Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 14 216
Apply for RFA MH 14 216
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Analyze Cell Specific and Circuit Specific Processes in the Brain (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.350 National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences 93.361 Nursing Research 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research 93.866 Aging Research 93.867 Vision Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 17, 2013 and posted on Dec 17, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 13, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Special district governments Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts.
- 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 NIH funding opportunity RFA-MH-14-216, titled "BRAIN Initiative Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Analyze Cell Specific and Circuit Specific Processes in the Brain (U01)," is a BRAIN Initiative call focused on creating and proving out new neurotechnology tools that let researchers study how the brain works at the level of defined cell types and defined neural circuits. The core goal is to move beyond broad, nonspecific measurements and interventions by enabling experiments that can identify, access, label, measure, manipulate, or deliver agents to very specific populations of neurons or other brain cells, and to do so in ways that reveal how those targeted elements interact to produce brain function.
A central theme of the announcement is specificity and practical utility. NIH is looking for tools and technologies that can operate with high cell-type specificity and/or circuit-level specificity, meaning they should be able to distinguish among closely related cell classes or selectively engage particular pathways and connections rather than affecting large swaths of tissue. Importantly, the FOA does not only want conceptual advances or early prototypes. It explicitly requires validation as an essential component, so applicants are expected to demonstrate that the tool works as intended, performs reliably, and meaningfully improves the ability to analyze complex brain circuits and cellular interactions. In practice, that means strong plans for benchmarking, performance testing, and showing real experimental use cases, not just tool description.
The FOA places particular emphasis on developing new genetic and non-genetic delivery approaches for introducing genes, proteins, and chemicals into targeted cells. This includes strategies that improve the precision and sensitivity of targeting compared to established methods, such as more selective vectors or delivery systems, improved targeting logic, better spatial or connectivity-based access to circuits, or methods that reduce off-target effects and increase efficiency. While the announcement does not limit applicants to any single modality, it signals a preference for approaches that overcome current technical bottlenecks in how researchers reach the exact cells and connections they want to study or manipulate.
Another strong preference is breadth of applicability across species and model organisms. Tools that can be used in multiple experimental systems (rather than being locked to one species) are described as highly desired. This reflects the BRAIN Initiative interest in technologies that can generalize across common neuroscience models and potentially accelerate translation by making it easier to compare findings across organisms. Along the same lines, NIH encourages submissions that break through existing technical barriers and substantially improve current capabilities, which is an invitation for ambitious engineering, chemistry, molecular biology, and systems neuroscience advances that change what experiments are feasible.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity uses the U01 activity code, meaning awards are issued as cooperative agreements. That structure typically indicates substantial NIH scientific or programmatic involvement during the project compared with a standard research grant, and it often fits projects where tool development milestones, validation benchmarks, and iterative refinement benefit from coordinated oversight. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary, with an estimated total funding amount of $5,000,000 for the announcement.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of organization types: 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), local and state governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, and other specialized entities listed in the notice. The FOA also allows non-U.S. participation: foreign organizations and foreign institutions are eligible to apply, foreign components of U.S. organizations are allowed, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may participate, consistent with NIH policy definitions.
Key timeline fields in the source show the FOA was posted and created on December 17, 2013, with an original and current closing date of March 13, 2014, and an archive date of April 13, 2014. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide. For access or linking issues, the notice provides NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact information.
FAQs: NIH RFA-MH-14-216 (U01) BRAIN Initiative Novel Tools for Cell- and Circuit-Specific Brain Analysis
What is this funding opportunity?
This is an NIH BRAIN Initiative funding opportunity announcement (FOA) titled "BRAIN Initiative Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Analyze Cell Specific and Circuit Specific Processes in the Brain (U01)" with FOA number RFA-MH-14-216.
What is the main goal of RFA-MH-14-216?
The core goal is to create and validate new neurotechnology tools that let researchers study brain function at the level of defined cell types and defined neural circuits. The FOA emphasizes moving beyond broad, non-specific measurements and interventions by enabling experiments that can precisely identify, access, label, measure, manipulate, or deliver agents to targeted brain cell populations and/or targeted circuit elements.
What kinds of capabilities should proposed tools enable?
