Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 15 100
Apply for RFA MH 15 100
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition to Develop a BrainSpan RNA seq Browser (R24)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 15, 2014 and posted on Jan 15, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 28, 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.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following As this FOA is a limited competition opportunity, only the Allen Institute for Brain Sciences is eligible to apply to this FOA. 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, are not allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Limited Competition to Develop a BrainSpan RNA seq Browser (R24) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-15-100) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative, led through the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), to fund the creation of a modern, user-friendly RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) browser for the BrainSpan dataset hosted by the Allen Institute for Brain Science. The core aim was to turn an extremely rich but complex set of developmental human brain gene expression data into a tool that researchers and other users could explore easily, quickly, and in depth. By focusing specifically on browser technology, the FOA emphasized practical infrastructure: software and interfaces that make a major public dataset genuinely accessible and usable for everyday scientific questions rather than something that only specialized bioinformatics groups can work with.
The data at the center of this project came from the BrainSpan Atlas of the Developing Human Brain, which was generated under an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 award to build a transcriptional atlas of human brain development. In practical terms, BrainSpan was designed to map how gene expression changes across different stages of development and across brain regions, providing a reference for what "typical" developmental expression patterns look like. That baseline is crucial for neuroscience and mental health research because many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions are thought to involve disrupted developmental trajectories. The FOA framed the atlas as a public resource meant to serve neuroscientists, educators, and the medical community, supporting both basic discovery (for example, identifying when and where a gene is active during development) and translational work (for example, linking risk genes for disorders to specific developmental windows and brain structures).
This announcement used the NIH R24 activity code, which is generally intended for resource-related research projects that develop or enhance research infrastructure for broad community benefit. Here, that meant building a "sophisticated, comprehensive" RNA-seq browser. The browser was expected to be more than a simple data download page; the language signals expectations like intuitive navigation, strong visualization, and the ability to query and interpret RNA-seq outputs in ways that match how biologists and clinicians think about brain development. The goal was to ensure broad participation from the neuroscience community by lowering barriers to exploring a content-rich dataset, effectively turning BrainSpan into something that can be interactively mined for hypotheses and insights rather than treated as a static archive.
The opportunity was explicitly a limited competition. Only the Allen Institute for Brain Sciences was eligible to apply, which reflects the fact that BrainSpan data were available through the Allen Institute and that the Institute was positioned to integrate new browser technology directly with the existing BrainSpan platform. The FOA also made clear that non-U.S. entities were not eligible, and foreign components were not allowed under NIH policy for this announcement. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, simplifying budgeting for the applicant. In other words, this was not an open call to the broader community to propose alternative tools; it was a targeted mechanism to support a specific organization in developing the next layer of public-facing infrastructure around a flagship dataset.
From an administrative standpoint, the FOA was categorized as a discretionary grant in the health area, with a single expected award and an estimated total funding level of $750,000. The CFDA number listed was 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants). The posting date was January 15, 2014, and the application closing date was March 28, 2014, with the announcement later archived on April 28, 2014. Those details indicate a time-limited, focused funding action intended to catalyze a specific deliverable: an RNA-seq browser that would strengthen the utility and reach of BrainSpan for the research community.
Anyone looking for the official full announcement details was directed to the NIH Grants Guide page (linked in the source), and technical issues accessing the posting were routed to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts.
FAQs: Limited Competition to Develop a BrainSpan RNA-seq Browser (R24) (RFA-MH-15-100)
What is the purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose was to fund the development of a modern, user-friendly RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) browser for the BrainSpan dataset hosted by the Allen Institute for Brain Science. The emphasis was on practical infrastructure: software and interfaces that make a complex public dataset easy to explore, query, and interpret for everyday scientific use.
Which agency and institute ran this initiative?
This was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative led through the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number was RFA-MH-15-100.
What grant mechanism/activity code was used?
The announcement used the NIH R24 activity code, which is generally intended for resource-related research projects that develop or enhance research infrastructure for broad community benefit.
What dataset was this browser meant to support?
The browser was intended to support the BrainSpan Atlas of the Developing Human Brain dataset, hosted by the Allen Institute for Brain Science.
What is BrainSpan, in practical terms?
BrainSpan was designed as a transcriptional atlas of human brain development, mapping how gene expression changes across developmental stages and brain regions. It serves as a reference for typical developmental expression patterns.
Why did the FOA focus on a browser rather than generating new data?
The FOA prioritized turning an extremely rich but complex existing dataset into an accessible tool. The goal was to reduce barriers so that researchers and other users could interactively explore and mine the RNA-seq data rather than treating it as a static archive requiring specialized bioinformatics expertise.
What kinds of features or qualities were expected from the browser?
The browser was expected to be "sophisticated" and "comprehensive" rather than a simple download page, with expectations signaled around intuitive navigation, strong visualization, and the ability to query and interpret RNA-seq outputs in ways aligned with how biologists and clinicians think about brain development.
What was the broader scientific motivation for improving access to BrainSpan data?
The FOA framed BrainSpan as a public resource for neuroscientists, educators, and the medical community. A key motivation is that many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions may involve disrupted developmental trajectories, so understanding typical developmental expression patterns can support both basic discovery and translational work.
Was this an open competition?
No. This was explicitly a limited competition.
Who was eligible to apply?
Only the Allen Institute for Brain Sciences was eligible to apply, reflecting that the BrainSpan data were available through the Allen Institute and that the Institute was positioned to integrate browser technology with the existing BrainSpan platform.
Were non-U.S. entities eligible to apply?
No. The FOA stated that non-U.S. entities were not eligible.
Were foreign components allowed under this announcement?
No. Foreign components were not allowed under NIH policy for this announcement.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA indicated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How many awards were expected?
A single award was expected.
What was the estimated total funding level?
The estimated total funding level was $750,000.
How was the opportunity categorized administratively?
It was categorized as a discretionary grant in the health area.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed was 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants).
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The posting date was January 15, 2014, and the application closing date was March 28, 2014.
Was the announcement later archived?
Yes. The announcement was later archived on April 28, 2014.
Where were applicants directed to find the official full announcement details?
Applicants were directed to the NIH Grants Guide page for the official full announcement details.
Who was listed as a contact for technical issues accessing the posting?
Technical issues accessing the posting were routed to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts.
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