Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AT 16 004

  • The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Methods Development in Natural Products Chemistry (R41/R42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Apr 3, 2015 and posted on Apr 2, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 5, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $250,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
  • Other Eligible Applicants include the following 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, may be allowed.
Apply for RFA AT 16 004

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Opportunity Summary:

The Methods Development in Natural Products Chemistry (R41/R42) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AT-16-004) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitation focused on practical, enabling methods that make natural products easier to discover, characterize, and develop. In plain terms, the program was aimed at removing the common bottlenecks that keep promising natural compounds from being fully used in research and product development. The announcement emphasized method-oriented innovation across the full natural products workflow, including how materials are collected, how bioassays are run and interpreted, how active constituents are isolated and purified, how known compounds are rapidly identified early (de-replication) to avoid wasted effort, and how challenges in yield and reliable supply are overcome.

The FOA used the STTR mechanism, meaning applications needed to come from an eligible U.S. small business concern working in formal partnership with a nonprofit research institution, with the goal of translating research advances into tools, technologies, or platforms that can be commercialized. Projects were expected to be strongly development-driven, tackling real-world technical pain points rather than purely exploratory basic science. The targeted problem areas spelled out in the announcement capture the major friction points in natural products chemistry: inconsistent or inefficient collection and preparation methods; variability or low throughput in bioassay-guided fractionation; complex mixtures that require better separation and purification strategies; the need for faster, more reliable analytical approaches to identify previously known compounds early; and the perennial issues of low natural abundance, limited biomass, or unstable supply chains that make it hard to reproduce results or scale up.

Administratively, this was a discretionary grant opportunity in the health research category (CFDA 93.213, Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health) offered by NIH. It did not require cost sharing or matching. The posting date was April 2, 2015 (created April 3, 2015), with an original and final closing date of August 5, 2015, and it was archived on September 5, 2015. The estimated total funding amount listed in the source data was $250,000. Eligibility was limited to small businesses; non-U.S. (foreign) institutions were not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible. However, “foreign components” as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement could be allowed, which typically means certain discrete project elements may be performed abroad under NIH rules when well-justified, while the applicant organization itself remains eligible and U.S.-based.

At its core, the announcement’s intent was to stimulate new or improved methods, tools, and approaches that strengthen the natural products pipeline from the earliest stages (collection and screening) through the hardest translational hurdles (purification, identification, yield, and dependable supply). The NIH contact information provided for access or linking issues directed applicants to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV), and the full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AT-16-004.html.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled Methods Development in Natural Products Chemistry (R41/R42).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-AT-16-004.

Which agency offered this opportunity?

This was offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What grant mechanism was used?

The solicitation used the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) mechanism and referenced R41/R42.

What was the overall purpose of the program?

The program focused on developing practical, enabling methods that make natural products easier to discover, characterize, and develop, specifically by removing bottlenecks that slow down or prevent promising natural compounds from being fully used in research and product development.

What kinds of projects were emphasized?

The announcement emphasized method-oriented innovation across the natural products workflow, with a strong expectation that projects would be development-driven and aimed at real-world technical obstacles rather than purely exploratory basic science.

Which parts of the natural products workflow did this FOA target?

The FOA highlighted needs spanning the full pipeline, including:

  • How natural product materials are collected and prepared
  • How bioassays are run and interpreted
  • How active constituents are isolated and purified
  • How known compounds are identified early through de-replication
  • How challenges in yield and reliable supply are addressed

What specific problem areas were called out as bottlenecks?

The announcement pointed to major friction points such as:

  • Inconsistent or inefficient collection and preparation methods
  • Variability or low throughput in bioassay-guided fractionation
  • Complex mixtures requiring improved separation and purification strategies
  • Need for faster, more reliable analytics to identify previously known compounds early (de-replication)
  • Low natural abundance, limited biomass, or unstable supply chains leading to poor reproducibility or difficulty scaling

What does "de-replication" mean in the context of this FOA?

In this FOA, de-replication referred to methods that enable rapid identification of known compounds early in the workflow so applicants can avoid spending time and resources re-isolating already characterized substances.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to an eligible U.S. small business concern applying under STTR in a formal partnership with a nonprofit research institution.

Were nonprofit research institutions allowed to apply as the primary applicant?

The opportunity used the STTR mechanism and stated that applications needed to come from an eligible U.S. small business concern working with a nonprofit research institution. Based on that description, the small business is the applicant organization.

Could foreign organizations apply?

No. The opportunity stated that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions were not eligible to apply.

Could a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization apply?

No. The opportunity stated that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible.

Are any foreign activities allowed at all?

The opportunity noted that "foreign components" (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) could be allowed. This typically means certain discrete project elements may be performed abroad when well-justified under NIH rules, while the applicant organization remains eligible and U.S.-based.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The listing stated that the opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching.

What was the CFDA number and category?

The opportunity was in the health research category and listed CFDA 93.213, described as Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health.

What was the estimated total funding amount?

The source data listed an estimated total funding amount of $250,000.

When was the opportunity posted?

The posting date was April 2, 2015 (created April 3, 2015).

What was the application deadline?

The opportunity listed an original and final closing date of August 5, 2015.

Is this funding opportunity still open?

No. It was archived on September 5, 2015, and the final closing date was August 5, 2015.

Where could applicants find the full announcement?

The full announcement was hosted on the NIH grants site at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AT-16-004.html

Who should be contacted for website access or linking issues related to the announcement?

The contact listed for access or linking issues was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.

What does "discretionary" mean here?

The opportunity was described as a discretionary grant opportunity in the health research category, meaning it was offered at the agency's discretion rather than as an entitlement-style program.

What was NIH trying to stimulate through this solicitation?

The intent was to stimulate new or improved methods, tools, and approaches that strengthen the natural products pipeline from early stages (collection and screening) through key translational hurdles (purification, identification, yield, and dependable supply).

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