Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 07 425
Apply for PAR 07 425
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Data Ontologies for Biomedical Research (R01)" 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 93.172 Human Genome Research 93.233 National Center on Sleep Disorders Research 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 93.361 Nursing Research 93.389 National Center for Research Resources 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.838 Lung Diseases Research 93.839 Blood Diseases and Resources 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 93.867 Vision Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on Aug 3, 2007.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Multiple Receipt Dates See Link to Full Announcement for details.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses 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).
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity titled "Data Ontologies for Biomedical Research (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 07-425) supports projects that build formal biomedical ontologies to improve how software and researchers connect and interpret existing data sets. It is released in affiliation with the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, a cross-NIH framework intended to strengthen coordination among the NIH Office of the Director and multiple Institutes and Centers that support nervous system research, while also including participation from Institutes that are not part of the Blueprint. Even though it is linked to neuroscience through the Blueprint, the underlying motivation is broadly biomedical: better informatics depends on shared, explicit definitions of concepts and relationships so that tools, databases, and analysis pipelines can work together reliably.
At the center of the announcement is a practical problem in modern biomedical science: valuable data are spread across many resources, often collected with different assumptions, labels, formats, and definitions. When two databases describe similar entities but use different terminology or different ways of representing relationships, it becomes hard for software to automatically integrate them or for scientists to compare findings across studies. This FOA addresses that gap by encouraging applicants to develop an ontology, defined here as a controlled vocabulary that formally specifies both objects (concepts) and the relationships among them. In other words, NIH is looking for projects that do more than produce a list of terms; they should encode meaning in a structured way so that computational systems can infer how elements from multiple existing data sets correspond, overlap, or differ. The intended payoff is improved data interoperability, more powerful and reusable informatics tools, and better leverage of existing biomedical data.
The award mechanism is the NIH Research Project Grant (R01). However, unlike many R01 programs that support larger and longer research efforts, this announcement anticipates relatively small and time-limited awards. Most projects are expected to be funded at approximately $100,000 to $200,000 in direct costs per year for about 2 to 3 years. The FOA notes that renewals are unlikely, signaling that NIH views these as targeted development efforts rather than long-term, renewable research programs. As with most NIH opportunities, actual awards depend on the availability of funds and the number of high-quality applications received, and the final budget and project period can vary with the proposed scope.
A wide range of applicant organizations are eligible. This includes public and state-controlled universities, private universities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when specified), small businesses, other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and foreign (non-U.S.) organizations. That broad eligibility is consistent with the informatics and standards-development nature of ontology work, which often benefits from participation across academia, nonprofit research groups, and technology-oriented entities, including international teams.
The FOA is open to any qualified Project Director/Principal Investigator with the expertise and resources to carry out the work, and it explicitly encourages applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and from individuals with disabilities. It also allows multiple PDs/PIs, which is important for ontology projects that typically require a mix of domain science expertise (for example, neuroscience or another biomedical area), informatics and knowledge representation expertise, and strong ties to the communities and data resources the ontology will serve.
From an application strategy standpoint, NIH allows applicants to submit more than one application as long as each is scientifically distinct. Resubmissions are permitted, but they must include an introduction that responds to prior peer review critiques, consistent with standard NIH practice. Applications are submitted electronically using NIH systems and the SF424 (R&R) forms, with NIH providing links for general electronic submission guidance and an accessibility contact for hearing-impaired applicants via TTY.
The opportunity included multiple special receipt dates: January 18, 2008; September 18, 2008; January 21, 2009; and September 21, 2009, with a special review convened by the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR). NIH also planned a technical assistance workshop on October 18 (with in-person attendance at the NIH Natcher Auditorium and a videocast option) to address questions about the FOA, with registration information hosted through the NBIRN website, reflecting the community-building and coordination aspect of data standards efforts.
Administratively, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the program spans a broad set of CFDA numbers that reflect participation across many NIH mission areas, including mental health, alcohol, drug abuse, cancer biology, cardiovascular, vision, child health, nursing research, and general biomedical research infrastructure. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The announcement was posted August 3, 2007, and the archive date listed is October 22, 2009, indicating it is no longer active, but it remains a useful reference point for how NIH frames ontology development as a research deliverable aimed at enabling cross-dataset understanding and integration.
In plain terms, this R01 program is about building the semantic "glue" that lets biomedical software and researchers connect existing data resources in a consistent, machine-readable way. NIH is essentially funding teams to define and formalize the concepts and relationships needed so that different data sets can be meaningfully related, compared, and integrated, with an emphasis on practical utility, community relevance, and near-term deliverables within a modest budget and timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Data Ontologies for Biomedical Research (R01) - PAR-07-425
What is the funding opportunity described here?
