Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 08 020
Apply for RFA AI 08 020
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Immune Defense Mechanisms at the Mucosa (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 Jul 2, 2008 and posted on Jul 2, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 2008. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Private institutions of higher education Small businesses County governments Special district governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Immune Defense Mechanisms at the Mucosa (R21) funding opportunity (RFA-AI-08-020) is a discretionary NIH grant program from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) focused on early-stage, exploratory research into how the immune system protects and regulates mucosal surfaces. It targets the major mucosal sites where pathogens commonly enter and disease often begins, including the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract. The central idea is to support projects that can uncover new, broadly relevant insights about host immune defenses and immune regulation at these interfaces, with the longer-term aim of enabling better vaccines and immunotherapies designed specifically to prevent infection and limit inflammation at mucosal barriers.
This announcement uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) mechanism, which is meant for high-impact, innovative studies that are still in relatively early development and may not yet have the depth of preliminary data expected for larger, longer awards. Projects supported under this FOA can be basic or applied, as long as they contribute to understanding generalizable mechanisms of mucosal immunity rather than being narrowly limited to a single niche observation. A notable feature is the explicit encouragement for investigators who have not previously held independent funding in this specific scientific area to apply, signaling an interest in bringing new researchers and new ideas into the mucosal immunology space.
Funding for the program was planned at an estimated total of $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2009, with NIAID expecting to make roughly 18 to 25 awards. Awards could run for up to 2 years, consistent with the R21 design. The listed award ceiling is $200,000 (as provided in the source data), reinforcing that this is intended for smaller, focused projects that can test concepts, generate key datasets, or establish feasibility that could later support larger-scale follow-on studies.
The opportunity is categorized under CFDA 93.855 (Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research) and does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Eligibility is broad and includes many types of institutions and organizations such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit entities (other than small businesses), small businesses, school districts, and a range of government entities (city/township, county, state), as well as Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. This wide eligibility range is meant to encourage participation across academia, nonprofit research environments, industry, and public-sector organizations that can contribute relevant immunology and mucosal biology expertise.
Key dates associated with the announcement include a posted and created date of July 2, 2008, with an original and current closing date of October 15, 2008, and an archive date of November 15, 2008. For administrative help accessing the full announcement, the contact listed is GrantsInfo at (301) 435-0714 or GrantsInfo@nih.gov, with TTY support at (301) 451-0088.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Immune Defense Mechanisms at the Mucosa (R21) with the funding opportunity number RFA-AI-08-020.
Which agency and institute are offering this funding?
This is an NIH discretionary grant program offered by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main scientific focus of the program?
The program supports early-stage, exploratory research on how the immune system protects and regulates mucosal surfaces, emphasizing broadly relevant mechanisms of immune defense and immune regulation at mucosal barriers.
Which mucosal sites are specifically highlighted?
The announcement highlights major mucosal sites where pathogens commonly enter and disease often begins, including the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract.
What is the long-term purpose or intended impact of the research?
The longer-term aim is to enable better vaccines and immunotherapies designed specifically to prevent infection and limit inflammation at mucosal barriers.
What NIH grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) mechanism.
What kind of projects are a fit for an R21 under this announcement?
The R21 mechanism is intended for high-impact, innovative studies that are in relatively early stages of development and may not yet have extensive preliminary data typically expected for larger and longer awards.
Does the program support basic research, applied research, or both?
Projects may be basic or applied, as long as they advance understanding of generalizable mechanisms of mucosal immunity rather than being narrowly limited to a single niche observation.
Does the announcement encourage new investigators to the mucosal immunology area?
Yes. The announcement explicitly encourages investigators who have not previously held independent funding in this specific scientific area to apply, reflecting interest in bringing new researchers and new ideas into mucosal immunology.
How much total funding was planned for this program?
The planned total funding level was estimated at $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2009.
How many awards were expected to be made?
NIAID expected to make roughly 18 to 25 awards.
How long can an award last?
Awards could run for up to 2 years, consistent with the R21 mechanism.
What is the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000 (as provided in the source data), indicating support for smaller, focused projects to test concepts, generate key datasets, or establish feasibility for later work.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that cost sharing or matching funds are not required.
What is the CFDA number and program category?
The opportunity is categorized under CFDA 93.855, titled Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation Research.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations)
- For-profit entities (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
- School districts
- Government entities (city/township, county, state)
- Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
When was the opportunity posted and created?
The posted and created date listed is July 2, 2008.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is October 15, 2008.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is November 15, 2008.
Who should applicants contact for administrative help accessing the full announcement?
For administrative help, the listed contact is GrantsInfo at (301) 435-0714 or GrantsInfo@nih.gov. TTY support is available at (301) 451-0088.
Is this opportunity focused on a single disease or pathogen?
Based on the description provided, the emphasis is on uncovering broadly relevant insights about host immune defenses and immune regulation at mucosal interfaces, rather than being limited to a single narrow observation.
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