Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 09 194
Apply for PA 09 194
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mechanisms, Measurement, and Management of Pain in Aging from Molecular to Clinical (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 20, 2012 and posted on May 28, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 21, 2012. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Special district governments County governments Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity PA 09 194, titled "Mechanisms, Measurement, and Management of Pain in Aging from Molecular to Clinical (R21)," supports early stage, exploratory research aimed at improving how pain in older adults is understood, measured, and treated. The central idea is that aging and age-related diseases can change pain biology and pain experiences in ways that are not fully captured by standard models, and this FOA is meant to spark innovative projects that can open new research directions rather than require a fully developed long-term program from day one.
The program is especially interested in proposals that investigate mechanisms behind pain in later life across multiple levels of analysis. That includes biological and molecular pathways, neurobiological processes in the nervous system, psychosocial contributors such as mood, cognition, social context, and behavioral factors, and clinical processes that influence how pain presents and persists in older patients. A key emphasis is understanding how aging itself, and common age-related conditions, alter pain perception, pain modulation, and pain-related disability. Applications can use animal models, human participants, or a combination, as long as the work is clearly focused on pain in the context of aging.
Alongside mechanism-focused studies, the FOA highlights research on factors that shape pain prevalence and the lived experience of pain in older people. This can include identifying risk or protective factors, exploring differences among subgroups of older adults, and examining interactions between biological changes (for example, inflammation, neurodegeneration, or altered drug metabolism) and psychosocial realities (such as isolation, cognitive impairment, depression, or caregiver dynamics). Projects may also look at how comorbidities and polypharmacy complicate pain reporting, pain assessment, and treatment response in real-world clinical settings.
Another major area is evaluation of existing pain assessment tools and pain management approaches specifically in older adults. Many common pain scales, screening workflows, and treatment protocols were developed or validated in younger or mixed-age samples, and may perform differently in older populations, especially among people with sensory deficits, cognitive decline, frailty, or communication barriers. The FOA encourages studies that test whether current methods accurately detect pain, track changes over time, and guide care decisions for older patients, including those in settings like primary care, hospitals, long-term care, rehabilitation, or home-based care.
The announcement also invites development of new pain measurement methods and management strategies tailored to the needs of older adults. This can include new or improved assessment approaches (for example, tools suitable for individuals with dementia or limited verbal communication, or measures that better capture functional impact rather than intensity alone), as well as new intervention strategies or adaptations of existing ones. Management strategies could involve pharmacologic approaches mindful of age-related changes in metabolism and side effect risk, nonpharmacologic interventions, multimodal or interdisciplinary care models, and practical implementation strategies that fit clinical workflows and older adults' daily realities.
This FOA uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) mechanism, which is designed for innovative, higher-risk, early proof-of-concept work. The opportunity is described as running in parallel with two related announcements of the same scientific scope: PA 09 193 (R01), aimed at more mature and comprehensive research programs, and PA 09 195 (R03), intended for smaller, limited-scope projects. In other words, applicants choose the mechanism that best matches the maturity, scale, and preliminary data level of their idea, while targeting the same general research themes around pain and aging.
Funding levels and number of awards are not fixed in advance, because projects can vary widely in scope and cost. The listed award ceiling for this R21 opportunity is $200,000, and the NIH indicates that total awards and award counts will depend on the volume of submissions and overall application quality, as well as requested budgets and project durations.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and government entities, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and various levels of local and state government. The FOA also explicitly includes a wide range of additional eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), among others. No cost sharing or matching is required.
Administrative details from the source record show it is a discretionary grant in the health area under CFDA 93.866 (Aging Research), with the opportunity posted May 28, 2009 and later archived after its final closing period in 2012. The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and applicants were directed to the NIH grants page for the full announcement and to NIH Office of Extramural Research contacts for access or technical linking issues.
FAQs: NIH PA-09-194 - Mechanisms, Measurement, and Management of Pain in Aging from Molecular to Clinical (R21)
What is the goal of NIH funding opportunity PA-09-194?
PA-09-194 supports early-stage, exploratory research projects that improve how pain in older adults is understood, measured, and managed. The emphasis is on sparking innovative directions where aging and age-related disease may change pain biology and pain experiences in ways that standard models do not fully capture.
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (R21) mechanism, which is intended for innovative, higher-risk, proof-of-concept or early developmental work rather than a fully mature long-term research program.
What research topics are encouraged under this FOA?
The FOA is especially interested in research that addresses pain in the context of aging across multiple levels, including molecular and biological pathways, neurobiological processes, psychosocial and behavioral contributors, and clinical processes that influence how pain presents and persists in older adults.
Does the FOA focus on how aging itself changes pain?
