Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 17 016
Apply for RFA DA 17 016
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Laboratory and Diagnostic Tools to Advance Microbiome-Brain Research (R41)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.279,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 15, 2016 and posted on Apr 15, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2016. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The government grant opportunity titled "Laboratory and Diagnostic Tools to Advance Microbiome-Brain Research (R41)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-17-016) is a discretionary NIH funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-NIH11) designed to stimulate small business innovation in a specific emerging research area: technologies that can accelerate or improve microbiome research with clear relevance to brain science and neuroscience. In practical terms, the program is aimed at pushing forward new laboratory methods, diagnostic approaches, and enabling tools that help researchers better measure, interpret, or manipulate microbiome-related signals in ways that inform how the microbiome may influence brain function, behavior, or neurological and psychiatric outcomes.
This opportunity uses the R41 mechanism, which is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award type. Phase I SBIR awards are typically meant to support early-stage feasibility work, proof-of-concept development, and initial prototyping that can de-risk a technology enough to justify later-stage development and commercialization. The stated intent here is not just academic tool-building, but the development and eventual commercialization of products, meaning applicants are expected to have a credible plan for translating the proposed innovation into something that could be adopted by the broader research community, clinical laboratories, or other end users in the microbiome-neuroscience space.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, reflecting the SBIR program's focus on commercializable innovations that originate in the U.S. small business sector. The funding activity categories listed for the opportunity are Education and Health, and the associated CFDA numbers are 93.213 and 93.279, which correspond to NIH programs connected to drug abuse and neurological disorders and stroke research, underscoring the neuroscience relevance implied in the topic area. The opportunity was posted and created on April 15, 2016, with an original and current application closing date of August 17, 2016, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation with a single deadline.
In terms of funding scope, the award ceiling is listed as $150,000, and the agency anticipated making about 4 awards. That combination suggests a relatively targeted solicitation intended to seed a small set of high-potential tool or platform concepts rather than fund a large portfolio of projects. Applicants would generally be expected to propose a focused Phase I plan: define a clear technical gap in microbiome-brain research, present an innovative laboratory or diagnostic solution, provide milestones for feasibility testing, and outline a path toward a usable product and future development beyond Phase I. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a call for small business-led development of novel, practical technologies that help the field move from broad microbiome associations to more precise, measurable, and actionable microbiome-brain research.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this government grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Laboratory and Diagnostic Tools to Advance Microbiome-Brain Research (R41)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DA-17-016.
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary NIH funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-NIH11).
What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The goal is to stimulate small business innovation in technologies that can accelerate or improve microbiome research with clear relevance to brain science and neuroscience. In practical terms, it supports new laboratory methods, diagnostic approaches, and enabling tools that help researchers better measure, interpret, or manipulate microbiome-related signals to inform how the microbiome may influence brain function, behavior, or neurological and psychiatric outcomes.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The opportunity uses the R41 mechanism, which is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award type.
What is SBIR Phase I typically intended to support?
SBIR Phase I awards are typically meant to support early-stage feasibility work, proof-of-concept development, and initial prototyping. The intent is to de-risk a technology enough to justify later-stage development and commercialization.
Is this opportunity focused on academic research or commercialization?
Based on the description provided, the intent is not just academic tool-building. Applicants are expected to support the development and eventual commercialization of products, and to present a credible plan for translating the innovation into something that could be adopted by the broader research community, clinical laboratories, or other end users in the microbiome-neuroscience space.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with the SBIR program's focus on commercializable innovations originating in the U.S. small business sector.
What research area does this opportunity target?
It targets technologies for microbiome-brain research, specifically tools and approaches that help connect microbiome-related measurements or interventions to brain science and neuroscience outcomes (including behavior and neurological or psychiatric outcomes).
What kinds of projects are a fit for this solicitation?
Projects that propose novel laboratory methods, diagnostic approaches, or enabling tools that improve the ability to measure, interpret, or manipulate microbiome-related signals in ways that are clearly relevant to brain function or neuroscience research.
What are the funding activity categories for this opportunity?
The listed funding activity categories are Education and Health.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA numbers are 93.213 and 93.279.
What do the listed CFDA numbers imply about the focus area?
They correspond to NIH programs connected to drug abuse and neurological disorders and stroke research, reinforcing the neuroscience relevance of the microbiome-brain topic area.
When was this opportunity posted and created?
The opportunity was posted and created on April 15, 2016.
What was the application deadline?
The original and current application closing date listed is August 17, 2016.
Does the listing indicate multiple deadlines or a single deadline?
Based on the information provided, it was a time-limited solicitation with a single deadline (August 17, 2016).
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is listed as $150,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
The agency anticipated making about 4 awards.
What does the combination of a $150,000 ceiling and about 4 awards suggest?
It suggests a relatively targeted solicitation designed to seed a small set of high-potential tool or platform concepts rather than fund a large portfolio of projects.
What would a strong Phase I plan generally be expected to include?
Applicants would generally be expected to propose a focused Phase I plan that: (1) defines a clear technical gap in microbiome-brain research, (2) presents an innovative laboratory or diagnostic solution, (3) provides milestones for feasibility testing, and (4) outlines a path toward a usable product and future development beyond Phase I.
What types of end users are implied for the resulting product?
The description points to adoption by the broader research community, clinical laboratories, or other end users operating in the microbiome-neuroscience space.
What is the overall takeaway for applicants?
This opportunity is best understood as a call for small business-led development of novel, practical technologies that help the field move from broad microbiome associations to more precise, measurable, and actionable microbiome-brain research.
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Previous opportunity: Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0001581 to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0001232
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| Improving Smoking Cessation in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Populations via Scalable Interventions (R21) Apply for PAR 16 201 Funding Number: PAR 16 201 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Growing Great Ideas: Research Education Course in Product Development and Entrepreneurship for Life Science Researchers (R25) Apply for RFA DA 17 007 Funding Number: RFA DA 17 007 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| NLM Career Development Award in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science (K01) Apply for PAR 16 204 Funding Number: PAR 16 204 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Leveraging Cognitive Neuroscience Research to Improve Assessment of Cancer Treatment Related Cognitive Impairment (R01) Apply for PAR 16 212 Funding Number: PAR 16 212 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Extracellular Vesicle Tools, Technologies, and Products for Neuroscience Research (R43/R44) Apply for RFA DA 17 009 Funding Number: RFA DA 17 009 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
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| The Role of Mobile Genetic Elements in Cancer (R01) Apply for PAR 16 227 Funding Number: PAR 16 227 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Non-healing Ulcerative Wounds in Aging (R01) Apply for PA 16 230 Funding Number: PA 16 230 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Metabolic Reprogramming to Improve Immunotherapy (R01) Apply for PAR 16 228 Funding Number: PAR 16 228 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Clinical Sequencing Evidence-Generating Research (CSER2) - Clinical Sites with Enhanced Diversity (U01) Apply for RFA HG 16 011 Funding Number: RFA HG 16 011 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Clinical Sequencing Evidence-Generating Research (CSER2) - Clinical Sites (U01) Apply for RFA HG 16 010 Funding Number: RFA HG 16 010 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
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