Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 12 140
Apply for RFA MH 12 140
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of Tools to Study the Synaptome (R21)" 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 93.361 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 Jan 27, 2012 and posted on Jan 27, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 16, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Independent school districts Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions 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) 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 Announcement RFA-MH-12-140, titled "Development of Tools to Study the Synaptome (R21)," supports early-stage, exploratory projects aimed at creating new technologies and research tools that make it possible to study synaptic genes and proteins at large scale. The central idea is to push beyond the limits of current methods so researchers can characterize the "synaptome" across hundreds of synapse-related genes and proteins, rather than focusing on only a small number of targets at a time. NIH frames this as a key step for both basic neuroscience and translational work, because synapses sit at the core of neural circuit function and are implicated in many brain-related disorders.
This opportunity is specifically focused on tool and technology development that would materially improve how synapses are measured, mapped, and analyzed. Proposed tools are expected to enable discovery-driven synapse research by offering meaningful improvements over existing approaches, including higher sensitivity and selectivity, better spatial and temporal resolution (so synaptic features can be localized more precisely and tracked across time), and substantially lower costs. In practical terms, NIH is looking for innovations that would make large-scale synaptic profiling more feasible and routine, expanding what is possible in experiments that involve complex synaptic composition, diversity across brain regions and cell types, or dynamic changes during development, learning, aging, or disease.
NIH also signals the broader scientific impact it wants these tools to have. Successful projects should strengthen and extend resources already used in neurology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, and ideally integrate well with other resources that were emerging at the time, such as expanding molecular atlases, imaging platforms, proteomics pipelines, and computational frameworks for large biological datasets. Because synaptic dysfunction is a recurring theme across many neurological and psychiatric conditions, the expectation is that better synaptome-scale measurement tools will translate into improved understanding of disease mechanisms, target identification, and biomarker or therapeutic concept development, even if the proposed work itself remains primarily methodological.
The award mechanism is the NIH R21, which is typically used for exploratory, high-risk/high-reward work where the emphasis is on establishing feasibility, developing a prototype, or generating proof-of-concept data rather than completing a fully mature technology platform. For this FOA, the estimated total funding amount listed is $500,000, with an award ceiling of $200,000 per award. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement indicated. The announcement was posted on January 27, 2012, with an original and current closing date of April 16, 2012, and it was archived on May 17, 2012, meaning it was a time-limited competition rather than an open-ended standing program.
Eligibility is broad and includes many standard U.S. applicant types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), state and local governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities, school districts, and special district governments. It also allows for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses. Importantly, the FOA also permits non-U.S. (foreign) institutions to apply, allows non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, and permits foreign components as defined in NIH policy, which expands the pool of possible applicants and encourages international participation where it can advance the underlying tool-development goals. The eligibility language also explicitly includes organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Programmatically, this FOA is administered by the National Institutes of Health and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning areas like mental health, neurological disorders, aging, child health, vision research, drug abuse, alcohol research, nursing research, and broader biomedical research and technology innovation programs. That mix reflects the cross-cutting relevance of synaptic biology and the expectation that enabling synaptome-scale tools could be applied across many disease and research domains. The overall message of the opportunity is straightforward: NIH wanted researchers to build the next generation of scalable, precise, and cost-effective methods for studying synaptic molecules, with the goal of unlocking new discovery science and improving the research foundation for brain health and disease.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity (FOA) number and title?
The opportunity is NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) RFA-MH-12-140, titled "Development of Tools to Study the Synaptome (R21)."
What is the main goal of RFA-MH-12-140?
The main goal is to support early-stage, exploratory projects that develop new technologies and research tools to study synaptic genes and proteins at large scale. The focus is on enabling researchers to characterize the "synaptome" across hundreds of synapse-related genes and proteins, rather than studying only a small number of targets at a time.
What does NIH mean by the "synaptome" in this context?
In this context, NIH uses "synaptome" to refer to synaptic genes and proteins considered at large scale (potentially hundreds of synapse-related targets), with the goal of measuring, mapping, and analyzing synaptic molecular composition and its variation across regions, cell types, and conditions.
What type of projects does this FOA prioritize?
