Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 15 008
Apply for RFA HD 15 008
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Isolation, Purification, and Synthesis of Human Milk Oligosaccharides with Antimicrobial Activity (R43)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 29, 2014 and posted on May 29, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 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 $750,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity "Isolation, Purification, and Synthesis of Human Milk Oligosaccharides with Antimicrobial Activity (R43)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HD-15-008) is an NIH small business funding announcement focused on accelerating early-stage research and development around human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) with antimicrobial properties. The core idea is to move beyond basic discovery and push toward practical, scalable production of specific HMOs that can be tested as potential interventions for infectious disease-related problems, particularly those relevant to child health. The program is structured as an SBIR Phase I style award (R43), meaning it is aimed at feasibility and proof-of-concept work performed by small businesses, with an emphasis on innovation and a clear path toward later-stage development.
The FOA lays out a pipeline of technical goals that applicants are expected to address. First, it seeks new or improved methods to identify which HMOs have antimicrobial activity. This implies screening approaches or assay platforms that can reliably detect antimicrobial effects, potentially including activity against bacterial pathogens, interference with adhesion or biofilm formation, or other mechanisms by which HMOs are known or suspected to protect infants. Second, it encourages the development of practical approaches to isolate and purify the most promising candidate HMOs. Because human milk contains a complex mixture of many oligosaccharides at varying abundances, the isolation and purification step is not trivial and requires efficient separation technologies that can produce material with sufficient purity for downstream testing.
Third, the FOA emphasizes structural characterization of HMOs. In practice, that means determining detailed molecular structures so that a curated "library" of bioactive HMOs can be built. Structural identification is critical because small differences in linkage type, branching patterns, fucosylation, and sialylation can change biological activity. By generating a reliable library of structures tied to antimicrobial function, the work can provide templates for reproducible manufacturing. Fourth, and most translationally, the program aims to ramp up chemical or biological synthesis methods, including adoption of GMP-aligned processes, to enable production of HMOs in kilogram quantities for preclinical testing. That scaling requirement signals a strong interest in moving from milligram-scale analytical work to manufacturing-relevant methods that can support animal studies and other preclinical development activities.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the NIH health research portfolio under CFDA 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research). The estimated total funding listed is $750,000, with an award ceiling of $150,000. The funding announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility is limited to small businesses, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are not eligible to apply; likewise, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, foreign components (as defined under NIH policy) may be allowed, which typically means certain parts of the project could be conducted abroad if justified and consistent with NIH rules, but the applicant organization itself must be U.S.-based and eligible.
In terms of timing, the opportunity was posted and created on May 29, 2014, with an original and current closing date of July 31, 2014, and it was archived on August 31, 2014. While that means this specific FOA is no longer open, the summary reflects an NIH priority at the time: enabling small businesses to build the discovery-to-manufacturing bridge for antimicrobial HMOs by combining bioactivity screening, purification, rigorous structural analytics, and scalable GMP-oriented synthesis so that promising candidates can advance toward preclinical evaluation. For full details, the announcement points to the NIH grants page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-15-008.html, and it provides an NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact for access or linking issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Isolation, Purification, and Synthesis of Human Milk Oligosaccharides with Antimicrobial Activity (R43)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-HD-15-008.
Who is the sponsoring agency for this funding announcement?
This is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) small business funding announcement within the NIH health research portfolio.
What type of award mechanism is being used?
The announcement is structured as an SBIR Phase I style award (R43), which is typically focused on feasibility and proof-of-concept work conducted by small businesses.
What is the main purpose of the FOA?
The FOA focuses on accelerating early-stage research and development related to human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) with antimicrobial properties, with the goal of moving beyond basic discovery and toward practical, scalable production of specific HMOs that can be tested as potential interventions for infectious disease-related problems, especially those relevant to child health.
What kinds of scientific or technical activities does the FOA expect applicants to address?
The FOA describes a pipeline of technical goals, including: (1) improved methods to identify HMOs with antimicrobial activity (for example, screening approaches or assay platforms), (2) practical approaches to isolate and purify promising HMOs, (3) structural characterization of HMOs to build a curated library of bioactive structures, and (4) development and scale-up of chemical or biological synthesis methods (including GMP-aligned processes) to enable kilogram-scale production for preclinical testing.
What does the FOA mean by identifying HMOs with antimicrobial activity?
Based on the description, it refers to developing or improving methods (such as screening approaches or assay platforms) that can reliably detect antimicrobial effects of HMOs. Examples mentioned include activity against bacterial pathogens, interference with adhesion, disruption of biofilm formation, or other protective mechanisms suspected or known for HMOs.
Why does the FOA emphasize isolation and purification?
Human milk contains a complex mixture of many oligosaccharides at varying abundances. The FOA highlights that isolating and purifying specific candidate HMOs is not trivial and calls for efficient separation technologies that can produce material with sufficient purity for downstream testing.
What is meant by "structural characterization" of HMOs in this program?
Structural characterization refers to determining detailed molecular structures of HMOs so a curated library of bioactive HMOs can be built. The FOA notes that small differences in linkage type, branching patterns, fucosylation, and sialylation can change biological activity, making structural identification critical for tying function to specific structures.
What is the goal of building a library of bioactive HMO structures?
