Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 12 209
Apply for PA 12 209
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Functions of Skeletal Muscle beyond Contraction (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 6, 2012 and posted on Jun 22, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2015. (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: County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts City or township governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Private institutions of higher education Special district governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments Nonprofits having 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 that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- 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 "Functions of Skeletal Muscle beyond Contraction (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-12-209) was a discretionary research grant announcement led by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). It invited applications for exploratory and developmental projects that push beyond the traditional view of skeletal muscle as primarily a motor tissue responsible for contraction and locomotion. Instead, the focus was on identifying and characterizing the broader biological roles of skeletal muscle in both health and disease, particularly roles that could reshape how researchers think about muscle as an active regulator of whole-body physiology.
At the center of this announcement was the idea that skeletal muscle acts as a signaling and metabolic organ. The opportunity encouraged innovative studies into muscle endocrine and paracrine activity (including the production and action of muscle-derived factors often referred to as myokines), as well as muscle contributions to resting thermogenesis, the sensing and transduction of biomechanical stimuli, the storage and mobilization of amino acids, and the regulation of systemic metabolism. Projects aligned with this call could include early-stage investigations into how muscle communicates with organs such as adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, bone, immune tissues, and the central nervous system, or how muscle-derived signals influence inflammation, insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure, appetite regulation, and tissue remodeling. The overall intent was to stimulate creative, high-impact work that might be too preliminary for larger, longer-term funding mechanisms.
Because the mechanism was an R21, the announcement emphasized exploratory or proof-of-concept research rather than fully mature programs. The award ceiling was listed as $200,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The activity category was health, and the opportunity aligned with CFDA numbers 93.846 (Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research) and 93.866 (Aging Research), reflecting the relevance of these muscle functions to musculoskeletal disease and to aging-related decline. Although NIAMS was the lead institute named in the description, the inclusion of aging research also signaled strong interest in questions tied to age-associated muscle dysfunction and systemic consequences.
A key motivation for the announcement was the potential translational payoff. By improving understanding of non-contractile muscle functions, the research supported under this funding opportunity was expected to open paths toward new prevention or treatment strategies for widely prevalent and clinically serious conditions. The announcement specifically highlighted cachexia, obesity, diabetes, and sarcopenia as examples of diseases and syndromes that could benefit from advances in this area. In practical terms, that could include uncovering muscle-derived pathways that drive unwanted weight loss and weakness in chronic illness, identifying mechanisms through which muscle influences glucose handling and insulin resistance, or discovering signals that modulate fat accumulation and energy balance. It could also include foundational work on why muscle loses mass and function with age and how that decline impacts mobility, metabolic health, and resilience to illness.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants listed in the source data included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other than small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts). The announcement also explicitly included a wide range of mission-focused and historically underrepresented institutions and communities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), tribal governments and tribal organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and foreign organizations (non-U.S. entities). Federal agencies were also listed as eligible. This breadth reflected NIH interest in drawing ideas from many research settings and encouraging diverse participation in muscle biology research.
From an administrative and timeline standpoint, the opportunity was posted on June 22, 2012, created on August 6, 2012, and had an original and final closing date of September 7, 2015. The archive date was October 8, 2015, meaning it is no longer active for new submissions under that specific announcement. For applicants or institutions that had trouble accessing or linking to the full announcement, the provided contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV). The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants guide website at the link provided in the source data.
In short, PA-12-209 was designed to catalyze early-stage, innovative work redefining skeletal muscle as an organ with broad systemic influence. By targeting endocrine signaling, metabolic regulation, thermogenesis, mechanosensing, nutrient storage, and other non-contractile roles, the announcement aimed to generate new biological insights with clear relevance to major chronic diseases and age-related conditions, ultimately laying groundwork for novel therapeutic approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Functions of Skeletal Muscle beyond Contraction (R21)".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA-12-209.
What type of grant mechanism is this?
This opportunity used the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory and developmental research projects, often including early-stage or proof-of-concept studies.
Which NIH Institute led this announcement?
The announcement was led by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
What is the main scientific theme of the opportunity?
