Epigenetic Analyses of Aging as a Risk Factor for Multiple Chronic Conditions (U34) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?

The opportunity is titled "Epigenetic Analyses of Aging as a Risk Factor for Multiple Chronic Conditions (U34)." The Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) is RFA-AG-15-004.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The main goal is to support planning activities that advance geroscience by helping research teams develop human-focused study plans to test how biological processes of aging, specifically epigenetic mechanisms, may act as shared upstream risk factors for multiple chronic diseases and degenerative conditions.

What is geroscience in the context of this FOA?

Geroscience is the idea that the biological processes that drive aging also contribute to the onset and progression of many chronic diseases and degenerative conditions that become more common later in life. Rather than studying each disease in isolation, the program focuses on shared aging-related mechanisms that may raise risk across more than one condition.

What does "epigenetics" mean here?

In this FOA, epigenetics refers to changes that affect gene regulation without changing the underlying DNA sequence. The planning work is intended to define tractable questions about how epigenetic mechanisms may connect the biology of aging to multiple chronic diseases and degenerative disorders in humans.

What type of award mechanism is a U34?

This is a U34 cooperative agreement planning grant. The U34 mechanism is intended to fund the conceptual and methodological groundwork needed to prepare for later, full-scale studies, rather than to conduct definitive large research studies within the U34 period itself.

What does it mean that this is a "cooperative agreement"?

A cooperative agreement (U34) typically implies substantial NIH involvement compared to standard investigator-initiated grants. In practice, this means NIH is expected to have an active role in shaping or coordinating aspects of the planning activities supported under the award.

What kinds of activities or outputs were expected from applicants?

Based on the description, the FOA emphasized planning activities such as: clarifying and narrowing hypotheses; selecting appropriate study populations and human cohorts; identifying epigenetic measurements and analytical approaches; developing strategies to address confounders and comorbidities; and outlining approaches to move from association findings toward stronger evidence of aging-related epigenetic contributions across multiple conditions.

Is this FOA meant to fund definitive disease studies?

No. The U34 is described as supporting planning and preparation for later, full-scale studies. Awardees were expected to produce feasible, well-justified, methodologically sound study plans that could be carried forward into larger research efforts.

Does the FOA require the project to focus on humans?

Yes. The scope explicitly excluded studies relying on model organisms and emphasized planning grounded in human research, including human epigenetic data and human disease or degenerative phenotypes.

Are model organism studies allowed (e.g., mice, worms, flies)?

No. Studies relying on model organisms were outside the scope for this funding opportunity.

Are projects focused on mortality outcomes allowed?

No. The FOA explicitly prohibited projects focused on mortality or age-related mortality, keeping the focus on chronic diseases and degenerative conditions rather than survival outcomes.

What is the central scientific question this FOA is trying to address?

The FOA is organized around identifying which aspects of aging biology function as shared, upstream risk factors for multiple age-related conditions, and developing plans to test those links in humans, with a specific emphasis on epigenetic regulation.

Does the FOA require studying more than one chronic condition?

The stated focus is on aging as a risk framework across multiple chronic conditions and degenerative disorders, and on planning to evaluate aging-related epigenetic contributions across more than one condition. The planning scope is oriented toward multi-condition relevance rather than single-disease isolation.

How does the FOA suggest dealing with confounders and comorbidities?

The FOA specifically calls for planning strategies to handle confounders and comorbidities as part of developing credible human study designs and analytical approaches.

What funding level was anticipated for this opportunity?

The announcement anticipated about two awards, with an estimated total funding level of approximately $800,000, and an award ceiling of $600,000.

Is cost-sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA states there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

When was this FOA posted and when did it close?

It was posted on September 11, 2014. The original and final application closing date was January 15, 2015. The FOA was later archived on February 15, 2015.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. The FOA is archived, with the final application closing date listed as January 15, 2015 and an archive date of February 15, 2015.

What NIH area or catalog listing is associated with this program?

The program is within the NIH aging research domain and is associated with CFDA 93.866.

What types of organizations were eligible to apply?

Eligibility was broad and included public and private institutions of higher education; state and local governments (including county and city or township governments); special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; small businesses; and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses). Eligible nonprofit organizations included 501(c)(3) entities and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).

Were minority-serving institutions specifically included as eligible applicants?

Yes. The eligibility language explicitly included Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs).

Could faith-based or community-based organizations apply?

Yes. The eligibility description explicitly included faith-based or community-based organizations where applicable.

Were international (non-U.S.) applicants allowed?

Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) could apply. The FOA also permitted foreign components as defined by NIH policy and allowed non-domestic components of U.S. organizations.

Does the FOA allow foreign components on an application?

Yes. Foreign components, as defined by NIH policy, were permitted under this opportunity.

What makes a proposed research question "tractable" for this U34 planning grant?

In the context provided, "tractable" refers to research questions that can be clearly defined and narrowed into feasible human study plans, including practical choices about cohorts, epigenetic measures, analytical methods, and strategies to address confounding and comorbidity, with an eye toward producing plans that can realistically be executed in people.

What is the overall intent of NIH in offering this U34?

The FOA can be read as an effort to build a stronger, more coordinated pipeline for human-focused geroscience research by funding the planning phase for studies that treat aging biology, specifically epigenetic regulation, as a shared risk framework across multiple chronic conditions.