Based on the FOA description, tools may enable one or more of the following with high specificity: identifying target cells, accessing them, labeling them, measuring their activity or properties, manipulating them, or delivering agents (for example genes, proteins, or chemicals) to them, with the purpose of revealing how specific cells and circuits interact to produce brain function.
What does the FOA mean by cell-type specificity?
Cell-type specificity refers to the ability of a tool or method to distinguish among closely related classes of neurons or other brain cells and to selectively target those defined populations rather than broadly affecting many cell types at once.
What does the FOA mean by circuit-level specificity?
Circuit-level specificity refers to selectively engaging particular pathways, projections, connections, or circuit components rather than impacting large swaths of tissue. The intent is to target defined connections or circuit elements so experiments can isolate how specific circuit interactions contribute to function.
Is validation required, or is early prototyping enough?
Validation is described as an essential component. The FOA is not limited to conceptual advances or early prototypes; applicants are expected to demonstrate that the tool works as intended, performs reliably, and meaningfully improves the ability to analyze complex circuits and cellular interactions.
What does "validation" imply for an application?
From the information provided, validation implies strong plans for benchmarking and performance testing, along with real experimental use cases that show the tool in practice. The emphasis is on demonstrating reliable function and practical utility, not only describing the tool.
What tool areas are especially emphasized?
The FOA places particular emphasis on developing new genetic and non-genetic delivery approaches for introducing genes, proteins, and chemicals into targeted cells, with improved precision and sensitivity compared to established methods.
What are examples of improvements the FOA is looking for in delivery approaches?
The FOA highlights improvements such as more selective vectors or delivery systems, improved targeting logic, better spatial or connectivity-based access to circuits, methods that reduce off-target effects, and approaches that increase delivery efficiency and precision.
Does the FOA restrict applicants to a single technology modality?
No single modality is specified as required in the provided description. The FOA signals interest in approaches that overcome current technical bottlenecks in reaching the exact cells and connections researchers want to study or manipulate, without limiting applicants to one method type.
How important is practical utility compared to novelty?
A central theme is specificity and practical utility. The FOA stresses tools that operate with high specificity and that are validated in ways that show reliable performance and meaningful experimental value.
Is cross-species or multi-model applicability important?
Yes. Tools that can be used across species and multiple model organisms are described as highly desired. The FOA frames this as a way to generalize technologies across common neuroscience models and support comparisons of findings across organisms.
Does the FOA encourage high-risk, high-reward advances?
The FOA encourages submissions that break through existing technical barriers and substantially improve current capabilities. This signals interest in ambitious advances that change what experiments are feasible.
What award mechanism is used?
This opportunity uses the U01 activity code.
What does it mean that this is a U01 cooperative agreement?
U01 awards are issued as cooperative agreements, which typically indicates substantial NIH scientific or programmatic involvement during the project compared with a standard research grant. The provided description suggests this structure fits tool development projects where milestones, validation benchmarks, and iterative refinement benefit from coordinated oversight.
How much total funding is associated with this announcement?
The opportunity is described as discretionary with an estimated total funding amount of $5,000,000 for the announcement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: 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); local and state governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; and other specialized entity types listed in the notice.
Are for-profit organizations and small businesses eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations, including small businesses, are included in the eligibility categories described.
Are government entities eligible?
Yes. Local and state governments, as well as tribal governments and tribal organizations, are listed among eligible organization types.
Can foreign organizations apply?
Yes. Non-U.S. participation is allowed: foreign organizations and foreign institutions are eligible to apply, and foreign components of U.S. organizations are allowed, consistent with NIH policy definitions.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component in the project?
Yes. The FOA allows foreign components of U.S. organizations and also allows non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations to participate, consistent with NIH policy definitions.
Which agency sponsors this FOA?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide.
When was this FOA posted?
The timeline fields shown indicate the FOA was posted and created on December 17, 2013.
What was the closing date for applications?
The source information lists an original and current closing date of March 13, 2014.
Is this opportunity still active?
The source information lists an archive date of April 13, 2014, which indicates the opportunity has been archived.
Who should be contacted for access or linking issues related to the announcement?
For access or linking issues, the notice provides contact information for the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
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