The opportunity is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "Data Ontologies for Biomedical Research (R01)" with Funding Opportunity Number PAR 07-425. It supports projects that build formal biomedical ontologies intended to improve how software tools and researchers connect, interpret, and integrate existing biomedical data sets.
What is the main goal of this FOA?
The main goal is to reduce barriers to combining and comparing biomedical data that are distributed across many resources and described using different assumptions, labels, formats, and definitions. NIH is seeking ontology development efforts that make the meaning of data more explicit and computable so that integration across data sources is more reliable.
What does NIH mean by an "ontology" in this program?
In this FOA, an ontology is described as a controlled vocabulary that formally specifies both objects (concepts) and the relationships among them. The focus is not just on listing terms, but on encoding meaning in a structured way so computational systems can infer how elements from multiple existing data sets correspond, overlap, or differ.
Why is NIH funding ontology work?
The FOA highlights a practical problem: valuable biomedical data are spread across many databases and resources, and differences in terminology and representation make automated integration difficult. NIH is funding formal ontologies as a kind of semantic infrastructure ("glue") so tools, databases, and analysis pipelines can work together more effectively and researchers can better reuse existing data.
Is this program only for neuroscience?
The FOA is released in affiliation with the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, which is a cross-NIH framework focused on nervous system research coordination. However, the underlying motivation described in the FOA is broadly biomedical: improving informatics and interoperability through shared, explicit definitions of concepts and relationships.
What grant mechanism is used?
The award mechanism is the NIH Research Project Grant (R01).
What project size and duration does NIH anticipate?
Unlike many R01 programs that can support larger, longer research efforts, this FOA anticipates relatively small and time-limited awards. Most projects are expected to be funded at approximately $100,000 to $200,000 in direct costs per year for about 2 to 3 years, though final budgets and project periods may vary based on scope, funds availability, and application quality.
Are renewals expected for these awards?
Renewals are described as unlikely. The FOA signals that NIH views these as targeted development efforts rather than long-term, renewable research programs.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
The FOA describes broad eligibility, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, as specified), small businesses, other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and foreign (non-U.S.) organizations.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes foreign organizations among eligible applicants.
Who can serve as the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)?
The FOA is open to any qualified PD/PI with the expertise and resources to carry out the work.
Does the FOA encourage applications from underrepresented groups?
Yes. It explicitly encourages applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and from individuals with disabilities.
Are multiple PDs/PIs allowed?
Yes. The FOA allows multiple PDs/PIs, which is particularly relevant for ontology projects that often require a mix of domain expertise, informatics/knowledge representation expertise, and community/data resource engagement.
Can an organization submit more than one application?
Yes. NIH allows applicants to submit more than one application as long as each application is scientifically distinct.
Are resubmissions permitted?
Yes. Resubmissions are permitted, but they must include an introduction that responds to prior peer review critiques, consistent with standard NIH practice described in the FOA.
How are applications submitted?
Applications are submitted electronically using NIH systems and the SF424 (R&R) forms. The FOA references NIH electronic submission guidance.
Is there an accessibility contact for hearing-impaired applicants?
Yes. NIH provides an accessibility contact via TTY for hearing-impaired applicants.
What were the receipt (submission) dates for this FOA?
The FOA included multiple special receipt dates: January 18, 2008; September 18, 2008; January 21, 2009; and September 21, 2009.
Who handled the peer review for this opportunity?
The FOA notes that a special review was to be convened by the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR).
Was there any technical assistance or workshop associated with the FOA?
Yes. NIH planned a technical assistance workshop on October 18, with in-person attendance at the NIH Natcher Auditorium and a videocast option. Registration information was hosted through the NBIRN website.
Which agency sponsors this program?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Does the FOA involve multiple NIH Institutes and Centers?
Yes. It is affiliated with the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, described as a cross-NIH framework involving the NIH Office of the Director and multiple Institutes and Centers, with participation from some Institutes not part of the Blueprint.
What subject areas across NIH does this FOA touch?
The FOA spans a broad set of CFDA numbers reflecting participation across many NIH mission areas, including mental health, alcohol, drug abuse, cancer biology, cardiovascular, vision, child health, nursing research, and general biomedical research infrastructure.
Is this FOA still active?
No. The FOA lists an archive date of October 22, 2009, indicating it is no longer active, even though it remains a useful reference for how NIH frames ontology development as a research deliverable.
What kinds of deliverables does NIH appear to be looking for?
Based on the FOA description, NIH is looking for projects that produce formal, structured ontologies that define concepts and relationships in a machine-readable way, with practical utility for linking and interpreting existing biomedical data resources. The emphasis is on near-term, targeted development within a modest budget and timeline.
What problem is the FOA trying to solve for researchers and software developers?
It aims to address the difficulty of integrating and comparing data across studies and databases when similar entities are labeled differently or represented using different relationship structures. By standardizing concepts and their relationships formally, software can more reliably align and interpret data from multiple sources.
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