Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 11 014
Apply for RFA RM 11 014
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exceptionally Innovative Tools and Technologies for Single Cell Analysis (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310 Trans NIH Research Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 23, 2011 and posted on Nov 23, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 23, 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 $4,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County 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 grant opportunity "Exceptionally Innovative Tools and Technologies for Single Cell Analysis (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-RM-11-014) was a discretionary research grant announcement aimed at pushing the field of single-cell biology beyond incremental improvements and into genuinely new capabilities. The focus was on early-stage, high-risk/high-impact projects that could create next-generation tools for distinguishing different cellular states within their native context, meaning in situ within complex tissues or even within living organisms. Rather than treating cells as isolated samples, this program emphasized technologies that preserve spatial and temporal context so researchers can better understand how diverse cell types and cell states behave, interact, and change over time in real biological environments.
A central expectation of the FOA was that applicants clearly describe the current state of the art as a baseline, then explain how the proposed technology would be measured against that benchmark. In other words, proposals needed to do more than claim novelty; they needed to define what existing tools can and cannot do, and then show how the new approach would substantially improve on meaningful performance dimensions. The announcement specifically highlighted improvements such as increased sensitivity (detecting low-abundance signals), increased selectivity (better distinguishing true signal from background or closely related signals), improved spatiotemporal resolution (pinpointing where signals occur and how they change over time), greater scalability (handling more cells, more markers, or larger tissue areas efficiently), and the ability to perform non-destructive analyses. Non-destructive readouts were important because they can enable repeated measurements on the same cells over time, allowing dynamic tracking rather than a one-time snapshot.
The program also required proof-of-concept testing in a complex tissue or living organism, signaling that purely theoretical methods or tools validated only in simple systems would not be enough. Applicants were expected to demonstrate that the tool could function in environments where real-world biological complexity matters, such as heterogeneous tissues with many interacting cell populations. The overall purpose was to enable a finer-grained, integrative, and dynamic view of cellular heterogeneity, supporting research that links cellular states and transitions to mechanisms of health and disease. NIH framed these technologies as potential platform advances that could broadly transform biomedical research by improving how scientists define, detect, and follow cell states and cell classes in realistic biological settings.
Administratively, this was an NIH R21 mechanism, which typically supports exploratory and developmental research intended to generate early evidence and feasibility for innovative ideas. The estimated total funding for the opportunity was $4,000,000, with an award ceiling listed at $200,000. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted on November 23, 2011, with an original and current closing date of January 23, 2012, and it was archived on February 23, 2012. The funding activity category was Health, and it was associated with CFDA number 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).
Eligibility was broad and included many common research-performing organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations), small businesses, and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses). Government eligibility included state governments, county and city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and organizations. The FOA also noted additional eligible groups such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, foreign (non-U.S.) entities, and eligible federal agencies.
For applicants or institutions needing access help, the announcement listed NIH Office of Extramural Research support via the NIH OER Webmaster contact (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV), and the full announcement was hosted through NIH at the provided RFA link. Overall, the opportunity was designed to catalyze tool-building efforts that could reveal previously hidden dimensions of cellular diversity in place and over time, with the long-term aim of reshaping how researchers investigate the cellular basis of disease.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Exceptionally Innovative Tools and Technologies for Single Cell Analysis (R21)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-RM-11-014.
What type of grant mechanism is used?
This funding opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory and developmental research to generate early evidence and feasibility for innovative ideas.
What is the main goal of this program?
The program aims to push single-cell biology beyond incremental improvements by supporting early-stage, high-risk/high-impact tool and technology development that enables genuinely new capabilities for single-cell analysis.
What kinds of projects were encouraged?
Projects were encouraged if they proposed exceptionally innovative tools or technologies for distinguishing different cellular states within their native context, including within complex tissues (in situ) or within living organisms.
What does "native context" mean in this announcement?
"Native context" refers to measuring or distinguishing cellular states while preserving spatial and temporal context, such as in situ within complex tissues or in living organisms, rather than treating cells as isolated samples.
Why does the FOA emphasize preserving spatial and temporal context?
