Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 09 248
Apply for PA 09 248
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Directed Stem Cell Differentiation for Cell Based Therapies for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.838 Lung Diseases Research 93.839 Blood Diseases and Resources Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 12, 2009 and posted on Aug 12, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments City or township governments State governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) 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) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education Independent school districts Small businesses Special district governments.
- 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) 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 NIH funding opportunity PA 09 248, titled "Directed Stem Cell Differentiation for Cell Based Therapies for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases (R21)," supports early stage, high impact projects aimed at learning how to reliably steer stem and progenitor cells into specific, medically useful cell types. The central focus is on uncovering the factors and biological mechanisms that control differentiation of embryonic stem cells as well as adult stem or progenitor cells, and doing so either in vitro (in the lab) or in vivo (within a tissue or organ setting). The overall intent is to push the field toward practical methods for producing replacement cells that could eventually be used to treat diseases affecting the heart, lungs, and blood systems, whether those cells are generated outside the body for transplantation or induced to form within the body in the appropriate environment.
This FOA is built around the R21 Exploratory/Developmental grant mechanism, which is commonly used by NIH to encourage innovative, higher risk ideas and proof of concept work that may still be too early for larger, longer term funding. A notable feature here is that the announcement explicitly welcomes technology focused research and exploratory studies that may not be strictly hypothesis driven. In other words, applicants are encouraged to develop new tools, platforms, protocols, or conceptual approaches that can move the science of directed differentiation forward, even if the work is primarily aimed at establishing feasibility, mapping key variables, or building enabling methods rather than testing a single narrow hypothesis.
From a practical translation standpoint, the long range program goal is clear: create controllable, reproducible ways to produce specific functional cell lineages that could serve as replacement or reparative cells for clinical use in heart, lung, and blood diseases. That emphasis naturally aligns with efforts such as optimizing differentiation cues, identifying signaling pathways and microenvironmental conditions, clarifying developmental decision points, improving the purity and maturity of derived cells, and increasing the consistency and scalability of differentiation processes. While the FOA summary does not list example topics, the framing strongly points to projects that help solve real bottlenecks in getting from a stem or progenitor cell to a clinically relevant target cell type with predictable identity and function.
The announcement runs in parallel with two companion FOAs that share the same scientific scope but use small business oriented mechanisms: PA 09 249 for SBIR (R43/R44) and PA 09 250 for STTR (R41/R42). This parallel structure signals that NIH is trying to stimulate progress across academia, nonprofits, government, and industry, and that similar ideas could be pursued under different funding tracks depending on the applicant type and commercialization intent.
In terms of funding, the FOA indicates that award size and project duration can vary because the proposed research will differ widely across applicants. The total number of awards and the total dollars ultimately depend on the volume and quality of submissions as well as the costs and timelines proposed. The source data also lists an award ceiling of $200,000, which provides a sense of the upper limit referenced in the opportunity summary. Cost sharing or matching is not required.
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types: 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), local and state governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities, and a range of other eligible entities. The eligibility notes explicitly include groups 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, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non U.S. entities (foreign organizations). The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the activity categories tied to the program are cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases research (CFDA 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839).
Administratively, the FOA was posted on Aug 12, 2009 and originally closed on Sep 7, 2012, with an archive date of Oct 8, 2012, meaning it is no longer open for new submissions under that specific announcement number. The full archived announcement was hosted by NIH at the grants guide URL provided in the source information, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research webmaster contacts are listed for technical access or linking issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is NIH FOA PA-09-248?
PA-09-248 is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement titled "Directed Stem Cell Differentiation for Cell Based Therapies for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases (R21)." It supported early-stage, high-impact projects focused on learning how to reliably steer stem and progenitor cells into specific, medically useful cell types.
What is the main scientific focus of this funding opportunity?
The central focus is uncovering the factors and biological mechanisms that control differentiation of embryonic stem cells and adult stem/progenitor cells. The work could be done in vitro (lab-based systems) or in vivo (within a tissue or organ environment).
What kinds of diseases or systems does this FOA target?
The FOA is aimed at research relevant to heart, lung, and blood diseases, aligning with NIH program areas tied to cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases research.
What is the long-term goal of the program?
The long-range goal is to create controllable, reproducible methods for producing specific functional cell lineages that could eventually be used as replacement or reparative cells in clinical approaches for heart, lung, and blood diseases. This includes cells generated outside the body for transplantation or cells induced to form within the body in an appropriate environment.
What grant mechanism does PA-09-248 use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 Exploratory/Developmental grant mechanism, which is designed to encourage innovative, potentially higher-risk research and proof-of-concept work that may be too early for larger, longer-term funding.
Does the research have to be hypothesis-driven?
