Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 14 359
Apply for PA 14 359
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biology of the Temporomandibular Joint in Health and Disease (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 3, 2014 and posted on Oct 3, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $275,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Special district governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private 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) 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 Biology of the Temporomandibular Joint in Health and Disease (R21) funding opportunity (PA-14-359) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to push forward early-stage, exploratory research that improves what is known about the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in both normal function and disease. The central goal is to spark new, potentially high-impact ideas about how the TMJ works as an integrated joint system and how problems develop that contribute to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). In practical terms, the FOA is looking for studies that go beyond isolated observations and instead clarify the biology of joint function and the behavior of the tissues that make up the TMJ, with an emphasis on work that complements and extends prior efforts in the field.
A major theme in the announcement is the need to better understand the TMJ as a whole structure with complex mechanics. The FOA highlights that progress will likely come from research that connects structure and function, including how forces are distributed and managed across joint tissues during normal activities (like chewing and speaking) and how those mechanical demands may contribute to degeneration, inflammation, pain, or dysfunction. It explicitly calls for approaches that consider interactions among multiple body systems that influence joint health, including skeletal, muscular, nervous, immune, and circulatory systems. This signals interest in interdisciplinary projects that link biomechanics with tissue biology and pain-related neurobiology, as well as projects that investigate how immune and vascular factors shape tissue remodeling or pathology within the joint environment.
The opportunity also places strong emphasis on the development and use of improved research models, specifically new in vivo and in vitro systems that can capture the complexity of TMJ tissues and joint function. That can include animal models, engineered tissue systems, organotypic or microphysiological models, and other experimental platforms that allow researchers to test hypotheses about how TMJ tissues respond to loading, injury, inflammation, or altered neuromuscular control. The motivation here is that better models can make it possible to study cause-and-effect relationships more directly, identify early biological changes that precede clinical symptoms, and evaluate candidate pathways or interventions more efficiently.
The expected outcome of the FOA is new foundational knowledge that can support future translational progress in TMD. The announcement frames the long-term impact in terms of enabling novel ways to prevent TMD, improve diagnosis, assess risk earlier or more accurately, and develop better treatments. In other words, while the R21 mechanism often supports exploratory science rather than late-stage clinical testing, the program is clearly oriented toward discoveries that could eventually inform clinically useful strategies, whether through biomarkers, mechanistic targets, or improved understanding of disease subtypes and trajectories.
From an administrative standpoint, this is an NIH grant opportunity using the R21 funding instrument. The posted date and creation date are October 3, 2014, and the original and current closing date listed is September 7, 2017, with an archive date of October 8, 2017, indicating the announcement is no longer active but remains relevant as a reference point for NIH interests and prior program priorities. The award ceiling is listed as $275,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The activity category is health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the program are 93.121 (Oral Diseases and Disorders Research) and 93.286 (Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health), reflecting both the oral health relevance of TMJ/TMD and the broader innovation focus.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of domestic U.S. institutions and organizations, such as public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, independent school districts, special district governments, small businesses, and certain for-profit organizations. It also includes nonprofit organizations, including those with and without 501(c)(3) status. The FOA also allows non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions to apply, permits non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, and allows foreign components as defined by NIH policy, which can be important for projects involving specialized expertise, populations, or facilities outside the United States. Additional eligible applicant types explicitly mentioned include HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies.
For reference and full details, the FOA is linked through the NIH Grants Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-359.html, and administrative help for access or linking issues is directed to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV).
FAQs: The Biology of the Temporomandibular Joint in Health and Disease (R21) (PA-14-359)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity, titled The Biology of the Temporomandibular Joint in Health and Disease (R21) (PA-14-359), is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program that supports early-stage, exploratory research focused on improving scientific understanding of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in both normal function and disease.
What is the main goal of PA-14-359?
The central goal is to stimulate new, potentially high-impact ideas about how the TMJ works as an integrated joint system and how temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) develop. The program is oriented toward studies that move beyond isolated observations and instead clarify joint biology, tissue behavior, and mechanisms that contribute to pain, dysfunction, inflammation, or degeneration.
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This is an NIH R21 funding opportunity. The R21 mechanism is commonly used for exploratory and developmental research, which aligns with the FOA's emphasis on early-stage ideas and foundational discovery.
What kinds of research topics are encouraged?
Based on the FOA description, encouraged topics include research that:
- Explains TMJ function as a whole, integrated structure rather than focusing on a single isolated tissue or observation.
