Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 12 038
Apply for RFA AI 12 038
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Immunity in the Elderly (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research 93.856 Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 28, 2012 and posted on Sep 28, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 20, 2013. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: County governments Special district governments Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- 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 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 titled "Immunity in the Elderly (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AI-12-038) supports research aimed at explaining why older adults often experience weaker protection from infections and less robust responses to vaccination. Jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the program focuses on the induction, development, and long-term maintenance of protective immunity in elderly populations when they are exposed to, infected by, or vaccinated against pathogens in NIAID's Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases portfolio. The central purpose is to generate a clearer, mechanism-level understanding of how the immune system changes with age in ways that increase susceptibility to severe disease and reduce vaccine effectiveness, with the longer-term implication of informing better prevention strategies, improved vaccine design, or tailored immunization approaches for older adults.
A defining feature of this announcement is that it requires human research. Applications must include at least one specific aim that is fully centered on human studies, with a clear justification for why human investigation is essential to answering the question. The intention is to capture immune changes as they actually occur in older people, rather than relying solely on preclinical models that may not fully reproduce human aging or human immune responses. While the emphasis is on human work, the FOA allows additional aims that incorporate animal studies when they are appropriately justified and when the mechanistic questions cannot reasonably be addressed in humans. In practice, that means a project could combine clinical or observational studies in elderly cohorts with targeted animal experiments to test mechanisms, validate causality, or explore interventions that cannot be ethically or practically performed in people.
The award mechanism is the NIH R01 research project grant, categorized as discretionary funding under the health activity area. The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.855 (Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research), 93.856 (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research), and 93.866 (Aging Research), reflecting the cross-cutting nature of the science across infectious disease and aging biology. The listing notes an award ceiling of $300,000, and it states that there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of the award.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that conduct biomedical research. Eligible applicants span federal, state, local, and tribal governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (with distinctions noted for institutions of higher education); small businesses and other for-profit entities; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; independent school districts; and various community-based or faith-based organizations. The eligibility section also explicitly includes institutions and organizations that serve specific populations, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities. Importantly, the FOA allows non-U.S. (foreign) organizations and foreign institutions to apply, permits non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, and allows foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Regional organizations and U.S. territories or possessions are also listed as eligible, indicating an intent to encourage participation across diverse geographic and institutional settings.
From an administrative standpoint, the announcement was posted on September 28, 2012, with an original and current closing date of February 20, 2013, and an archive date of March 23, 2013. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health. An official additional information link is provided through the NIH Grants Guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-12-038.html), and the notice includes NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact details for applicants who encounter access or linking problems. Overall, the opportunity is designed for investigators proposing rigorous, mechanistically grounded studies that directly measure and interpret immune function in older adults in the context of infection or vaccination against emerging or re-emerging infectious threats, with human-centered research as a non-negotiable component of the project design.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Immunity in the Elderly (R01) - RFA-AI-12-038
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Immunity in the Elderly (R01)" and carries the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) RFA-AI-12-038.
Which NIH institutes are sponsoring this opportunity?
This opportunity is jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
What is the overall purpose of this FOA?
The purpose is to support research that explains, at a mechanism level, why older adults often have weaker protection from infections and less robust responses to vaccination. The longer-term goal is to inform better prevention strategies, improved vaccine design, or tailored immunization approaches for older adults.
What scientific topic area does the program focus on?
The FOA focuses on the induction, development, and long-term maintenance of protective immunity in elderly populations when they are exposed to, infected by, or vaccinated against pathogens in NIAID's Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases portfolio.
Does this FOA require research in humans?
Yes. A defining requirement is human research. Applications must include at least one specific aim that is fully centered on human studies.
What does "at least one specific aim centered on human studies" mean for my application?
It means your application must include a specific aim where the primary work and key measurements are conducted in humans (for example, clinical, observational, or cohort-based studies in older adults), rather than relying only on non-human systems.
Do applicants need to justify why human studies are necessary?
Yes. The FOA requires a clear justification explaining why human investigation is essential to answer the scientific question.
Are animal studies allowed under this FOA?
Yes, additional aims may incorporate animal studies when they are appropriately justified and when the mechanistic questions cannot reasonably be addressed in humans.
How does the FOA suggest combining human and animal studies?
The FOA indicates a project could combine clinical or observational studies in elderly cohorts with targeted animal experiments to test mechanisms, validate causality, or explore interventions that cannot be ethically or practically performed in people.
What types of outcomes or impacts is the FOA aiming for?
The FOA emphasizes generating clearer, mechanism-level understanding of age-related immune changes that increase susceptibility to severe disease and reduce vaccine effectiveness, with implications for improved prevention strategies and vaccines for older adults.
What is the award mechanism?
The award mechanism is the NIH R01 Research Project Grant.
What kind of funding category is this opportunity listed under?
It is categorized as discretionary funding under the health activity area.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The FOA is associated with CFDA 93.855 (Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research), 93.856 (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research), and 93.866 (Aging Research).
Is there an award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
Yes. The listing notes an award ceiling of $300,000.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of the award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types that conduct biomedical research, including government entities, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and for-profit entities, among others.
Are federal, state, local, and tribal government entities eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes federal, state, local, and tribal governments.
Are universities and colleges eligible?
Yes. Public and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible, including those without 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are included, with distinctions noted for institutions of higher education.
Are small businesses and for-profit entities eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes small businesses and other for-profit entities as eligible applicants.
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility section includes various community-based or faith-based organizations.
Are organizations serving specific populations explicitly encouraged or included?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes institutions and organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA allows non-U.S. (foreign) organizations and foreign institutions to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations allowed?
Yes. The FOA permits non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations.
Does the FOA allow foreign components as defined by NIH policy?
Yes. It allows foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Are U.S. territories and possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed as eligible.
Are regional organizations eligible?
Yes. Regional organizations are included as eligible applicants.
When was this FOA posted?
The announcement was posted on September 28, 2012.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is February 20, 2013.
When was the FOA archived?
The archive date is March 23, 2013.
Which agency is listed as the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Where can applicants find the official FOA text and details?
The official additional information link is provided through the NIH Grants Guide at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-12-038.html
Who should applicants contact if they have problems accessing the FOA link?
The notice references NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact details for applicants who encounter access or linking problems.
What kind of research approaches does this FOA appear to prioritize?
It is designed for rigorous, mechanistically grounded studies that directly measure and interpret immune function in older adults in the context of infection or vaccination against emerging or re-emerging infectious threats, with human-centered research as a required component.
Is this opportunity specifically about why vaccines work less well in older adults?
Yes. A core motivation described is that older adults often experience less robust responses to vaccination, and the FOA seeks research that explains the mechanisms behind reduced vaccine effectiveness with age.
Is this opportunity specifically about susceptibility to severe infectious disease in older adults?
Yes. The FOA highlights age-related immune changes that increase susceptibility to severe disease and aims to clarify those changes.
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