Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 16 181

  • The HHS-NIH11 in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development and Commercialization of Technologies to Create, Characterize or Improve Animal Models of Human Disease (R41/R42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.351,.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2016 and posted on Apr 11, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 05, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
Apply for PA 16 181

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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Development and Commercialization of Technologies to Create, Characterize or Improve Animal Models of Human Disease (R41/R42)" is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement run through the Department of Health and Human Services, with the program housed in the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP). Its core purpose is to push forward the practical, usable infrastructure behind biomedical research by supporting new or improved animal models of human disease, along with the biological materials and enabling technologies needed to create, validate, maintain, and share those models. The emphasis is not just on basic discovery, but on approaches that make animal models more reliable, more informative for human health research, and more feasible to use across the research community.

A central theme of the opportunity is the development and improvement of high-quality animal models and related resources. ORIP describes its mission around creating, developing, preserving, and supplying animal models and associated biological materials, which can include things like specialized strains, genetically engineered lines, tissues, and other model-derived resources that researchers depend on to study disease mechanisms and test interventions. Projects responsive to this announcement would typically address real bottlenecks in the animal-model pipeline: improving how models are generated, strengthening how they are characterized (for example, making sure the model truly reflects the human condition it is meant to mimic), increasing reproducibility and quality, and enabling broader access or more consistent supply.

The opportunity also explicitly supports tools, devices, and technologies that directly improve the welfare of research animals and the operations of animal research programs. That includes innovations that improve handling, reduce stress or pain, refine procedures, improve housing or monitoring, and ease the management of animal facilities. In practice, this can cover a wide range of engineering and biotech solutions such as better monitoring and imaging systems, refined husbandry or environmental control tools, improved identification or tracking systems, and devices that help implement best practices in animal care while also improving the quality of the data generated from animal studies.

This funding announcement is specifically aimed at small business applicants and uses the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) mechanism, which is designed for projects where a small business collaborates with a research institution to move an innovation from development toward commercialization. The activity code referenced in the title, R41/R42, signals a phased approach typical for STTR. Phase I (R41) generally supports early-stage proof-of-concept and feasibility work, while Phase II (R42) supports further development, refinement, and steps toward a product or service that can be adopted by the research community. The commercialization aspect is important here: the end goal is not only to demonstrate a scientific advance, but to create a deliverable technology or resource that can be used in real-world research settings and sustained beyond the grant period.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health funding activity area, with CFDA numbers listed as 93.351 (and also associated with 93.351 in NIH infrastructure-related programs). The funding opportunity number is PA 16 181, and it was originally created and posted on April 11, 2016. The closing date provided in the source information is April 5, 2019. The sponsoring agency is shown as HHS-NIH, reflecting NIH oversight and the ORIP programmatic home. The eligible applicant category is explicitly small businesses, aligning with the STTR program requirements.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as an NIH effort to strengthen the foundation of biomedical research by investing in commercially viable technologies and resources that make animal models more accurate, more humane, and more practical to use. Successful proposals would be expected to offer innovative, clearly differentiated approaches that address emerging biomedical challenges, improve translation to human health outcomes, and simultaneously support the responsible care and welfare of the animals involved in research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Development and Commercialization of Technologies to Create, Characterize or Improve Animal Models of Human Disease (R41/R42)."

Which federal agency is sponsoring this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Which NIH program is associated with this funding announcement?

The program is housed in the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP).

What is the core purpose of this funding announcement?

The purpose is to advance practical, usable biomedical research infrastructure by supporting new or improved animal models of human disease, plus the biological materials and enabling technologies needed to create, validate, maintain, and share those models.

Does this opportunity focus on basic research or practical deliverables?

It emphasizes practical, usable infrastructure and deliverable outputs. The intent is not only discovery, but approaches that make animal models more reliable, more informative for human health research, and more feasible to use across the research community.

What kinds of projects are considered responsive to this opportunity?

Projects that address bottlenecks in the animal-model pipeline are responsive, including improved methods to generate models, stronger characterization to ensure models reflect the intended human condition, improved reproducibility and quality, and approaches that broaden access or ensure consistent supply of models and related resources.

What does "create, characterize, or improve animal models" mean in practice?

Based on the description provided, it can include developing new models, refining existing models to better match human disease biology, and building robust characterization workflows to validate that the model reflects the human condition it is intended to mimic.

What types of animal-model-related resources can be supported?

The announcement includes animal models and associated biological materials such as specialized strains, genetically engineered lines, tissues, and other model-derived resources that researchers rely on to study disease mechanisms and test interventions.

Is improving reproducibility and quality of animal models part of the focus?

Yes. The opportunity highlights increasing reproducibility and quality, as well as improving how models are generated and characterized.

Does the opportunity include sharing or supplying models to the broader research community?

Yes. The goal includes enabling broader access and more consistent supply, and supporting infrastructure that helps maintain and share animal models and related resources.

Are technologies that improve research animal welfare eligible under this announcement?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly supports tools, devices, and technologies that directly improve the welfare of research animals and the operations of animal research programs.

What are examples of animal welfare or facility-operation improvements mentioned?

Examples described include innovations that improve handling, reduce stress or pain, refine procedures, improve housing or monitoring, ease the management of animal facilities, and support best practices in animal care while also improving data quality.

What types of technologies are referenced as potentially relevant?

The text mentions a range of engineering and biotech solutions such as better monitoring and imaging systems, refined husbandry or environmental control tools, improved identification or tracking systems, and devices that improve animal care and data quality.

Who is eligible to apply for this grant opportunity?

The eligible applicant category is explicitly small businesses.

What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?

This announcement uses the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) mechanism, designed for projects where a small business collaborates with a research institution to move an innovation toward commercialization.

What do the activity codes R41 and R42 mean for applicants?

They indicate a phased STTR approach. Phase I (R41) generally supports early-stage proof-of-concept and feasibility work, while Phase II (R42) supports further development, refinement, and steps toward a product or service that can be adopted by the research community.

How important is commercialization in this FOA?

Commercialization is a central element. The end goal is not only a scientific advance, but a deliverable technology or resource that can be used in real-world research settings and sustained beyond the grant period.

What kinds of outcomes does NIH/ORIP appear to be seeking?

The description suggests ORIP is seeking innovative, clearly differentiated approaches that address emerging biomedical challenges, improve translation to human health outcomes, strengthen infrastructure, and support responsible animal care and welfare.

How is this opportunity categorized from an administrative standpoint?

It is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health funding activity area.

What is the funding opportunity number (FOA number)?

The funding opportunity number provided is PA 16 181.

When was this funding opportunity originally created and posted?

It was originally created and posted on April 11, 2016.

What closing date is listed in the provided information?

The closing date shown is April 5, 2019.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 93.351 (and it is also described as associated with 93.351 in NIH infrastructure-related programs).

Which agency is shown as the sponsoring agency in the source information?

The sponsoring agency is shown as HHS-NIH, reflecting NIH oversight and ORIP as the programmatic home.

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