Laboratory and Diagnostic Tools to Advance Microbiome-Brain Research (R43/R44) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the "Laboratory and Diagnostic Tools to Advance Microbiome-Brain Research (R43/R44)" opportunity?

This is a discretionary NIH funding opportunity from HHS/NIH (RFA-DA-17-017) focused on supporting small businesses that are developing laboratory or diagnostic tools specifically aimed at advancing microbiome research when the research questions are clearly relevant to the brain, behavior, or neurological and neuropsychiatric science.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The central goal is to spur development and eventual commercialization of new laboratory or diagnostic technologies that meaningfully improve microbiome research in neuroscience-related contexts. The emphasis is on tool-focused innovation that can be translated into broadly usable capabilities for the research community.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to small businesses. This reflects the program's emphasis on building commercially viable products and strengthening the innovation pipeline from development to the marketplace.

What does the R43/R44 structure mean for the project?

The opportunity uses an SBIR/STTR-style phased award structure indicated by R43/R44. In general terms, this maps to an early-stage effort focused on feasibility and development, followed by a later-stage effort intended to advance the technology toward a more market-ready product.

Is this opportunity focused on basic research or product development?

The program is oriented toward tool-focused innovation rather than purely hypothesis-driven basic research. Applicants are expected to propose concrete deliverables that can be adopted by researchers or used in diagnostic contexts where appropriate, rather than stopping at exploratory findings.

What kinds of deliverables are applicants expected to propose?

Applicants are expected to propose tangible, tool-like deliverables that move beyond proof of concept toward commercialization. Examples described in the opportunity include a validated assay, a robust platform, software or an analytical pipeline tied to a laboratory workflow, or other enabling technologies that improve how microbiome-brain studies are conducted.

What types of projects are a strong fit for this FOA?

Projects that align well include technologies that improve sampling and processing, increase sensitivity or specificity of microbiome or metabolite detection, enable standardized or high-throughput workflows, strengthen reproducibility, or provide more direct links between microbiome features and neural outcomes through integrated laboratory and analytical solutions. The common thread is a clear benefit to microbiome studies that matter to brain science, with a credible commercialization path.

Does the opportunity support diagnostic tools as well as research tools?

Yes. The funding opportunity is explicitly framed around "laboratory and diagnostic tools." Where appropriate, proposed technologies may be positioned for diagnostic contexts, but they are still expected to be concrete deliverables that can be adopted and used.

How important is commercialization in this program?

Commercialization is a core focus. The intent is to move promising prototypes or methods beyond proof of concept and closer to a commercial offering that can be broadly used by the research community and, where applicable, in diagnostic settings.

What scientific area must the tool relate to?

The tool must support microbiome research with clear relevance to the brain, behavior, or neurological and neuropsychiatric science. In other words, the microbiome component should connect meaningfully to neuroscience-related research questions and outcomes.

What agency and program is offering this funding?

This is an NIH funding opportunity from HHS/NIH, identified as RFA-DA-17-017.

What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under NIH CFDA numbers 93.213 and 93.279, indicating alignment with federal health research priorities and NIH mission space, particularly the neuroscience-related components of microbiome research.

What is the funding activity category?

The funding activity category is listed as education and health, consistent with NIH programs that support development of technologies intended to improve scientific capability and, potentially, health outcomes.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The listed award ceiling is $150,000. This suggests the solicitation targeted relatively focused, tool-oriented projects with clear milestones and near-term development objectives.

How many awards will be made?

The anticipated number of awards is not specified in the provided information. Applicants would have been expected to compete based on scientific and technical merit, commercialization potential, and alignment with the program's goals.

What were the key dates for this funding opportunity?

The FOA was created and posted on April 15, 2016. The original and current closing date listed is August 15, 2016.

What kind of impact is the program trying to achieve in microbiome-brain research?

The program aims to unlock better ways to measure, analyze, and interpret microbiome-related signals in neuroscience contexts. The objective is to make microbiome-brain studies more reliable, scalable, informative, and/or clinically relevant by enabling better tools and workflows.

What distinguishes a good fit from a weaker fit for this opportunity?

A strong fit is a proposal centered on developing a tool (laboratory, diagnostic, platform, assay, or workflow-tied software/analytics) with clear relevance to brain-related microbiome research and a plausible path to commercialization. A weaker fit would be a project that primarily produces exploratory or hypothesis-driven findings without delivering a concrete, adoptable technology.