Yes. A key emphasis is understanding how aging and common age-related conditions alter pain perception, pain modulation, and pain-related disability.
Are studies of age-related diseases and comorbidities relevant?
Yes. The FOA highlights the importance of understanding pain in later life in the presence of common age-related diseases and comorbidities, including how these conditions can influence pain reporting, assessment, and treatment response.
Can applications include psychosocial factors related to pain in older adults?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes psychosocial contributors such as mood, cognition, social context, isolation, depression, cognitive impairment, and caregiver dynamics, and encourages work examining how these factors interact with biological changes in aging.
Does the FOA encourage research on subgroup differences among older adults?
Yes. The announcement notes interest in identifying risk and protective factors, exploring differences among subgroups of older adults, and examining how biological and psychosocial factors jointly shape pain prevalence and lived experience.
Are animal studies allowed, or does it need to be human research?
Either is acceptable. Applications may use animal models, human participants, or a combination, as long as the research is clearly focused on pain in the context of aging.
What kinds of mechanism-focused pain studies fit this FOA?
Mechanism-focused proposals may investigate biological and molecular pathways, neurobiological processes within the nervous system, psychosocial and behavioral drivers, and clinical processes that influence pain in older adults. The common thread is explaining how pain mechanisms may differ in later life.
Does the FOA support research on pain assessment tools for older adults?
Yes. A major area of interest is evaluating existing pain assessment tools and workflows specifically in older adults, since many common pain scales and screening approaches were developed or validated in younger or mixed-age samples.
Why does this FOA emphasize pain measurement in older populations?
The FOA notes that common tools may perform differently in older adults, especially among those with sensory deficits, cognitive decline, frailty, or communication barriers. Studies that test whether existing methods detect pain accurately and track change over time in older patients are encouraged.
Are projects focused on dementia or limited verbal communication appropriate?
Yes. The FOA invites development of new or improved assessment approaches, including tools suitable for individuals with dementia or limited verbal communication.
Can projects focus on functional impact of pain rather than only pain intensity?
Yes. The FOA specifically mentions measures that better capture functional impact, not just intensity, as an example of the kinds of measurement improvements that may be responsive.
Does the FOA support pain management and treatment strategy research for older adults?
Yes. In addition to measurement and mechanisms, the FOA invites development of pain management strategies tailored to older adults, including new interventions or adaptations of existing approaches.
What types of pain management approaches are within scope?
The FOA indicates interest in pharmacologic approaches that account for age-related changes in metabolism and side-effect risk, nonpharmacologic interventions, multimodal or interdisciplinary care models, and practical implementation strategies that fit clinical workflows and older adults daily realities.
Does the FOA mention polypharmacy and medication metabolism issues?
Yes. The opportunity highlights that comorbidities and polypharmacy can complicate pain reporting, assessment, and treatment response, and it notes altered drug metabolism as one example of biological change relevant to pain in older adults.
Are real-world clinical settings and care delivery environments included?
Yes. The FOA references multiple settings where older adults receive care, including primary care, hospitals, long-term care, rehabilitation, and home-based care, and encourages research that fits practical clinical workflows.
How is PA-09-194 related to PA-09-193 and PA-09-195?
PA-09-194 (R21) is described as running in parallel with two related announcements with the same scientific scope: PA-09-193 using the R01 mechanism (more mature, comprehensive programs) and PA-09-195 using the R03 mechanism (smaller, limited-scope projects). Applicants choose the mechanism that best matches their project maturity and scale.
What is the budget limit for this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling for PA-09-194 is $200,000. The FOA notes that budgets and project durations can vary by project.
How many awards will NIH make under this opportunity?
The number of awards is not fixed in advance. NIH indicates that total awards and award counts depend on submission volume, overall application quality, requested budgets, and project durations.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states that no cost sharing or matching is required.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and government entities, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and local and state government entities.
Are specific institution types explicitly included (for example, HBCUs or Tribal Colleges)?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes a wide range of eligible applicants, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, and applicants in U.S. territories or possessions.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), among others.
Which federal agency sponsors this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the CFDA number and program area listed for this opportunity?
The source record lists CFDA 93.866 and identifies the program area as Aging Research.
When was this opportunity posted, and is it still open?
The source record indicates it was posted on May 28, 2009, and later archived after its final closing period in 2012. Based on the provided information, it is not currently open.
Where were applicants directed for the full announcement and help with technical issues?
Applicants were directed to the NIH grants page for the full announcement, and to NIH Office of Extramural Research contacts for access or technical linking issues.
What type of grant is this listed as in the source record?
The administrative details describe it as a discretionary grant in the health area.
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