The opportunity focused on research that moves beyond the traditional view of skeletal muscle as primarily a tissue for contraction and locomotion. The emphasis was on identifying and characterizing broader biological roles of skeletal muscle in both health and disease, including its potential role as an active regulator of whole-body physiology.
What does it mean that skeletal muscle is being considered a "signaling and metabolic organ"?
In the context of this announcement, it means the funding sought studies investigating how skeletal muscle may influence other tissues and systems through signaling (endocrine and paracrine activity) and metabolic regulation, including the production and actions of muscle-derived factors often referred to as myokines.
What kinds of non-contractile muscle functions were encouraged under this opportunity?
The announcement encouraged innovative studies into skeletal muscle functions beyond contraction, including:
- Endocrine and paracrine activity (including myokines)
- Resting thermogenesis
- Sensing and transduction of biomechanical stimuli (mechanosensing/mechanotransduction)
- Storage and mobilization of amino acids
- Regulation of systemic metabolism
What types of organ-to-organ communication topics fit this announcement?
Projects could include early-stage investigations into how skeletal muscle communicates with or influences organs and systems such as adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, bone, immune tissues, and the central nervous system.
What whole-body processes or outcomes were highlighted as relevant?
The opportunity highlighted research on how muscle-derived signals could influence areas such as inflammation, insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure, appetite regulation, and tissue remodeling.
What diseases or conditions were specifically mentioned as potentially benefiting from this research?
The announcement specifically highlighted cachexia, obesity, diabetes, and sarcopenia as examples of conditions that could benefit from improved understanding of non-contractile muscle functions.
How was this opportunity positioned in terms of translational impact?
The stated motivation included the potential translational payoff: by improving understanding of muscle's non-contractile roles, the research was expected to help open paths toward new prevention or treatment strategies for widely prevalent and clinically serious conditions (including cachexia, obesity, diabetes, and sarcopenia).
Was this opportunity intended for large, mature research programs?
No. Because it used the R21 mechanism, the announcement emphasized exploratory or proof-of-concept research rather than fully mature, long-term research programs.
What was the award ceiling for this R21 opportunity?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity was $200,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What activity category was associated with this opportunity?
The activity category listed was health.
Which CFDA numbers were associated with this funding opportunity?
The opportunity aligned with the following CFDA numbers:
- 93.846 (Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research)
- 93.866 (Aging Research)
How did aging research relate to this funding opportunity?
The inclusion of the aging research CFDA number (93.866) signaled interest in questions tied to age-associated muscle dysfunction and its systemic consequences, including topics relevant to aging-related decline such as sarcopenia and broader impacts on metabolic health and resilience.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included many U.S. and non-U.S. organization types, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses and other than small businesses)
- Government entities (state, county, city/township, and special districts)
- Federal agencies
- Foreign organizations (non-U.S. entities)
Did the opportunity explicitly include mission-focused and historically underrepresented institutions and communities?
Yes. The eligible applicant types explicitly included a wide range of institutions and communities such as:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Tribal governments and tribal organizations
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Regional organizations
Were non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly listed foreign organizations (non-U.S. entities) as eligible applicants.
When was the opportunity posted and created?
The opportunity was posted on June 22, 2012 and created on August 6, 2012.
What were the closing dates for this opportunity?
The original and final closing date listed for this announcement was September 7, 2015.
Is this funding opportunity still open for new submissions?
No. The archive date was October 8, 2015, indicating it is no longer active for new submissions under that specific announcement.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants guide website at the link provided in the source data.
Who was listed as a contact for access or linking issues related to the announcement?
For trouble accessing or linking to the full announcement, the provided contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What was the overall intent of PA-12-209?
PA-12-209 was designed to catalyze early-stage, innovative research that redefines skeletal muscle as an organ with broad systemic influence, including roles in endocrine signaling, metabolic regulation, thermogenesis, mechanosensing, nutrient storage, and other non-contractile functions, with relevance to major chronic diseases and age-related conditions.
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Previous opportunity: Functions of Skeletal Muscle beyond Contraction (R01)
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