The emphasis reflects the goal of understanding how diverse cell types and cell states behave, interact, and change over time in real biological environments, where spatial relationships and timing can be essential to biology.
Does the opportunity focus on incremental improvements to existing tools?
No. The announcement explicitly aimed to move beyond incremental improvements and toward next-generation tools and technologies that create new capabilities.
What did NIH expect applicants to include about the state of the art?
Applicants were expected to clearly describe the current state of the art as a baseline and explain how the proposed technology would be measured against that benchmark.
How should applicants demonstrate that their approach is truly novel?
Proposals needed to do more than claim novelty. They were expected to define what existing tools can and cannot do, and then show how the new approach would substantially improve on meaningful performance dimensions.
What performance improvements were specifically highlighted as examples?
The FOA highlighted improvements such as increased sensitivity, increased selectivity, improved spatiotemporal resolution, greater scalability, and the ability to perform non-destructive analyses.
What does "increased sensitivity" mean in the context of this FOA?
Increased sensitivity refers to the ability to detect low-abundance signals that may be difficult to measure with existing approaches.
What does "increased selectivity" mean here?
Increased selectivity refers to better distinguishing true signal from background or from closely related signals.
What is meant by improved "spatiotemporal resolution"?
Spatiotemporal resolution refers to pinpointing where signals occur within a tissue or organism and how those signals change over time.
What does "scalability" refer to in this program?
Scalability refers to handling more cells, more markers, or larger tissue areas efficiently.
What are "non-destructive analyses" and why were they important?
Non-destructive analyses are readouts that do not destroy the cells or sample, which can enable repeated measurements on the same cells over time. This supports dynamic tracking rather than a one-time snapshot.
Was proof-of-concept testing required?
Yes. The program required proof-of-concept testing in a complex tissue or living organism.
Would validation only in simple systems be sufficient?
No. The FOA signaled that tools validated only in simple systems would not be enough; applicants were expected to demonstrate functionality in real-world biological complexity.
What qualifies as a "complex" environment for proof-of-concept testing?
The information provided emphasizes complex tissues or living organisms, including heterogeneous tissues with many interacting cell populations, where real biological complexity matters.
What broader scientific impact was NIH aiming for?
NIH framed the technologies as potential platform advances that could broadly transform biomedical research by improving how scientists define, detect, and follow cell states and cell classes in realistic biological settings.
How does this program relate to health and disease research?
The overall purpose includes enabling a finer-grained, integrative, and dynamic view of cellular heterogeneity and supporting research that links cellular states and transitions to mechanisms of health and disease.
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Health.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA number is 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).
How much total funding was estimated for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding was $4,000,000.
What was the award ceiling listed in the announcement?
The award ceiling was listed as $200,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on November 23, 2011.
What were the closing dates?
The original and current closing date was January 23, 2012.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on February 23, 2012.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations), small businesses, and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses).
Are government entities eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible government entities included state governments, county and city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and organizations.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA noted eligibility that included groups such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA specifically noted faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible groups.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions were listed among additional eligible groups.
Are regional organizations eligible?
Yes. Regional organizations were listed among the additional eligible groups.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) entities eligible to apply?
Yes. Foreign (non-U.S.) entities were explicitly listed among eligible groups.
Are eligible federal agencies allowed to apply?
Yes. Eligible federal agencies were listed among the eligible groups.
Where could applicants find help with access issues?
The announcement listed NIH Office of Extramural Research support via the NIH OER Webmaster contact: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted through NIH at the provided RFA link referenced in the opportunity description.
What is the program trying to change about how researchers study cells?
The program emphasized technologies that move beyond isolated-cell measurements and instead preserve spatial and temporal context, enabling researchers to observe cellular heterogeneity and dynamics in realistic biological settings.
Does the FOA suggest these tools should be broadly useful?
Yes. NIH described the targeted technologies as potential platform advances that could broadly transform biomedical research.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: Accelerating the Integration and Translation of Technologies to Characterize Biological Processes at the Single Cell Level (R01)
Previous opportunity: Studies to evaluate cellular heterogeneity using transcriptional profiling of single cells (U01)
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