- Connects joint structure and joint function, including how mechanical forces are distributed across TMJ tissues during normal activities (for example, chewing and speaking).
- Investigates how mechanical demands may contribute to degeneration, inflammation, pain, dysfunction, or other pathological changes.
- Addresses interactions among multiple body systems that influence TMJ health, including skeletal, muscular, nervous, immune, and circulatory systems.
- Links biomechanics with tissue biology and pain-related neurobiology, including immune and vascular influences on remodeling or pathology in the TMJ environment.
Is the FOA focused on basic science or clinical studies?
The FOA is strongly oriented toward foundational, mechanistic knowledge and early-stage exploratory research rather than late-stage clinical testing. At the same time, it frames long-term impact in translational terms, emphasizing that discoveries should be capable of supporting future progress in prevention, diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment of TMD.
What does the FOA mean by studying the TMJ as an "integrated joint system"?
In this FOA, "integrated joint system" refers to research that considers how the TMJ's tissues and mechanics work together as a whole during function, including how forces are managed across tissues and how multiple biological systems (muscular, nervous, immune, vascular, skeletal) interact to shape joint health or disease.
Why is biomechanics emphasized in this opportunity?
The FOA highlights that progress is likely to come from connecting structure and function, including how mechanical forces are distributed and handled across TMJ tissues during routine activities. It also emphasizes understanding how these mechanical demands may help drive degeneration, inflammation, pain, or dysfunction that contributes to TMD.
What body systems does the FOA explicitly call out as relevant to TMJ health?
The FOA explicitly emphasizes interactions among the skeletal, muscular, nervous, immune, and circulatory systems, signaling interest in interdisciplinary work that connects joint mechanics and tissue biology with neurobiology of pain and immune/vascular contributions to remodeling or pathology.
Does the FOA encourage interdisciplinary projects?
Yes. The FOA signals strong interest in interdisciplinary approaches, particularly those that bridge biomechanics, tissue biology, pain-related neurobiology, and immune and vascular biology as they relate to joint remodeling, degeneration, inflammation, and dysfunction.
What types of research models are emphasized?
The FOA places strong emphasis on developing and using improved research models that better capture TMJ complexity. Examples described include:
- New in vivo models (including animal models)
- New in vitro systems
- Engineered tissue systems
- Organotypic models
- Microphysiological models and other experimental platforms
What is the purpose of developing improved TMJ research models?
According to the FOA description, improved models can help researchers test cause-and-effect relationships more directly, identify early biological changes that precede clinical symptoms, and evaluate candidate pathways or interventions more efficiently. The overall motivation is to enable clearer mechanistic insight into how TMJ tissues respond to loading, injury, inflammation, or altered neuromuscular control.
What outcomes does NIH expect from projects supported under this FOA?
The expected outcome is new foundational knowledge about TMJ biology in health and disease that can support future translational progress in TMD. The FOA describes long-term potential impacts such as enabling new strategies to prevent TMD, improve diagnosis, assess risk earlier or more accurately, and develop better treatments.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $275,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is health.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this program?
The CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity are:
- 93.121 (Oral Diseases and Disorders Research)
- 93.286 (Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health)
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad and includes many domestic U.S. institutions and organizations, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- State and local governments
- Tribal governments and tribal organizations
- Independent school districts
- Special district governments
- Small businesses
- Certain for-profit organizations
- Nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status)
Are minority-serving institutions mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly mentions eligibility for applicant types including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly included among eligible applicant types in the provided description.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly included among eligible applicant types in the provided description.
Can federal agencies apply?
Yes. The provided information indicates eligible federal agencies are included as eligible applicant types.
Are foreign institutions allowed to apply?
Yes. The FOA allows non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions to apply. It also permits non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations and allows foreign components as defined by NIH policy.
What is a "foreign component" in the context of this FOA?
The FOA notes that foreign components are allowed as defined by NIH policy. This matters for projects that may involve expertise, populations, or facilities outside the United States.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. The FOA information provided indicates it is no longer active. The posted/creation date is October 3, 2014; the original and current closing date is September 7, 2017; and the archive date is October 8, 2017.
Where can the full FOA be found?
The FOA is available through the NIH Grants Guide at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-14-359.html
Who should be contacted for website access or linking issues?
For administrative help with access or linking issues, the provided contact is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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