Not necessarily. The announcement explicitly welcomes technology-focused research and exploratory studies that may not be strictly hypothesis-driven, including feasibility work, mapping key variables, and building enabling methods.
What types of projects were encouraged under this FOA?
Based on the program framing, encouraged projects were those that move directed differentiation forward toward practical, reproducible cell production. This emphasis naturally aligns with efforts such as optimizing differentiation cues, identifying relevant signaling pathways and microenvironmental conditions, clarifying developmental decision points, improving the purity and maturity of derived cells, and increasing consistency and scalability of differentiation processes.
Is this FOA related to any small business funding opportunities?
Yes. PA-09-248 ran in parallel with two companion FOAs with the same scientific scope but using small business mechanisms: PA-09-249 (SBIR, R43/R44) and PA-09-250 (STTR, R41/R42). This structure indicated that similar scientific ideas could be pursued under different tracks depending on applicant type and commercialization intent.
How much funding was available per award?
Award size and project duration could vary because proposed research could differ widely. The source information lists an award ceiling of $200,000, indicating the upper limit referenced in the opportunity summary.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The FOA indicated that the total number of awards and total dollars depended on the volume and quality of submissions, as well as the costs and timelines proposed by applicants.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching was not required.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included 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); local and state governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities; and other eligible entities.
Were specific institution types explicitly included in the eligibility description?
Yes. The eligibility notes explicitly included groups 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 entities in U.S. territories or possessions.
Could non-U.S. organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility information explicitly included non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Which agency sponsored this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency was the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What program areas or CFDA numbers were associated with this FOA?
The activity categories were tied to cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases research, and the CFDA numbers listed were 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839.
When was this FOA posted, and is it still open?
The FOA was posted on August 12, 2009. It originally closed on September 7, 2012, and had an archive date of October 8, 2012. That means it is no longer open for new submissions under the PA-09-248 announcement number.
Where was the official announcement hosted?
The full archived announcement was hosted by NIH in the NIH Grants Guide at the URL provided in the source information.
Who was listed as a contact for technical issues accessing the announcement?
NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contacts were listed for technical access or linking issues related to the archived announcement.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 09 248) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Directed Stem Cell Differentiation for Cell Based Therapies for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases (SBIR R43/R44) Apply for PA 09 249 Funding Number: PA 09 249 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Directed Stem Cell Differentiation for Cell Based Therapies for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases (STTR R41/R42) Apply for PA 09 250 Funding Number: PA 09 250 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Transforming Primary Care Practice (R18) Apply for RFA HS 10 002 Funding Number: RFA HS 10 002 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| NEI Research Grant for Secondary Data Analysis (R21) Apply for PAR 09 252 Funding Number: PAR 09 252 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research to Understand and Inform Interventions that Promote the Research Careers of Students in Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences (R01) Apply for RFA GM 10 008 Funding Number: RFA GM 10 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Non Human Primate Heart/Lung Transplantation Tolerance (U01, U19) Apply for RFA AI 09 041 Funding Number: RFA AI 09 041 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Specialized Programs of Translational Research in Acute Stroke (SPOTRIAS) for Year 2009 (P50) Apply for PAR 09 254 Funding Number: PAR 09 254 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Erythropoiesis Components and Mechanisms (R01) Apply for PA 09 255 Funding Number: PA 09 255 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIDCR Dentist Scientist Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) Apply for PAR 09 256 Funding Number: PAR 09 256 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strengthening Rehabilitation in District Environs (STRIDE) Apply for RFA 367 09 000001 Funding Number: RFA 367 09 000001 Agency: Nepal USAID Kathmandu Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| 2010 NIH Directors Pioneer Award Program (DP1) Apply for RFA RM 09 010 Funding Number: RFA RM 09 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Network Infrastructure Support for Emerging Behavioral and Social Research Areas in Aging (R24) Apply for PAR 09 233 Funding Number: PAR 09 233 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Healthy Aging through Behavioral Economic Analyses of Situations (R01) Apply for RFA AG 10 008 Funding Number: RFA AG 10 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $175,000 |
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| Effects of Gene Social Environment Interplay on Health and Behavior in Later Life (R01) Apply for RFA AG 10 006 Funding Number: RFA AG 10 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| AHRQ Grant Program for Large or Recurring Conferences (R13) Apply for PAR 09 257 Funding Number: PAR 09 257 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Centers for Medical Countermeasures Against Radiation (U19) Apply for RFA AI 09 036 Funding Number: RFA AI 09 036 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| NIGMS National Centers for Systems Biology (P50) Apply for PAR 09 258 Funding Number: PAR 09 258 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Dynamics of Host Associated Microbial Communities (R01) Apply for RFA GM 11 001 Funding Number: RFA GM 11 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| AHRQ Small Grant Program for Conference Support (R13) Apply for PA 09 231 Funding Number: PA 09 231 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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