Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 13 225
Apply for PAR 13 225
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Cooperative Reprogrammed Cell Research Groups (NCRCRG) to Study Mental Illness (U19)" 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 May 8, 2013 and posted on May 8, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments Independent school districts Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) 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 Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Cooperative Reprogrammed Cell Research Groups (NCRCRG) to Study Mental Illness (U19) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 13 225) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to push mental illness research toward more reliable, human biology-based models that can actually support translation into treatments and diagnostics. Rather than funding isolated lab projects, this program aimed to build coordinated, multidisciplinary research groups that bring together academic investigators and industry partners to work on shared problems using patient-derived reprogrammed cells. The central idea was that cells reprogrammed from patients, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and induced neuronal cells (iNCs), can be turned into disease-relevant neural cell types and used as experimental platforms to uncover new therapeutic targets, test candidate interventions, and develop diagnostic or predictive tools tied more closely to underlying pathophysiology than traditional model systems.
A defining feature of this opportunity was its “pre-competitive” collaboration model. In practice, that means the work was meant to sit in the space between basic academic discovery and proprietary product development, where competitors can still collaborate because the outputs are broadly enabling rather than exclusively commercial. The program emphasized cooperation across institutions and sectors to standardize, optimize, and validate the kinds of tools that the whole field needs before truly predictive cell-based models can be trusted for drug discovery or clinical translation. Instead of each group inventing its own workflow and producing results that are hard to compare or reproduce elsewhere, NCRCRG encouraged groups to align around shared methods, benchmarking, and performance criteria.
Scientifically, the FOA focused on advancing two major areas: improved differentiation and characterization protocols, and improved disease-relevant assays. On the cell biology side, applicants were encouraged to further develop protocols that can consistently convert patient-derived reprogrammed cells into neural cell types or neural circuits that matter for mental illness research, and to characterize those cells rigorously so researchers can be confident about what was produced (for example, cell identity, maturity, purity, stability over time, and functional properties). On the assay side, the program sought robust measures of disease-relevant phenotypes in these cells, which could include cellular, molecular, electrophysiological, synaptic, network, or other functional readouts that could plausibly relate to mechanisms implicated in mental disorders. The goal was not simply to generate interesting phenotypes in one lab, but to develop assay platforms that can be used to identify novel targets and to support therapeutic or diagnostic development.
Two “critical features” were repeatedly emphasized. First, the program required a strong focus on methodology that is robust and replicable across multiple performance sites. That requirement goes beyond internal replication within a single lab; it highlights the need for protocols and assays that produce consistent results when implemented by different teams, with different operators, and often different equipment, which is the kind of evidence needed for genuine translational confidence. Second, the FOA stressed cross-paradigm validation to yield predictive value for pathophysiology. In practical terms, this means the cellular phenotypes and assays should be validated against other lines of evidence, such as clinical features, genetics, brain imaging, postmortem data, pharmacological responses, or established biological signatures. The emphasis on “predictive value” signals that NIH wanted platforms that can do more than describe differences between patient and control cells; they should help predict or explain disease mechanisms, stratify patients, or forecast responses in ways that can inform target selection and therapeutic development.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary funding opportunity using the U19 cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically indicates substantial programmatic involvement from NIH staff compared with standard investigator-initiated grants. The activity category fell under health, with CFDA number 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants), and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted May 8, 2013, and ultimately closed January 7, 2016, with an archive date of February 7, 2016. While the announcement is archived, the structure and priorities reflect a broader NIH trend during that period toward team science, standardization, and translationally credible model systems in neuropsychiatric research.
Eligibility was broad and included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as public housing authorities and independent school districts. The FOA also explicitly recognized a wide range of institution types and communities, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. Importantly, foreign organizations and foreign components were allowed, including non-U.S. institutions applying directly and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, consistent with NIH policy for foreign components.
Overall, the NCRCRG (U19) opportunity was built to tackle a major bottleneck in mental illness research: the lack of validated, reproducible, human cell-based experimental systems that can be trusted for target discovery and translational decision-making. By insisting on multi-site robustness and cross-paradigm validation, and by encouraging coordinated academic-industry collaboration in a pre-competitive setting, the program aimed to move patient-derived reprogrammed cell models from promising but variable research tools toward standardized platforms that can support new therapeutics and diagnostic approaches to reduce the burden of mental illness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NCRCRG to Study Mental Illness (U19) funding opportunity?
The National Cooperative Reprogrammed Cell Research Groups (NCRCRG) to Study Mental Illness (U19) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement focused on advancing mental illness research using patient-derived reprogrammed cells. It was designed to move the field toward more reliable, human biology-based model systems that can better support translation into treatments and diagnostics.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is PAR 13 225.
What kind of award mechanism is U19, and what does that imply?
This opportunity used the U19 cooperative agreement mechanism. In general, a cooperative agreement indicates substantial programmatic involvement from NIH staff compared with standard investigator-initiated grants, aligning with the program's emphasis on coordinated, multi-party efforts and shared standards.
What problem in mental illness research was this FOA trying to address?
