Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 09 011
Apply for RFA AI 09 011
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Investigations in Food Allergy (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855 Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 16, 2009 and posted on Mar 13, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 14, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Independent school districts Special district governments Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- 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 Exploratory Investigations in Food Allergy (R21) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AI-09-011) is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant program, administered through NIH and aligned with the Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research portfolio (CFDA 93.855). Its central aim is to push forward high impact, early stage research that can clarify how IgE mediated food allergies work at a mechanistic level, including how these allergies connect to related co-morbid conditions. The announcement is framed specifically around exploratory and developmental investigations, meaning it is intended for innovative, potentially high payoff ideas that may still be at a proof-of-concept stage rather than large, fully mature programs of research.
Scientifically, the FOA emphasizes mechanistic studies of IgE mediated food allergy using two main approaches. First, it encourages ex vivo work using human specimens, which can include studies of patient-derived samples analyzed outside the body to better understand immune pathways, effector cell behavior, allergen specific responses, and biological signatures associated with clinical food allergy. Second, it supports studies using existing animal models of food allergy as well as the development of new models, with the goal of improving how well experimental systems capture the biology of food allergy and its complications. The focus on mechanisms suggests reviewers will be looking for projects that go beyond describing associations and instead test clear biological hypotheses about immune sensitization, allergic effector responses, tolerance breakdown, and pathways that may contribute to anaphylaxis or other co-occurring allergic diseases.
The grant mechanism used is the NIH R21 Exploratory/Developmental award. In general, this mechanism is designed to fund early stage, innovative projects that may not yet have extensive preliminary data but are well justified, well designed, and capable of generating decisive results that can open new directions or support a later, larger application. The FOA notes that standard NIH application, submission, and peer review policies apply, which typically means applications are prepared and submitted according to NIH instructions and then evaluated through NIH peer review criteria and processes.
The program is supported not only by NIAID but also through co-sponsorship from the Food Allergy Initiative and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, signaling an emphasis on research questions that matter to both biomedical science and the broader food allergy community. Funding is projected at about $3,000,000 per year, and the NIH anticipated making roughly 10 to 12 new awards under this announcement, although awards depend on the availability of funds and the presence of enough highly rated, meritorious proposals.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicant organizations. Eligible applicants span nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits), public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and a wide range of government entities (state, county, city or township, special districts, independent school districts, and certain housing authorities). The eligibility language also explicitly includes groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, tribal governments (federally recognized and other than federally recognized), U.S. territories or possessions, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to commit matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
Key dates listed in the source data indicate the opportunity was posted March 13, 2009, with an original closing date of June 19, 2009, and a current closing date of July 14, 2009. The archive date is August 14, 2009, indicating it is a historical FOA rather than an open, current competition. The award ceiling shown is $200,000, consistent with the smaller, exploratory nature of an R21 style project and the intent to fund focused, innovative studies rather than large multi-year research programs.
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the provided link, and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact is listed for access or technical issues. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted R21 call aimed at accelerating creative, mechanism-focused research on IgE mediated food allergy using human specimen based ex vivo approaches and animal models, with moderate sized awards distributed across a limited number of funded projects through standard NIH peer review.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Exploratory Investigations in Food Allergy (R21) opportunity?
This opportunity is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program titled "Exploratory Investigations in Food Allergy (R21)" under Funding Opportunity Number (FON) RFA-AI-09-011. It uses the NIH R21 Exploratory/Developmental award mechanism and is aligned with the Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research portfolio (CFDA 93.855).
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The central aim is to advance high-impact, early-stage research that clarifies the mechanisms of IgE-mediated food allergy, including how food allergy may connect to related co-morbid conditions. The emphasis is on innovative, potentially high-payoff projects that may be at a proof-of-concept or developmental stage.
What kind of research does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes mechanistic studies of IgE-mediated food allergy. It highlights projects that move beyond describing associations and instead test clear biological hypotheses about immune sensitization, allergic effector responses, tolerance breakdown, and pathways that may contribute to anaphylaxis or related allergic diseases.
What scientific approaches are specifically encouraged?
Two main approaches are emphasized: (1) ex vivo studies using human specimens (patient-derived samples studied outside the body) to examine immune pathways, effector cell behavior, allergen-specific responses, and biological signatures tied to clinical food allergy; and (2) studies using existing animal models of food allergy as well as development of new animal models to better capture the biology of food allergy and its complications.
Does the opportunity focus on human specimen research?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages ex vivo work using human specimens, including patient-derived samples analyzed outside the body to understand immune mechanisms and biological signatures associated with clinical food allergy.
Does the opportunity support animal model research?
Yes. The FOA supports studies using existing animal models of food allergy and also supports the development of new models, with the goal of improving how well experimental systems reflect the biology of food allergy and its complications.
What does "mechanistic" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, "mechanistic" refers to research designed to explain how IgE-mediated food allergy works at a biological level. This includes testing hypotheses related to sensitization, immune effector pathways, loss or breakdown of tolerance, and biological processes that could contribute to anaphylaxis or other co-occurring allergic diseases.
What grant mechanism is used for this program?
The program uses the NIH R21 Exploratory/Developmental award mechanism, which is typically intended for early-stage, innovative projects that can produce decisive results and open new directions for future research.
Is extensive preliminary data required for an R21 under this FOA?
The R21 mechanism is generally designed for exploratory and developmental projects that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, as long as the proposed work is well-justified, well-designed, and capable of generating meaningful results.
Which NIH institute administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered through NIH and is supported by NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases). It is aligned with the Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research portfolio.
Are there co-sponsors for this FOA?
Yes. The FOA notes co-sponsorship from the Food Allergy Initiative and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, reflecting an emphasis on research questions relevant to both biomedical science and the broader food allergy community.
What is the estimated amount of funding available?
Projected funding is about $3,000,000 per year, according to the information provided. Actual funding depends on availability of funds and the presence of sufficiently meritorious applications.
How many awards were anticipated?
NIH anticipated making roughly 10 to 12 new awards under this announcement, contingent on available funds and the quality of applications received.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling shown is $200,000, which is consistent with the smaller, exploratory scope of the R21 mechanism and the intent to fund focused, innovative studies rather than large programs.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits), public and private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and many government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts, independent school districts, and certain housing authorities).
Are minority-serving and tribal institutions included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and tribal governments (both federally recognized and other than federally recognized).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations.
Can foreign organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes eligible federal agencies.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to provide matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
What are the key dates for this FOA?
The opportunity was posted on March 13, 2009. The original closing date was June 19, 2009, and the current closing date listed is July 14, 2009. The archive date is August 14, 2009.
Is this a current, open funding opportunity?
Based on the dates provided (including an archive date of August 14, 2009), this appears to be a historical FOA rather than an open, current competition.
How are applications submitted and reviewed?
The FOA indicates that standard NIH application, submission, and peer review policies apply. This typically means applications are prepared and submitted according to NIH instructions and then evaluated using NIH peer review criteria and processes.
Where can the full announcement be found?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH Grants Guide at the provided link in the source information.
Who is listed as the contact for access or technical issues?
NIH's Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact is listed for access or technical issues related to the announcement.
What is CFDA 93.855 in relation to this opportunity?
CFDA 93.855 is the program classification associated with this opportunity, aligned to the Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research portfolio as described in the provided information.
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