The goal is to link reliably identified molecular structures to antimicrobial function, creating templates for reproducible manufacturing and helping advance promising candidates toward later-stage development and preclinical evaluation.
What does the FOA say about synthesis and scale-up?
The FOA emphasizes ramping up chemical or biological synthesis methods and notes an interest in adopting GMP-aligned processes to enable production of HMOs in kilogram quantities for preclinical testing. This signals a push from milligram-scale analytical work to manufacturing-relevant methods that can support animal studies and other preclinical activities.
Is this a discovery-only program, or does it support translational work?
It is oriented toward moving beyond basic discovery and toward translational goals, particularly scalable production and preparation for preclinical testing, while still being an early-stage SBIR Phase I (R43) feasibility/proof-of-concept program.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research).
How much total funding is estimated for this FOA?
The estimated total funding listed is $750,000.
What is the award ceiling for an individual award under this FOA?
The award ceiling is $150,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The funding announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are not eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible?
No. The FOA states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Does the FOA allow any foreign involvement at all?
The summary indicates that foreign components (as defined under NIH policy) may be allowed. In practice, this typically means certain parts of the project could be conducted abroad if justified and consistent with NIH rules, but the applicant organization itself must be U.S.-based and eligible.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted (and created) on May 29, 2014.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is July 31, 2014.
Is this FOA still open for applications?
No. It was archived on August 31, 2014, and the closing date shown is in 2014, indicating this specific announcement is no longer open.
What is the program trying to achieve in plain terms?
It aims to help small businesses bridge the gap from discovery to manufacturing for antimicrobial HMOs by combining bioactivity screening, purification, rigorous structural analytics, and scalable, GMP-oriented synthesis so that promising HMO candidates can move toward preclinical evaluation.
Where can the full FOA text be found?
The announcement points to the NIH grants page at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-15-008.html.
Who is listed as a contact for access or linking issues?
An NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact is provided for access or linking issues (as described in the summary).
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: Isolation, Purification, and Synthesis of Human Milk Oligosaccharides with Antimicrobial Activity (R41)
Previous opportunity: OJJDP FY 2014 Comprehensive AntiGang Strategies and Programs
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA HD 15 008
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA HD 15 008) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Isolation, Purification, and Synthesis of Human Milk Oligosaccharides with Antimicrobial Activity (R41) Apply for RFA HD 15 007 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Male Contraceptive Development Program (U01) Apply for RFA HD 14 034 Funding Number: RFA HD 14 034 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Global Omics Approaches Targeting Adverse Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes Utilizing Existing Cohorts (R01) Apply for PAR 14 264 Funding Number: PAR 14 264 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Peripheral Blood Biomarkers of Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury in Human Subjects SBIR Direct Phase II (R44) Apply for RFA HD 15 012 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Innovative Therapies and Tools for Screenable Disorders in Newborns (R21) Apply for PAR 14 269 Funding Number: PAR 14 269 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Innovative Therapies and Tools for Screenable Disorders in Newborns (R03) Apply for PAR 14 271 Funding Number: PAR 14 271 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Pharmacogenetics, Pharmacoepigenetics and Personalized Medicine in Children (R01) Apply for PAR 14 274 Funding Number: PAR 14 274 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Medically Assisted Reproduction Investigation of Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Outcomes and Development of New and Improved Methods to Overcome the Adverse Outcomes (R01) Apply for PAR 14 272 Funding Number: PAR 14 272 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Medically Assisted Reproduction Investigation of Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Outcomes and Development of New and Improved Methods to Overcome the Adverse Outcomes (R21) Apply for PAR 14 273 Funding Number: PAR 14 273 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium (UM1) Apply for RFA HL 15 012 Funding Number: RFA HL 15 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $269,000 |
| In vivo Methods for Assessing Placental Development and Function (SBIR) R43/R44 Apply for RFA HD 15 018 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| In vivo Methods for Assessing Placental Development and Function (STTR) R41/R42 Apply for RFA HD 15 019 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 019 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Obstetric Fetal Pharmacology Research Centers (OPRC) (U54) Apply for RFA HD 14 013 Funding Number: RFA HD 14 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $4,800,000 |
| Patient Safety in the Context of Perinatal, Neonatal, and Pediatric Care (R01) Apply for PA 14 312 Funding Number: PA 14 312 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Patient Safety in the Context of Perinatal, Neonatal, and Pediatric Care (R21) Apply for PA 14 311 Funding Number: PA 14 311 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Patient Safety in the Context of Perinatal, Neonatal, and Pediatric Care (R03) Apply for PA 14 313 Funding Number: PA 14 313 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| NICHD Consortium for Research on Pediatric Trauma and Injury Prevention (R24) Apply for PAR 14 324 Funding Number: PAR 14 324 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Improving Health through Rehabilitation Robotic Technology (R43/R44) Apply for RFA HD 15 001 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Tools for Assessment and Improvement of Neurologic Outcomes in Perinatal Medicine (R41) Apply for RFA HD 15 005 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Tools for Assessment and Improvement of Neurologic Outcomes in Perinatal Medicine (R43) Apply for RFA HD 15 006 Funding Number: RFA HD 15 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $150,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA HD 15 008", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.