" mean in the context of this FOA?
Harmonization refers to aligning behavioral and aging phenotypes across studies, such as making measures of cognition, personality, social factors, and well-being as comparable as possible, and coordinating (epi)genotype collection procedures so data are compatible across sites.
Why is harmonization important for this network?
It is meant to reduce barriers that commonly block cross-cohort meta-analysis, including inconsistent measurement protocols, different sample processing pipelines, and non-comparable phenotype definitions.
What is the FOA asking for in terms of methods development?
The FOA calls for the development of statistical methods suitable for analyzing and meta-analyzing complex datasets that integrate multiple layers of information, including genomic variation, epigenomic profiles, gene expression, and behavioral phenotypes.
What are examples of the consortium-level analytic challenges mentioned or implied?
Examples include correctly modeling relatedness and twin structure, accounting for batch effects and platform differences, handling longitudinal aging data, and combining results across cohorts while respecting differences in design and measurement.
Is this opportunity focused on one-off projects or reproducible consortium analyses?
The network is framed as a hub to move the field toward robust, reproducible integrative analyses rather than isolated one-off studies.
How many awards were expected under this FOA?
The FOA anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1).
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $450,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was $300,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states that it does not require cost sharing or matching.
What is the CFDA number and program area?
The program falls under CFDA 93.866, which is Aging Research.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad for U.S.-based organizations, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and many governmental entities (such as state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and tribal governments and organizations).
Does the FOA explicitly include certain institution types?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISI institutions, as well as faith-based and community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply under this FOA.
Are any foreign collaborations allowed?
Yes. The FOA notes that foreign components (as defined in NIH policy) are allowed, which generally means certain project elements may involve foreign collaborations under NIH rules even though the applicant organization must be domestic.
When was this opportunity posted and created?
The FOA was posted and created on June 4, 2015.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date listed was January 14, 2016.
Is this FOA still open?
No. The FOA lists an archive date of February 14, 2016, indicating the specific competition is no longer open.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants website under the RFA link associated with RFA-AG-16-007.
Who was listed for access or technical issues?
The FOA listed the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contact for access or technical issues.
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