Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 15 019
Apply for RFA HD 15 019
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "In vivo Methods for Assessing Placental Development and Function (STTR) R41/R42" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 11, 2014 and posted on Jul 11, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The In vivo Methods for Assessing Placental Development and Function (STTR) R41/R42 funding opportunity (RFA-HD-15-019) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitation aimed at accelerating new tools that can measure how the human placenta forms and functions during pregnancy. The central focus was on developing safe, real-time, in vivo assessment approaches that are non-invasive or at least minimally invasive, with an emphasis on methods that could be used in humans to better understand placental development and identify placental dysfunction earlier and more reliably than existing options.
This FOA sat in the health research space (Funding Activity Category: Health) and was tied to CFDA numbers 93.286 (Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health) and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research). The scientific need behind the call is straightforward: the placenta plays a major role in fetal growth and maternal health, but clinicians often have limited direct, real-time ways to evaluate placental performance while pregnancy is ongoing. Many complications in pregnancy are rooted in placental problems, and better in vivo measurement technologies could support earlier detection, monitoring over time, and improved decision-making about care. In practical terms, NIH was encouraging projects that move beyond basic observation and toward actionable measurement: tools or platforms that can quantify placental development, blood flow, exchange capacity, structure, metabolism, signaling, or other functional indicators in a way that is safe for pregnant individuals and fetuses.
The funding mechanism was STTR using the phased R41/R42 structure, which is intended for small businesses working in formal collaboration with a nonprofit research institution (such as a university or medical center). Under this model, Phase I (R41) generally supports feasibility and early proof-of-concept work, while Phase II (R42) supports further development, validation, and steps toward commercialization or broader adoption. The choice of STTR also signals that NIH wanted these technologies to be developed with a clear translational path, not just as academic prototypes, and that they expected meaningful cooperation between a commercial small business and research partners.
Eligibility was limited to small businesses, and the announcement explicitly stated that non-U.S. (foreign) entities could not apply as the applicant organization, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement could be allowable in some circumstances, which typically means specific elements of the work might be conducted abroad if appropriately justified and approved, while the applicant remains a U.S. small business.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant opportunity with no cost sharing or matching requirement, lowering the barrier for small companies that may not be able to commit substantial non-federal funds. The FOA was posted on July 11, 2014, with an original and current closing date of September 15, 2014, and it was archived on October 16, 2014, meaning it was time-limited and is no longer open for submission. NIH listed an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000 and an award ceiling of $2,000,000, indicating the program intended to support a modest portfolio of projects or potentially a small number of larger awards, depending on the final mix of applications and budgets.
Overall, the opportunity was designed to push forward pregnancy and placental health technology by supporting small-business-led innovation in real-time, in vivo placental assessment. The intent was not only to improve scientific understanding of placental biology during pregnancy but also to create practical methods that could eventually fit into clinical monitoring or research workflows, helping to detect risk earlier, track progression, and inform interventions. For full details, NIH referenced the official FOA page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-15-019.html, and provided NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for access or linking issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the In vivo Methods for Assessing Placental Development and Function (STTR) R41/R42 opportunity?
It was an NIH Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding opportunity (RFA-HD-15-019) focused on accelerating new tools to measure how the human placenta forms and functions during pregnancy, using safe, real-time, in vivo assessment approaches that are non-invasive or minimally invasive.
Which agency offered this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main purpose or goal of this FOA?
The main goal was to stimulate development of practical technologies that can assess placental development and function during an ongoing pregnancy, so placental dysfunction can be identified earlier and more reliably than existing options, and placental health can be monitored over time.
What kinds of measurement capabilities was NIH looking for?
NIH emphasized tools or platforms that can quantify or assess placental development and functional indicators in vivo and in real time. Examples described include approaches that measure placental blood flow, exchange capacity, structure, metabolism, signaling, or other functional indicators.
Were projects expected to be usable in humans?
Yes. The emphasis was on methods that could be used in humans, with a strong preference for approaches that are safe for pregnant individuals and fetuses and that are non-invasive or at least minimally invasive.
What problem or scientific need was this FOA trying to address?
The FOA highlighted that clinicians often have limited direct, real-time ways to evaluate placental performance while pregnancy is ongoing. Because many pregnancy complications are rooted in placental problems, better in vivo measurement technologies could support earlier detection, longitudinal monitoring, and improved decision-making about care.
What is the funding mechanism used in this opportunity?
The program used the NIH STTR phased mechanism R41/R42. It is designed for small businesses collaborating formally with a nonprofit research institution (such as a university or medical center), with Phase I supporting feasibility/proof-of-concept and Phase II supporting further development and validation.
What is the difference between Phase I (R41) and Phase II (R42) in this FOA?
Phase I (R41) generally supported feasibility and early proof-of-concept work, while Phase II (R42) generally supported further development, validation, and steps toward commercialization or broader adoption.
Why was this an STTR opportunity instead of another NIH mechanism?
Using STTR signaled that NIH wanted a clear translational path for the technology (not just an academic prototype) and expected meaningful cooperation between a commercial small business and research partners.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to small businesses applying as the applicant organization under the STTR program.
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply as the applicant?
No. The announcement explicitly stated that non-U.S. (foreign) entities could not apply as the applicant organization.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. The FOA stated that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were not eligible to apply.
Are any foreign activities allowed at all under this FOA?
Potentially, yes. The FOA noted that foreign components (as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement) could be allowable in some circumstances. In practical terms, that typically means certain elements of work might be conducted abroad if appropriately justified and approved, while the applicant remains a U.S. small business.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. This was a discretionary grant opportunity with no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What was the estimated total funding available?
NIH listed an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000 for the program.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was listed as $2,000,000.
Does the funding level suggest how many awards might be made?
The description indicated the program intended to support a modest portfolio of projects or potentially a small number of larger awards, depending on the mix of applications and budgets.
What was the funding activity category?
The Funding Activity Category was Health.
Which CFDA numbers were associated with this opportunity?
The FOA was tied to CFDA 93.286 (Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health) and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research).
When was this FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on July 11, 2014.
What was the application due date (closing date)?
The original and current closing date was September 15, 2014.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. It was archived on October 16, 2014, meaning it was time-limited and is no longer open for submissions.
What does it mean that the FOA is archived?
Based on the information provided, archived means the solicitation is no longer active for submission and is maintained only for historical/reference purposes.
Where can someone find the official FOA details?
NIH referenced the official FOA page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-15-019.html.
Who was listed for help with access or linking issues?
NIH provided NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for access or linking issues related to the FOA page.
What types of outcomes was NIH ultimately trying to enable?
The opportunity was intended to drive small-business-led innovation that could fit into clinical monitoring or research workflows, helping to detect placental risk earlier, track progression over time, and inform interventions by providing actionable, real-time in vivo measurements.
Was the FOA focused on basic research only?
No. The description emphasized moving beyond basic observation toward actionable measurement and a translational path, with Phase II supporting development, validation, and steps toward commercialization or broader adoption.
What kinds of partners were expected in an STTR project under this FOA?
The STTR structure described here assumes a formal collaboration between a small business and a nonprofit research institution, such as a university or medical center.
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