Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 10 008
Apply for RFA AI 10 008
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Immune Defense Mechanisms at the Mucosa Cooperative Study Group (U01)" 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 Apr 23, 2010 and posted on Apr 23, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 22, 2010. (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.
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Small businesses Private institutions of higher education Independent school districts State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal 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 Immune Defense Mechanisms at the Mucosa Cooperative Study Group (U01) funding opportunity (RFA-AI-10-008) is a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH program designed to push forward basic research on how the immune system protects and regulates mucosal surfaces. The focus is specifically on mucosal tissues where many infections begin and where immune responses can be both protective and harmful: the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract. The central aim is to break new ground in understanding mucosal immune defense by bringing in new ideas, experimental strategies, and technologies to tackle long-standing, difficult questions in the field. The expectation is that clearer insight into mucosal immune mechanisms will lay a stronger foundation for future vaccines and immunotherapies that prevent infection at mucosal entry sites and reduce immune-driven damage (immunopathology) at these tissues.
This program is structured as a cooperative study group rather than a set of isolated individual grants. Awards are made using the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means there is substantial programmatic involvement and coordination with NIH staff compared to a standard investigator-initiated research project grant. Investigators supported under this announcement would be part of a larger, coordinated network governed by a Steering Committee. In practical terms, the Steering Committee model implies shared planning and prioritization, alignment on collaborative goals, and a framework for multi-site or cross-lab projects where that makes scientific sense. A notable feature of the program is the use of an Infrastructure and Opportunities Fund, intended to support innovative collaborative activities and smaller pilot or feasibility studies. That fund is meant to make the overall network more agile by enabling the group to test new directions, seed high-risk ideas, and build shared capabilities that accelerate progress across the consortium.
NIAID explicitly encourages applications from both established and new investigators, including applicants who do not already have a track record of funding in mucosal immunity. That language signals an effort to bring fresh perspectives into the mucosal immunology space, potentially including researchers with expertise in adjacent areas (for example, systems immunology, microbiome science, computational biology, high-dimensional single-cell profiling, imaging, tissue engineering, or novel antigen delivery technologies) who can help overcome technical and conceptual bottlenecks. Scientifically, the research scope centers on immune defense mechanisms and immune regulation at mucosal surfaces, which can encompass understanding protective barrier immunity, innate and adaptive immune interactions, mechanisms that maintain tolerance while allowing rapid pathogen control, and the ways dysregulation can contribute to inflammation or tissue pathology.
From a funding and timeline standpoint, applicants may request budgets up to $250,000 per year in direct costs for project periods of up to five years. NIAID anticipated committing roughly $4,000,000 in total costs in fiscal year 2011 to support approximately seven to nine awards, indicating a relatively small, selective network intended to be cohesive and collaborative rather than very large. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted April 23, 2010, with an original and current closing date of October 22, 2010, and an archive date of November 22, 2010.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants span public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as public housing authorities and tribal governments and organizations. The eligibility description also highlights inclusion of 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, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities and regional organizations. The funding activity category is Health, and the CFDA listing provided is 93.855 (Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research).
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a coordinated, NIH-guided research consortium intended to accelerate foundational discoveries in mucosal immunology, with built-in mechanisms for collaboration and rapid exploration of novel ideas. The scientific payoff NIAID is aiming for is not only deeper mechanistic understanding, but also practical downstream impact by enabling better vaccine concepts and immunotherapies targeted to the unique immunology of mucosal tissues, where protection must be strong enough to stop pathogens yet controlled enough to avoid chronic inflammation and tissue damage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Immune Defense Mechanisms at the Mucosa Cooperative Study Group (U01) opportunity?
It is a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH funding opportunity (RFA-AI-10-008) that supports basic research on how the immune system protects and regulates mucosal surfaces. The program is set up as a coordinated cooperative study group using the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism.
What is the main scientific goal of this program?
The central aim is to advance foundational understanding of mucosal immune defense mechanisms by bringing in new ideas, experimental strategies, and technologies to address long-standing and difficult questions in mucosal immunology.
Which mucosal tissues are specifically emphasized?
The opportunity specifically highlights mucosal tissues where many infections begin and where immune responses can be both protective and harmful: the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract.
Why is NIAID focusing on mucosal immunity in this program?
Mucosal surfaces are common entry sites for infection, and immune responses at these sites must balance rapid protection with regulation to avoid excessive inflammation and tissue damage. The program aims to clarify these mechanisms to strengthen the foundation for future vaccines and immunotherapies designed for mucosal entry sites and to reduce immune-driven damage (immunopathology).
What does it mean that this is a "cooperative study group" instead of isolated individual grants?
It means funded investigators are expected to participate in a larger coordinated network rather than working entirely independently. The program is designed for shared planning and prioritization, alignment on collaborative goals, and a framework that can support multi-site or cross-lab projects when scientifically appropriate.
What is the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism?
U01 is a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically involves substantial programmatic involvement and coordination with NIH staff compared to a standard investigator-initiated research project grant.
How will the network be coordinated?
The study group is governed by a Steering Committee, which implies shared planning and prioritization across the network and coordination around collaborative objectives.
What is the Infrastructure and Opportunities Fund and what is it used for?
The program includes an Infrastructure and Opportunities Fund intended to support innovative collaborative activities and smaller pilot or feasibility studies. This is meant to make the network more agile by allowing the group to test new directions, seed higher-risk ideas, and build shared capabilities that accelerate progress across the consortium.
Does NIAID encourage applications from new investigators?
Yes. NIAID explicitly encourages applications from both established and new investigators, including applicants who do not already have a track record of funding in mucosal immunity.
Are researchers from adjacent fields encouraged to apply?
Yes. The program signals interest in fresh perspectives and expertise from adjacent areas that can help overcome technical and conceptual bottlenecks, including (as examples provided) systems immunology, microbiome science, computational biology, high-dimensional single-cell profiling, imaging, tissue engineering, and novel antigen delivery technologies.
What kinds of research topics fit within the scientific scope?
The scope centers on immune defense mechanisms and immune regulation at mucosal surfaces. Examples described include protective barrier immunity; innate and adaptive immune interactions; mechanisms that maintain tolerance while enabling rapid pathogen control; and understanding how dysregulation can contribute to inflammation or tissue pathology.
What downstream impact is this program aiming for?
While the focus is basic research, NIAID’s stated expectation is that clearer mechanistic insight will support future vaccines and immunotherapies that prevent infection at mucosal entry sites and reduce immune-driven damage at mucosal tissues.
How much funding can an applicant request?
Applicants may request budgets up to $250,000 per year in direct costs.
How long can the project period be?
Project periods can be up to five years.
How many awards did NIAID anticipate making under this opportunity?
NIAID anticipated supporting approximately seven to nine awards.
How much total funding did NIAID anticipate committing?
NIAID anticipated committing roughly $4,000,000 in total costs in fiscal year 2011 to support the awards under this announcement.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and government entities (state, county, city/township, and special districts), as well as public housing authorities and tribal governments and organizations.
Does the eligibility language specifically mention certain institution types?
Yes. The eligibility description highlights inclusion of 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, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities and regional organizations.
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Health.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing provided is 93.855 (Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research).
When was this opportunity posted and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was posted April 23, 2010. The original and current closing date was October 22, 2010, and the archive date was November 22, 2010.
Is this opportunity intended to be a large, broad program or a smaller, selective network?
Based on the anticipated seven to nine awards and the emphasis on a Steering Committee and shared infrastructure, it is described as a relatively small, selective network intended to be cohesive and collaborative rather than very large.
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