The program targeted a major bottleneck: the lack of validated, reproducible, human cell-based experimental systems that can be trusted for target discovery and translational decision-making. It aimed to make patient-derived reprogrammed cell models more standardized and predictive for pathophysiology.
What types of research models were emphasized?
The FOA emphasized patient-derived reprogrammed cell systems, including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and induced neuronal cells (iNCs). These cells can be converted into disease-relevant neural cell types and used as platforms for studying mechanisms, identifying targets, testing interventions, and developing diagnostic or predictive tools.
Why focus on patient-derived reprogrammed cells rather than traditional models?
According to the opportunity description, patient-derived reprogrammed cells offer human biology-based models that may better reflect underlying pathophysiology than traditional model systems. The intent was to support more credible translation into therapeutics and diagnostics.
Was this program meant to fund isolated projects in individual labs?
No. A central aim was to support coordinated, multidisciplinary research groups rather than isolated lab projects. The program emphasized shared problems, standardized approaches, and collaboration across academic investigators and industry partners.
What does "pre-competitive" collaboration mean in this program?
"Pre-competitive" collaboration refers to work positioned between basic discovery and proprietary product development, where multiple parties (including potential competitors) can still collaborate because the outputs are broadly enabling for the field rather than exclusively commercial.
How did the FOA encourage collaboration across institutions and sectors?
The program encouraged cooperation across institutions and sectors to standardize, optimize, and validate tools needed before predictive cell-based models can be trusted for drug discovery or clinical translation. This included aligning around shared methods, benchmarking, and performance criteria.
What were the two main scientific focus areas highlighted in the FOA?
The FOA emphasized (1) improved differentiation and characterization protocols and (2) improved disease-relevant assays.
What does "improved differentiation and characterization protocols" refer to?
This refers to developing protocols that consistently convert patient-derived reprogrammed cells into neural cell types or neural circuits relevant to mental illness research, and then rigorously characterizing those cells (such as identity, maturity, purity, stability over time, and functional properties) to ensure confidence in what was produced.
What kinds of "disease-relevant assays" were sought?
The program sought robust measures of disease-relevant phenotypes in reprogrammed cell-derived neural systems. Examples mentioned include cellular, molecular, electrophysiological, synaptic, and network readouts, or other functional measures plausibly related to mechanisms implicated in mental disorders.
Was the goal just to find interesting phenotypes in one laboratory?
No. The FOA aimed to develop assay platforms that could be used broadly to identify novel targets and support therapeutic or diagnostic development, rather than results that are difficult to compare or reproduce elsewhere.
What were the two "critical features" repeatedly emphasized by the FOA?
The two critical features emphasized were (1) robust, replicable methodology across multiple performance sites and (2) cross-paradigm validation to yield predictive value for pathophysiology.
What does "robust and replicable across multiple performance sites" mean?
It means protocols and assays should produce consistent results when implemented by different teams, with different operators, and often different equipment. This goes beyond internal replication within a single lab and is intended to build translational confidence.
What does "cross-paradigm validation" mean in the context of this FOA?
Cross-paradigm validation means validating cellular phenotypes and assay outputs against other lines of evidence. The FOA listed examples such as clinical features, genetics, brain imaging, postmortem data, pharmacological responses, or established biological signatures.
What did NIH mean by seeking "predictive value for pathophysiology"?
The emphasis on predictive value indicates the platforms should do more than describe differences between patient and control cells. They should help predict or explain disease mechanisms, support patient stratification, or help forecast responses in ways that inform target selection and therapeutic development.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants).
Was cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity explicitly stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was this funding opportunity posted, and when did it close?
It was posted on May 8, 2013. It ultimately closed on January 7, 2016, with an archive date of February 7, 2016.
Is this FOA still active?
No. The announcement is described as archived, with closure in January 2016 and an archive date in February 2016.
What types of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), plus public housing authorities and independent school districts.
Did the FOA recognize specific institution types and communities?
Yes. It explicitly recognized a wide range of institution types and communities, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions.
Were foreign organizations or foreign components allowed?
Yes. Foreign organizations and foreign components were allowed, including non-U.S. institutions applying directly and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, consistent with NIH policy for foreign components.
What was the intended translational impact of the program?
The program aimed to move reprogrammed cell models from promising but variable research tools toward standardized platforms that can support therapeutic target discovery, candidate intervention testing, and development of diagnostic or predictive approaches that reduce the burden of mental illness.
How did the program try to improve reproducibility and comparability across studies?
It emphasized shared methods, benchmarking, and performance criteria, with a specific requirement for robustness and replicability across multiple performance sites so results could be more comparable and trustworthy across teams.
Who were the intended collaborators within funded groups?
The opportunity emphasized multidisciplinary groups bringing together academic investigators and industry partners to work on shared problems in a coordinated way.
What kinds of outputs was the program trying to create for the broader field?
Based on the description, the desired outputs were broadly enabling tools, standardized workflows, validated protocols, and robust assay platforms that the wider research community could trust for translational use, especially in target discovery and development of therapeutics and diagnostics.
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