Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 11 236
Apply for PA 11 236
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 19, 2011 and posted on Jul 19, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2014. (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: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Independent school districts City or township governments County governments Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits that do not have 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 having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private 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) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R21) funding opportunity (PA 11-236) is a National Institutes of Health initiative led by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Its main purpose is to push the field beyond simple "genes versus environment" explanations and toward studies that directly examine how genetic factors and environmental exposures work together to influence the start, development, severity, and long-term outcomes of substance use disorders and alcohol use disorders. The announcement reflects the view that these disorders are not only strongly heritable, but also developmental in nature, meaning risk and symptoms unfold over time and can look different at different ages or life stages. Because of that, the opportunity emphasizes research that can clarify how inherited vulnerability interacts with real-world contexts to shape trajectories such as initiation, escalation, chronicity, relapse, recovery, and desistance.
A central theme of the opportunity is the need for genetically informative approaches that can disentangle and properly estimate the contributions of genetic influences, environmental influences, and their interplay. In practical terms, this points to designs and methods that can separate inherited risk from correlated environments, and that can test whether environmental conditions strengthen, weaken, or otherwise change the expression of genetic risk over time. The announcement also highlights comorbidity, recognizing that substance and alcohol use disorders commonly co-occur with other psychiatric, behavioral, and medical conditions. Proposed studies are expected to help explain why these patterns of co-occurrence happen and how gene-environment processes may jointly contribute to shared vulnerabilities or distinct pathways.
Another major goal is improving and refining phenotypic definitions of substance use disorders. The agencies note that progress in gene-related research depends heavily on how well researchers define and measure the outcomes being studied. That includes going beyond broad diagnostic categories when needed to capture meaningful subtypes, intermediate traits, developmental patterns, and clinically relevant outcomes such as adverse consequences, functional impairment, and treatment response. By encouraging more precise and developmentally sensitive phenotyping, the opportunity aims to strengthen future gene-finding and molecular studies and make results more interpretable and reproducible.
Methodological advancement is also explicitly encouraged. The field faces challenges such as measuring environmental exposures accurately, handling gene-environment correlation and interaction, modeling change over time, and integrating complex data sources. This announcement supports research that tackles these kinds of methodological barriers in order to produce clearer evidence about mechanisms of risk and resilience. Ultimately, the agencies are looking for studies that can move understanding toward actionable insights, including better prevention strategies, improved interventions or treatment targeting, and clearer directions for molecular and translational research.
This is an R21 mechanism, meaning it is positioned for exploratory or developmental projects that can open up new directions, pilot novel approaches, or generate foundational data that could support larger follow-on studies. The award ceiling listed is $200,000, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is listed under education and health, with CFDA numbers 93.273 (Alcohol Research Programs) and 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs). The opportunity was posted and created on July 19, 2011, with an original and final closing date of September 7, 2014, and an archive date of October 8, 2014.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations across the public, private, nonprofit, and educational sectors. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses and other for-profit organizations, state and local governments (including counties, cities, townships, special districts, and independent school districts), public housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. The announcement also specifies additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies. Foreign institutions are eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also eligible, which signals an openness to internationally grounded research or collaborations where scientifically appropriate.
In summary, PA 11-236 is designed to accelerate research that explains how genetics and environment combine across development to influence substance and alcohol use disorders, sharpen how these disorders are defined and measured, and address the technical challenges that have limited progress in the gene-environment space. The long-term expectation is that stronger evidence about mechanisms and pathways will improve prevention and treatment and create better foundations for gene discovery and molecular research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R21) opportunity (PA 11-236)?
PA 11-236 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity that supports exploratory/developmental research (R21) focused on how genetic factors and environmental exposures work together to influence substance use disorders and alcohol use disorders.
Which NIH institutes lead this initiative?
The initiative is led by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
What is the main scientific purpose of this funding opportunity?
The main purpose is to push research beyond simple "genes versus environment" explanations by supporting studies that directly examine gene-environment interplay in the initiation, development, severity, and long-term outcomes of substance use disorders and alcohol use disorders.
What does "gene-environment interplay" mean in the context of this announcement?
In this context, gene-environment interplay refers to studying how inherited genetic vulnerability and real-world environmental exposures jointly shape risk and outcomes over time, including whether environmental conditions strengthen, weaken, or otherwise change the expression of genetic risk.
Why does the announcement emphasize development and life stage?
The opportunity reflects the view that substance and alcohol use disorders are developmental in nature, meaning risk and symptoms unfold over time and can look different at different ages or life stages. The research emphasis is on understanding trajectories across development.
What kinds of disorder trajectories are highlighted as research targets?
The announcement highlights trajectories such as initiation, escalation, chronicity, relapse, recovery, and desistance.
What types of study designs or approaches are encouraged?
Genetically informative approaches are emphasized, particularly those that can disentangle and properly estimate genetic influences, environmental influences, and their interplay. This includes approaches that can separate inherited risk from correlated environments and test how environmental conditions alter genetic effects over time.
Does the opportunity address gene-environment correlation as well as interaction?
Yes. The opportunity notes challenges including handling gene-environment correlation and gene-environment interaction, and it encourages work that can address these issues to produce clearer evidence about mechanisms of risk and resilience.
How does comorbidity fit into the goals of PA 11-236?