This FOA prioritizes tool and technology development projects that would materially improve how synapses are measured, mapped, and analyzed, specifically in ways that make large-scale synaptic profiling more feasible and routine.
Is this FOA focused on basic science, translational science, or both?
NIH frames the work as important for both basic neuroscience and translational research. While the proposed work may remain primarily methodological, NIH emphasizes that improved synaptome-scale tools can support disease-mechanism research, target identification, and biomarker or therapeutic concept development.
What kinds of improvements over existing methods are expected?
Proposed tools are expected to offer meaningful improvements such as higher sensitivity and selectivity, better spatial and temporal resolution, and substantially lower costs, compared with existing approaches.
Why is spatial and temporal resolution specifically highlighted?
NIH highlights spatial and temporal resolution because improved tools should allow synaptic features to be localized more precisely and tracked across time, supporting studies of dynamic synaptic changes during development, learning, aging, or disease.
What is meant by "discovery-driven synapse research" in this FOA?
It refers to research enabled by improved tools that can support broad, large-scale profiling rather than limiting experiments to a small set of pre-selected targets. The expectation is that better tools will expand what can be discovered about synaptic diversity and dynamics.
What kinds of scientific use cases does NIH mention for these tools?
NIH points to use cases involving complex synaptic composition, diversity across brain regions and cell types, and dynamic synaptic changes during development, learning, aging, or disease.
How does NIH describe the broader scientific impact it wants from funded tools?
NIH indicates that successful projects should strengthen and extend resources used in neurology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, and ideally integrate well with other emerging resources (as described in the announcement) such as molecular atlases, imaging platforms, proteomics pipelines, and computational frameworks for large biological datasets.
What award mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 award mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory, early-stage, high-risk/high-reward work emphasizing feasibility, prototypes, or proof-of-concept rather than a fully mature technology platform.
Does NIH expect a fully mature tool platform by the end of the project?
No. Because the mechanism is an R21, the emphasis is on establishing feasibility, developing a prototype, or generating proof-of-concept data rather than completing a fully mature technology platform.
What is the estimated total funding amount for this FOA?
The estimated total funding amount listed is $500,000.
Is there an award ceiling (maximum amount per award)?
Yes. The award ceiling is listed as $200,000 per award.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the provided information.
When was the FOA posted?
The announcement was posted on January 27, 2012.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date was April 16, 2012.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. It was archived on May 17, 2012, indicating it was a time-limited competition rather than an open-ended, ongoing program.
Who administers this funding opportunity?
The FOA is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations); state and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public housing authorities; school districts; and special district governments.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are allowed, and small businesses are also eligible.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA permits non-U.S. (foreign) institutions to apply, allows non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, and permits foreign components as defined in NIH policy.
Does the eligibility language explicitly include certain institution types (HBCUs, HSIs, tribal colleges, etc.)?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
What research areas or domains are associated with this FOA?
The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning areas such as mental health, neurological disorders, aging, child health, vision research, drug abuse, alcohol research, nursing research, and broader biomedical research and technology innovation programs.
Why are multiple CFDA areas associated with a synapse-focused tools program?
The mix reflects the cross-cutting relevance of synaptic biology and NIH's expectation that enabling synaptome-scale tools could be applied across many disease and research domains.
What is the underlying rationale NIH gives for focusing on synapses?
NIH emphasizes that synapses are central to neural circuit function and are implicated in many brain-related disorders, making improved synapse measurement tools foundational for both understanding the brain and advancing disease-related research.
What is the central idea NIH is trying to push beyond with this FOA?
The central idea is to push beyond the limits of current methods so researchers can study synaptic genes and proteins at scale (across hundreds of targets), rather than being constrained to small numbers of targets per experiment.
Does NIH indicate how the new tools should fit into the broader research ecosystem?
Yes. NIH indicates that tools should ideally integrate well with resources and platforms such as molecular atlases, imaging platforms, proteomics pipelines, and computational frameworks for large biological datasets.
What outcomes does NIH associate with better synaptome-scale measurement tools?
NIH associates better tools with improved understanding of disease mechanisms, target identification, and biomarker or therapeutic concept development, even when the funded project is primarily methodological.
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