Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 229
Apply for PAR 16 229
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Metabolic Reprogramming to Improve Immunotherapy (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.396,.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 06, 2016 and posted on May 06, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2019. (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: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
Metabolic Reprogramming to Improve Immunotherapy (R21) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity announcement from HHS (Agency: HHS-NIH11) that supports exploratory and developmental research aimed at improving cancer immunotherapy by focusing on cellular metabolism. The opportunity is offered under the R21 mechanism, which is typically used for early-stage, high-impact ideas where strong preliminary data may be limited, but the scientific premise is compelling and the work can open up new directions. This FOA is identified as PAR-16-229, was posted and created on May 6, 2016, and listed an application closing date of September 7, 2019.
The central purpose of this FOA is to push research that clarifies how metabolism shapes anti-tumor immunity in living systems and then leverages that knowledge to make immunotherapies work better. It is organized around three linked objectives. First, applicants are encouraged to build a mechanistic understanding of which metabolic processes allow immune cells to mount and sustain strong anti-tumor responses in vivo. This points to questions like which nutrient pathways, bioenergetic programs, and biosynthetic routes immune effector cells depend on during activation, expansion, trafficking into tumors, and long-term function, and how those programs change over time in a tumor-bearing host. Second, the FOA seeks studies that define how the metabolic landscape of the tumor microenvironment influences immune effector function. Tumors can create metabolically hostile conditions through nutrient competition, altered oxygen availability, accumulation of metabolic byproducts, and other constraints that can blunt T cell and other immune cell performance; this FOA encourages research that dissects those influences in a rigorous, mechanistic way. Third, and most translationally, the FOA aims to use what is learned from those first two areas to deliberately manipulate, or reprogram, metabolic pathways used by the tumor, the immune response, or both, with the explicit goal of improving cancer immunotherapy outcomes. In practice, this could include strategies that make immune cells more resilient in nutrient-poor or hypoxic settings, that reduce tumor-driven metabolic suppression, or that create metabolic conditions that favor immune-mediated tumor killing.
In terms of practical grant features, the opportunity falls under the discretionary category and uses the grant funding instrument. The activity category is listed under education and health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the program are 93.396 (and also listed as 93,396). The award information provided includes an award ceiling of $200,000, indicating the maximum amount available under the terms shown in the source data. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided listing.
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, which makes the FOA accessible to a wide range of research performers. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) as well as nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (also excluding institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional eligible entities referenced under an “Others” category that would be clarified in the full FOA text. Overall, the eligibility language signals an intent to attract proposals from academic labs, research institutes, nonprofit and for-profit R and D groups, and governmental or tribal entities capable of conducting biomedical research.
Taken together, this FOA is essentially a call for innovative, mechanism-driven projects that connect immunology and cancer biology with metabolism and the tumor microenvironment. The emphasis is not only on describing metabolic differences, but on explaining how those differences causally control immune function in tumors and how that knowledge can be converted into actionable interventions that strengthen immunotherapy. The R21 framing reinforces that the NIH is looking for creative, exploratory work that can establish new concepts, identify tractable metabolic targets, and generate the foundational evidence needed for larger, more definitive studies later on.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled Metabolic Reprogramming to Improve Immunotherapy (R21).
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The listing identifies the agency as HHS-NIH11.
What is the FOA identification number?
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is identified as PAR-16-229.
When was this FOA posted and created?
The FOA was posted and created on May 6, 2016.
What was the application closing date listed for this opportunity?
The listing provided an application closing date of September 7, 2019.
What funding mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the R21 mechanism, which supports exploratory and developmental research, typically suited for early-stage, potentially high-impact ideas where extensive preliminary data may be limited, but the scientific premise is strong.
What is the main purpose of the FOA?
The central purpose is to support research that clarifies how cellular metabolism shapes anti-tumor immunity in living systems and uses that understanding to improve cancer immunotherapy.
What kinds of research topics is this FOA trying to advance?
Based on the description, the FOA prioritizes mechanism-driven work at the intersection of immunology, cancer biology, cellular metabolism, and the tumor microenvironment, with an emphasis on causal explanations and actionable strategies that can strengthen immunotherapy outcomes.
What are the three main scientific objectives highlighted in the FOA description?