Comorbidity is explicitly recognized. Because substance and alcohol use disorders commonly co-occur with other psychiatric, behavioral, and medical conditions, proposed studies are expected to help explain why these co-occurrence patterns happen and how gene-environment processes may contribute to shared vulnerabilities or distinct pathways.
Why is improving phenotypic definitions considered important in this program?
The agencies note that progress in gene-related research depends heavily on how well outcomes are defined and measured. The opportunity encourages more precise and developmentally sensitive phenotyping to improve interpretability and reproducibility and to strengthen future gene-finding and molecular studies.
What does "refining phenotypes" mean here?
It means going beyond broad diagnostic categories when needed to capture meaningful subtypes, intermediate traits, developmental patterns, and clinically relevant outcomes such as adverse consequences, functional impairment, and treatment response.
Are methodological innovation and technical problem-solving within scope?
Yes. Methodological advancement is explicitly encouraged, including improving measurement of environmental exposures, modeling change over time, integrating complex data sources, and addressing analytical challenges that have limited progress in gene-environment research.
What is the long-term impact NIH is aiming for with this opportunity?
The long-term expectation is that stronger evidence about mechanisms and pathways will support actionable insights, including better prevention strategies, improved interventions or treatment targeting, and clearer directions for molecular and translational research.
What grant mechanism is used, and what does it imply about the type of project?
This is an R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory or developmental projects that can open new directions, pilot novel approaches, or generate foundational data that could support larger follow-on studies.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $200,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the funding instrument and activity category?
The funding instrument is a grant. The activity category is listed under education and health.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.273 (Alcohol Research Programs) and 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs).
When was PA 11-236 posted, and what were the closing and archive dates?
The opportunity was posted and created on July 19, 2011. The original and final closing date was September 7, 2014, and the archive date was October 8, 2014.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses and other for-profit organizations, and state and local governments (including counties, cities, townships, special districts, and independent school districts). It also includes public housing authorities, Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, and other specified organization types.
Are specialized institution types (HBCUs, HSIs, TCCUs, etc.) eligible?
Yes. The announcement specifies eligibility for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), among others.
Can faith-based, community-based, or regional organizations apply?
Yes. The opportunity lists faith-based or community-based organizations and regional organizations among eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in the eligible applicant list?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies eligible applicants?
Yes. The announcement includes eligible federal agencies among those that may apply.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. Foreign institutions are eligible, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also eligible, supporting internationally grounded research or collaborations where scientifically appropriate.
What kinds of real-world environments or exposures are relevant under this opportunity?
The announcement broadly emphasizes "environmental exposures" and "real-world contexts" that may interact with inherited vulnerability to shape substance and alcohol use disorder trajectories over time. It also highlights the importance of measuring these exposures accurately.
What kinds of outcomes does the announcement consider important beyond diagnosis?
Beyond broad diagnostic categories, the announcement emphasizes outcomes such as adverse consequences, functional impairment, treatment response, meaningful subtypes, intermediate traits, and developmentally patterned phenotypes.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 11 236) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R03) Apply for PA 11 237 Funding Number: PA 11 237 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Social and Behavioral Research on the Elderly in Disasters (R01) Apply for PA 11 263 Funding Number: PA 11 263 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Social and Behavioral Research on the Elderly in Disasters (R21) Apply for PA 11 265 Funding Number: PA 11 265 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Alliance of Glycobiologists for Detection of Cancer (U01) Apply for RFA CA 11 009 Funding Number: RFA CA 11 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| 2012 NIDA Translational Avant Garde Award for Medication Development for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (DP1) Apply for RFA DA 12 010 Funding Number: RFA DA 12 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Pre Application for the 2012 NIDA Translational Avant Garde Award for Medication Development for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (X02) Apply for PAR 11 269 Funding Number: PAR 11 269 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Pre Application for the FY12 NIDA Avant Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS Research (X02) Apply for PAR 11 256 Funding Number: PAR 11 256 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY12 NIDA Avant Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS Research (DP1) Apply for RFA DA 12 011 Funding Number: RFA DA 12 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) (P20) Apply for PAR 11 286 Funding Number: PAR 11 286 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Pilot studies in Pancreatic Cancer (R21) Apply for PA 11 297 Funding Number: PA 11 297 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Pilot studies in Pancreatic Cancer (R03) Apply for PA 11 298 Funding Number: PA 11 298 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R03) Apply for PA 11 313 Funding Number: PA 11 313 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R01) Apply for PA 11 311 Funding Number: PA 11 311 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R21) Apply for PA 11 312 Funding Number: PA 11 312 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Human Health and Heredity in Africa (H3Africa) Research Grants (U01) Apply for RFA RM 11 009 Funding Number: RFA RM 11 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Scalable Assays for Unbiased In Vitro Analysis of Neurobiological Function (R21/R33) Apply for PAR 11 319 Funding Number: PAR 11 319 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions (R21) Apply for RFA CA 11 012 Funding Number: RFA CA 11 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions (R01) Apply for RFA CA 11 011 Funding Number: RFA CA 11 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| mHealth Tools to Promote Effective PatientProvider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self Management of Chronic Diseases In Underserved Populations (R03) Apply for PA 11 331 Funding Number: PA 11 331 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| mHealth Tools to Promote Effective PatientProvider Communication, Adherence to Treatment and Self Management of Chronic Diseases In Underserved Populations (R01) Apply for PA 11 330 Funding Number: PA 11 330 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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