Critical Illness and Injury in Aging (R21) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Critical Illness and Injury in Aging (R21) - PA-10-044

What is the Critical Illness and Injury in Aging (R21) opportunity (PA-10-044)?

PA-10-044 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity using the Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant mechanism (R21). It is designed to support early stage, exploratory, or developmental research focused on how critical illness and injury affect older adults, and how these conditions can be better understood and managed in aging populations.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The central goal is to generate new insights, pilot data, or proof-of-concept findings that clarify biological mechanisms and improve clinical approaches for older people who experience severe acute illness or traumatic injury, especially where age-related changes influence risk, recovery, complications, and long-term outcomes.

What types of research does the program support?

The scientific scope is broad and can include mechanistic studies (biological pathways, physiological responses, age-related vulnerabilities), observational research (cohorts, clinical patterns, outcomes analyses), and interventional studies (strategies to prevent, treat, or mitigate consequences of critical illness or injury in older adults).

Are mechanistic (biology-focused) studies allowed?

Yes. Applicants may propose mechanistic work that investigates biological pathways, physiological responses, or age-related vulnerabilities relevant to critical illness and injury in older adults.

Are observational studies within scope?

Yes. Observational research is explicitly within scope, including cohort studies and analyses of clinical patterns and outcomes related to critical illness or injury in aging populations.

Are intervention studies allowed under this opportunity?

Yes. Interventional studies that test strategies to prevent, treat, or mitigate the consequences of critical illness or injury in older adults are included within the broad scientific scope described.

Does the announcement allow secondary analysis of existing datasets?

Yes. A notable feature is that the opportunity explicitly welcomes secondary analyses of existing datasets, including data from large observational studies or completed clinical trials, which can be a practical approach for focused R21-style projects.

Can animal studies be proposed?

Yes. The program allows animal studies when human studies are not feasible, particularly for investigating mechanisms that cannot be ethically or practically examined in people, while keeping the focus on aging and critical illness/injury.

What grant mechanism does PA-10-044 use?

This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant mechanism (R21), generally intended for shorter, higher-risk or early-concept projects that open new lines of investigation rather than funding large, definitive research programs.

What is the maximum award amount mentioned for this R21 opportunity?

The listed award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the R21 emphasis on targeted exploratory aims.

Do award size and duration vary?

Yes. NIH notes that award size and duration can vary depending on the proposed work.

How are the number of awards and total funding determined?

NIH indicates that the total number of awards and total dollars depend on the number, quality, duration, and budget levels of the applications received.

Are there related NIH opportunities on the same topic but using different mechanisms?

Yes. The announcement runs in parallel with other NIH funding opportunities with the same or very similar scientific scope but different grant mechanisms: PA-10-042 (R01), PA-10-043 (R03), and PA-10-045 (R34).

How do the related mechanisms differ in intended use (as described in the opportunity summary)?

Based on the described pairing: PA-10-042 (R01) is for larger, more mature research projects; PA-10-043 (R03) is for smaller, limited-scope projects; and PA-10-045 (R34) is for clinical trial planning activities. Investigators are expected to choose the mechanism that best fits idea maturity, preliminary data, and scale of work while staying within the same topic area.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations (public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations; and multiple levels of government including city/township, county, special district, and state). Tribal entities (federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations) are eligible, as are public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities and U.S. territories or possessions. The opportunity also includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) among eligible applicants.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations are included among eligible applicants (with the summary also noting eligibility categories that include small businesses separately).

Are small businesses eligible?

Yes. Small businesses are included among eligible applicants as a separately listed category in the eligibility summary.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Tribal eligibility includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations.

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included in the eligible applicant pool described.

Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?

Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are listed among eligible applicants, indicating openness to internationally based applicants where appropriate.

Are institutions such as HBCUs and Hispanic-serving institutions included in eligibility?

Yes. The eligible applicant pool explicitly includes special institutional categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs).

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based and community-based organizations are included among the eligible categories described.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The administrative details state there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.361 (Nursing Research), 93.838 (Lung Diseases Research), and 93.866 (Aging Research).

What does the set of CFDA numbers suggest about the scientific area?

They reflect the cross-cutting nature of critical illness and injury research in older adults, spanning areas such as acute care, chronic consequences, gerontology, and multiple organ systems.

When was this opportunity posted and created?

It was posted and created on December 1, 2009.

What were the closing date and archive date listed?

The original and current closing date was January 7, 2013, and the archive date was February 7, 2013.

Is PA-10-044 currently open?

No. Based on the listed closing and archive dates, it is not currently open and is presented as an archived opportunity that can still serve as a reference point for similar NIH opportunities and for understanding the intended research scope.

Where was the full announcement made available?

The full archived announcement was made available via the NIH grants guide page associated with PA-10-044.

Who was listed as a support contact for accessing the full announcement?

NIH provided support through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact for applicants or institutions needing help accessing the full announcement.