Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 12 008
Apply for RFA AG 12 008
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Human Cell Reprogramming for Aging and Alzheimers Disease Research (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 3, 2011 and posted on Aug 3, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 2, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Special district 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) 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. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity RFA-AG-12-008, titled "Human Cell Reprogramming for Aging and Alzheimers Disease Research (R21)," was a discretionary grant program designed to push forward early-stage, proof-of-concept research that uses human cell reprogramming to study aging and Alzheimers disease. The central idea behind the announcement is that human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and other types of reprogrammed human cells could become practical, biologically relevant laboratory models for understanding how aging and Alzheimers-related changes arise in specific human cell types. By encouraging projects that generate these cells and then carefully measure whether they show meaningful "aged" or disease-associated traits, the FOA aimed to address a long-standing bottleneck in the field: the lack of human-based experimental systems that reproduce key aspects of aging biology and Alzheimers disease mechanisms in a controlled setting.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is on both creation and characterization. Applicants were expected not only to develop or improve methods for deriving iPS cells or other reprogrammed cells, but also to carry out molecular and functional analyses to determine whether the resulting cells actually display phenotypes relevant to aging or Alzheimers disease. In practical terms, this means projects would likely focus on differentiating reprogrammed cells into particular cell types of interest (for example, neuronal subtypes or other brain-relevant lineages, and potentially other cell populations implicated in aging biology) and then evaluating whether these cells demonstrate measurable signatures tied to aging processes or Alzheimers pathology. The FOA frames this characterization as essential proof-of-concept evidence: the goal is to show that reprogrammed human cells can serve as valid models, not merely that they can be generated.
The program used the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically geared toward exploratory, high-impact ideas where preliminary data may be limited but the potential payoff is significant. This aligns with the FOA's focus on developing and validating new model systems rather than supporting large, long-term, fully established research programs. The activity category is health, with the CFDA listing under 93.866 (Aging Research), reflecting the National Institute on Aging mission space and the clear connection to both fundamental aging biology and Alzheimers disease research.
From a funding and budget perspective, the FOA listed an estimated total funding amount of $1.2 million, with an award ceiling of $200,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which reduces barriers for applicants and is consistent with typical NIH research grant structures. The opportunity was posted on August 3, 2011, with an original and current closing date of November 2, 2011, and it was later archived on December 3, 2011, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation rather than an open-ended, continuously accepting program.
Eligibility was broad and inclusive, spanning many organizational types across the public, private, nonprofit, and education sectors. Eligible applicants included state and local governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, and for-profit organizations beyond small businesses. The announcement also explicitly included a wide range of mission-focused and community-relevant entities such as independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and special district governments. Additional eligibility language broadened access further to include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and faith-based or community-based organizations, as well as eligible federal agencies and regional organizations.
Notably, the FOA allowed non-U.S. participation. Foreign institutions could apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) were permitted. This matters for a field like stem cell reprogramming and neurodegeneration research, where specialized expertise, patient resources, and technical platforms may be distributed internationally, and where cross-border collaboration can accelerate validation of new cell models.
In summary, RFA-AG-12-008 targeted a specific and timely scientific need: building human reprogrammed cellular systems that can convincingly recapitulate aspects of aging and Alzheimers disease in the lab. By funding exploratory R21 projects that develop these reprogrammed cells and rigorously test them for relevant molecular and functional phenotypes, the NIH sought to generate foundational evidence that would justify broader use of these models in later-stage mechanistic studies, target discovery, and potentially therapeutic development pipelines. For reference and administrative details, the full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-12-008.html, with technical access support routed through the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity described here?
This opportunity is NIH RFA-AG-12-008, titled "Human Cell Reprogramming for Aging and Alzheimers Disease Research (R21)." It was a discretionary NIH grant program focused on early-stage, proof-of-concept research using human cell reprogramming to study aging and Alzheimers disease.
What is the main goal of RFA-AG-12-008?
The central goal was to advance the development and validation of human reprogrammed cellular models (including human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and other reprogrammed human cells) that can be used to study how aging- and Alzheimers-related changes arise in specific human cell types.
What scientific problem was this FOA trying to address?
The FOA aimed to address a major bottleneck in the field: the lack of human-based experimental systems that reproduce key aspects of aging biology and Alzheimers disease mechanisms in a controlled laboratory setting.
What types of research activities were emphasized?
The opportunity emphasized both creation and characterization of reprogrammed cells. Applicants were expected to develop or improve methods for deriving iPS cells or other reprogrammed cells and to perform molecular and functional analyses to assess whether the resulting cells display phenotypes relevant to aging or Alzheimers disease.
Why was characterization considered essential in this announcement?
Characterization was framed as essential proof-of-concept evidence. The goal was not only to generate reprogrammed human cells, but to show that these cells can serve as valid models by demonstrating meaningful "aged" or disease-associated traits.
Were applicants expected to differentiate reprogrammed cells into specific cell types?
Yes. Projects would likely involve differentiating reprogrammed cells into particular cell types of interest, such as neuronal subtypes or other brain-relevant lineages, and potentially other cell populations implicated in aging biology, then evaluating whether they show measurable aging- or Alzheimers-related signatures.
What NIH grant mechanism was used for this opportunity?
This program used the NIH R21 mechanism, which is generally intended for exploratory, potentially high-impact projects where preliminary data may be limited but the potential payoff is significant.
How does the R21 mechanism fit the purpose of this FOA?
The R21 structure aligned with the FOA's emphasis on developing and validating new model systems, rather than supporting large, long-term, fully established research programs.
What is the activity category and CFDA listing for this opportunity?
The activity category is health. The CFDA listing is 93.866 (Aging Research), reflecting its alignment with aging biology and Alzheimers disease research within the National Institute on Aging mission space.
How much total funding was estimated for the program?
The FOA listed an estimated total funding amount of $1.2 million.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed in the FOA was $200,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was this funding opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on August 3, 2011.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed was November 2, 2011.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. It was later archived on December 3, 2011, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation rather than an open-ended program.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad, including many organizational types across public, private, nonprofit, and education sectors. Examples listed include state and local governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, and for-profit organizations beyond small businesses.
Did the FOA include community-focused or special-purpose governmental entities as eligible applicants?
Yes. The announcement explicitly included entities such as independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and special district governments.
Were certain institution types specifically highlighted as eligible?
Yes. The FOA language included Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and faith-based or community-based organizations.
Could federal agencies or regional organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility language also included eligible federal agencies and regional organizations.
Were non-U.S. organizations allowed to participate?
Yes. Foreign institutions could apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) were permitted.
Where could applicants find the full announcement?
The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-12-008.html.
Where was technical access support directed?
Technical access support was routed through the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster.
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