Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 16 005
Apply for RFA AG 16 005
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Characterization of Pro and Anti Geronic Proteins and Peptides (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 May 21, 2015 and posted on Apr 23, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 3, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,350,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Small businesses State governments Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Independent school districts Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) County 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) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Characterization of Pro- and Anti-Geronic Proteins and Peptides (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AG-16-005) supports research aimed at understanding naturally occurring circulating proteins and peptides that measurably influence aging-related traits in living animals when present at physiological levels. In this context, the term "geronic" refers to factors found in circulation that can either counteract or reverse age-related decline (anti-geronic) or, conversely, push biology toward an aged-like state even in younger animals (pro-geronic). The core emphasis is on factors whose effects have already been demonstrated in whole-animal experiments, with clear functional consequences at the tissue or organ level, such as improvements or deterioration in heart structure and function, skeletal muscle repair, muscle strength, neurogenesis, or cognitive performance. While cellular and molecular evidence is often part of the supporting background, the FOA is explicitly anchored in in vivo, organism-level proof that the factor changes meaningful aging phenotypes.
The scientific purpose of the program is not simply to identify more candidate factors, but to rigorously characterize what these known pro- and anti-geronic proteins and peptides actually do, how broadly their effects extend across different aging phenotypes, and by what mechanisms they operate. Projects supported under this announcement are expected to clarify which organs and functional systems are impacted, whether effects are specific (for example, limited to skeletal muscle regeneration) or more systemic (involving multiple tissues), and whether individual factors act alone or interact in combinations. A major expected outcome is a more complete map of the aging-relevant phenotypes influenced by these circulating molecules, along with mechanistic insight into the cellular pathways and molecular events that mediate those effects. The FOA also frames this work as foundational for later translational research, meaning that improved mechanistic and phenotypic understanding should eventually help determine whether these factors could be leveraged as targets, biomarkers, or therapeutic leads to prevent, slow, or reverse aspects of age-related functional decline.
A key feature of the opportunity is its focus on proteins and peptides that are "naturally occurring" and present in circulation, and whose geronic roles have been shown to matter at physiological levels rather than only under artificial overexpression or extreme dosing. Anti-geronic examples described in the announcement include factors that can rejuvenate or prevent age-associated phenotypes in older laboratory animals, such as reducing cardiac hypertrophy or improving muscle repair and strength. Pro-geronic examples include factors that can induce aging-like outcomes in young adult animals, such as reduced neurogenesis or impaired cognitive function. The FOA notes that many of these proteins may have established roles in other biological settings like development, and part of the challenge and opportunity is disentangling their aging-related actions from their broader biology.
From an administrative standpoint, this is an NIH discretionary grant using the R01 mechanism, categorized under health and aging research (CFDA 93.866). The announcement anticipated about five awards with an estimated total program funding level of approximately $2.35 million, and it listed an award ceiling of $350,000. Cost sharing or matching was not required. The FOA was posted on April 23, 2015, created May 21, 2015, with an original closing date of July 9, 2015, later updated to a current closing date of August 3, 2015, and an archive date of September 3, 2015.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants listed in the source data include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government such as state, county, city or township, special district governments, and certain public housing authorities. The eligibility language also includes Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations (both federally recognized and other than federally recognized, depending on category), and a wide range of institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs). It also explicitly includes eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), indicating an intention to attract a diverse pool of applicants capable of conducting sophisticated in vivo aging biology.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an NIH effort to move the field beyond intriguing observations that certain circulating factors can make animals look physiologically younger or older, and toward careful, mechanism-driven characterization that explains what those factors do across the body and why. The deliverable the FOA is really aiming for is a stronger, more causal understanding of how specific circulating proteins and peptides shape aging phenotypes in whole animals, setting the stage for later work that could translate these findings into interventions or clinically relevant strategies. For the full archived announcement and official details, the FOA provided a link to the NIH Grants Guide page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-16-005.html and referenced NIH Office of Extramural Research contacts for access or technical issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?
The opportunity is titled "Characterization of Pro- and Anti-Geronic Proteins and Peptides (R01)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-AG-16-005.
Which NIH grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This funding opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism.
What is the overall purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to support research that rigorously characterizes naturally occurring circulating proteins and peptides that measurably influence aging-related traits in living animals at physiological levels. The emphasis is on understanding what these factors do across aging phenotypes and how they work mechanistically, based on in vivo (whole-animal) evidence of meaningful functional effects.