The FOA is organized around three linked objectives:
- Mechanistic understanding of immune cell metabolism in vivo that enables immune cells to mount and sustain effective anti-tumor responses (including during activation, expansion, trafficking into tumors, and long-term function, and how these programs shift over time in a tumor-bearing host).
- Defining how the tumor microenvironment's metabolic landscape affects immune effector function, including factors like nutrient competition, oxygen availability, and accumulation of metabolic byproducts that can suppress immune performance.
- Using these insights to reprogram metabolism (of the tumor, the immune response, or both) with the explicit goal of improving cancer immunotherapy outcomes.
Does the FOA emphasize descriptive studies or mechanistic studies?
The description emphasizes rigorous, mechanistic research. It is not focused only on describing metabolic differences; it prioritizes explaining how metabolic differences causally control immune function in tumors and how that knowledge can be translated into interventions.
What kinds of metabolic factors in the tumor microenvironment are referenced as important?
The description highlights metabolically challenging conditions created by tumors, including nutrient competition, altered oxygen availability (hypoxia), and the accumulation of metabolic byproducts, among other constraints that can blunt T cell and other immune cell performance.
What kinds of translational approaches are implied by the FOA?
The translational focus (based on the description) is on intentionally manipulating or reprogramming metabolic pathways used by the tumor, the immune response, or both, to improve immunotherapy outcomes. Examples implied include making immune cells more resilient under nutrient-poor or hypoxic conditions and reducing tumor-driven metabolic suppression.
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses a grant funding instrument.
What category is this opportunity listed under?
The opportunity is listed under the discretionary category.
What activity category is associated with this opportunity?
The activity category is listed under education and health.
What CFDA number(s) are associated with this program?
The CFDA number is listed as 93.396 (also shown as 93,396 in the provided information).
What is the maximum award amount mentioned in the listing?
The award ceiling provided is $200,000, indicating the maximum amount available under the terms shown in the source data.
Is the number of expected awards stated?
No. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided listing.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. The listing states that eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Other eligible entities referenced under an "Others" category (details would be clarified in the full FOA text)
Does this opportunity allow applications from for-profit organizations and small businesses?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes for-profit organizations other than small businesses as well as small businesses.
Are tribal governments or tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized as tribal governments.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are included in the eligibility list.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. The listing includes nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education).
What does the eligibility language suggest about the intended applicant pool?
Based on the breadth of eligible organization types, the FOA appears designed to attract proposals from a wide range of entities capable of biomedical research, including academic labs, research institutes, nonprofit and for-profit R&D groups, and relevant governmental or tribal entities.
What is the overall emphasis of this R21 opportunity?
The emphasis is on innovative, mechanism-driven, and exploratory projects that connect metabolic processes to anti-tumor immune function and translate that understanding into strategies to improve immunotherapy, potentially laying groundwork for larger future studies.
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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 |
| Neural Regulation of Cancer (R01) Apply for PAR 16 245 Funding Number: PAR 16 245 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Neural Regulation of Cancer (R21) Apply for PAR 16 246 Funding Number: PAR 16 246 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Prescription Drug Abuse (R01) Apply for PA 16 233 Funding Number: PA 16 233 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Innovative Approaches to Studying Cancer Communication in the New Media Environment (R01) Apply for PAR 16 249 Funding Number: PAR 16 249 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Gene Fusions in Pediatric Sarcomas (R21) Apply for PA 16 252 Funding Number: PA 16 252 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Innovative Approaches to Studying Cancer Communication in the New Media Environment (R21) Apply for PAR 16 248 Funding Number: PAR 16 248 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Accelerating the Pace of Drug Abuse Research Using Existing Data (R01) Apply for PAR 16 234 Funding Number: PAR 16 234 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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| Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01) Apply for PAR 16 260 Funding Number: PAR 16 260 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mechanisms of Cancer and Treatment-related Symptoms and Toxicities (R21) Apply for PA 16 258 Funding Number: PA 16 258 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R21) Apply for PAR 16 261 Funding Number: PAR 16 261 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Development and Application of PET and SPECT Imaging Ligands as Biomarkers for Drug Discovery and for Pathophysiological Studies of CNS Disorders (R01) Apply for PAR 16 266 Funding Number: PAR 16 266 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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