What does "geronic" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, "geronic" refers to factors found in circulation that influence aging-related biology. Anti-geronic factors counteract, prevent, or reverse age-related decline, while pro-geronic factors push biology toward an aged-like state, including in younger animals.
What types of molecules are being studied under this program?
The program focuses on naturally occurring proteins and peptides present in circulation, specifically those whose geronic roles have been shown to matter at physiological levels.
Does this FOA focus on discovering new circulating factors, or on characterizing known ones?
The scientific purpose is not simply to identify additional candidate factors. It is to rigorously characterize known pro- and anti-geronic proteins and peptides, including the breadth of their effects across aging phenotypes and the mechanisms by which they operate.
What kind of evidence is required to fit the core emphasis of this FOA?
The FOA is explicitly anchored in in vivo, organism-level proof that the factor changes meaningful aging phenotypes. The effects should be demonstrated in whole-animal experiments with clear functional consequences at the tissue or organ level. Cellular and molecular data may be part of the supporting background, but the anchor is whole-animal functional outcomes.
What are examples of aging-related phenotypes or outcomes mentioned in the FOA?
Examples of functional consequences at the tissue or organ level include improvements or deterioration in heart structure and function, skeletal muscle repair, muscle strength, neurogenesis, or cognitive performance.
What is the difference between anti-geronic and pro-geronic examples described in the announcement?
Anti-geronic examples include factors that can rejuvenate or prevent age-associated phenotypes in older laboratory animals (for example, reducing cardiac hypertrophy or improving muscle repair and strength). Pro-geronic examples include factors that can induce aging-like outcomes in young adult animals (for example, reduced neurogenesis or impaired cognitive function).
Does the FOA require that effects occur at physiological levels?
Yes. A key feature of the opportunity is its focus on factors whose effects are demonstrated at physiological levels, rather than only under artificial overexpression or extreme dosing.
What are the main scientific questions projects are expected to address?
Projects are expected to clarify what these circulating proteins and peptides do, how broadly their effects extend across different aging phenotypes, which organs and functional systems are impacted, whether effects are specific to a particular tissue or systemic across multiple tissues, and what mechanisms (cellular pathways and molecular events) mediate the observed effects. The FOA also highlights understanding whether factors act alone or interact in combinations.
What kinds of deliverables or outcomes is the FOA aiming for?
The expected outcomes include (1) a more complete map of aging-relevant phenotypes influenced by specific circulating proteins and peptides and (2) mechanistic insight into the pathways and molecular events that explain those effects in whole animals. The FOA frames this as foundational work for later translational research, potentially informing targets, biomarkers, or therapeutic leads to prevent, slow, or reverse aspects of age-related functional decline.
Is translational or therapeutic development the immediate focus of this FOA?
The FOA frames the work as foundational for later translational research. The immediate emphasis is on mechanism-driven and phenotype-driven characterization in vivo, to enable future decisions about whether factors could be leveraged as targets, biomarkers, or therapeutic leads.
Are these circulating proteins and peptides expected to have roles outside of aging biology?
Yes. The FOA notes that many of these proteins may have established roles in other biological settings such as development, and part of the scientific challenge is disentangling aging-related actions from broader biological functions.
What is the CFDA number and general research area for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under health and aging research with CFDA 93.866.
How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total program funding?
The announcement anticipated about five awards with an estimated total program funding level of approximately $2.35 million.
What was the award ceiling listed in the announcement?
The FOA listed an award ceiling of $350,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement stated that cost sharing or matching was not required.
When was the FOA posted and what were the key dates mentioned?
The FOA was posted on April 23, 2015, created May 21, 2015, had an original closing date of July 9, 2015, was updated to a current closing date of August 3, 2015, and listed an archive date of September 3, 2015.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included many domestic and non-domestic organization types. The source data lists eligible applicants including public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and multiple levels of government (state, county, city or township, special district governments, and certain public housing authorities). It also includes Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, a wide range of institution types (including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, TCCUs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISIs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Does the FOA encourage participation from specific institution types (for example, MSIs)?
The eligibility list explicitly includes a variety of institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs).
Where can applicants find the full archived announcement?
The FOA referenced the NIH Grants Guide page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-16-005.html for the full archived announcement and official details.
Who was referenced for access or technical issues related to the FOA?
The FOA referenced NIH Office of Extramural Research contacts for access or technical issues.
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