Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 11 026
Apply for RFA HL 11 026
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "New Strategies for Growing 3D Tissues (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.838 Lung Diseases Research 93.839 Blood Diseases and Resources Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 24, 2010 and posted on Jun 24, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 1, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Small businesses Special district governments Independent school districts Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments State governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- 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) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity "New Strategies for Growing 3D Tissues (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HL-11-026) is a discretionary research grant announcement led by three NIH institutes: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). It supports early-stage, exploratory projects under the R21 mechanism focused on advancing how functional three-dimensional (3D) tissues can be grown and studied. At its core, the program is trying to push the field beyond basic cell culture by improving understanding of how human cells sense and respond to their microenvironment and by developing assays and methods that more accurately capture the kinds of biological instructions that occur during organogenesis, with the goal of using that knowledge to build engineered 3D cellular aggregates that behave more like real human tissue.
A central theme of the announcement is translation of fundamental developmental and cell biology into practical engineering strategies that enable tissue repair, replacement, or regeneration, either in vitro or in vivo. The FOA emphasizes the need to reproducibly recreate key biological events in the lab that matter for tissue formation and function, including differentiation, proliferation, and senescence. In other words, the expectation is not just to produce a 3D blob of cells, but to create systems that reliably guide cells through the kinds of coordinated behaviors that real tissues undergo as they develop or regenerate. This can include building better experimental platforms, measurement tools, and modeling frameworks that clarify which environmental cues (biochemical, mechanical, spatial, temporal, and others) drive specific cellular responses, and how those responses can be harnessed to produce stable, functional tissue-like structures.
The FOA is explicitly multidisciplinary and expects genuine collaboration across at least two scientific disciplines. It highlights combinations such as developmental biology, computational science and systems biology, cell biology, tissue engineering, chemistry, physics, and organ physiology, reflecting the idea that 3D tissue growth problems usually require expertise in biology, materials and device design, quantitative measurement, and computational interpretation. The multiple-PI (multi-Principal Investigator) mechanism is strongly encouraged, signaling that NIH expects leadership to be shared when projects truly span fields rather than being housed within a single traditional lab specialty.
In terms of mechanism and scope, this opportunity uses the NIH R21 Research Project Grant format, which is typically designed for high-risk, high-reward, proof-of-concept work rather than fully mature programs. This R21 announcement runs in parallel with a companion announcement of identical scientific scope that supports the R01 mechanism (RFA-HL-11-025), intended for more developed, longer-term projects. Applicants whose ideas are earlier-stage, method-building, or exploratory would generally align with the R21 track, while those with extensive preliminary data and a larger, more comprehensive plan might be better aligned with the R01 companion.
Funding levels and anticipated awards are split across the participating institutes. NHLBI planned to commit $1,065,625 in total costs in FY2011 to fund up to 5 R21 awards, with a two-year total cost commitment of $2,131,250. NIAMS planned to commit $450,000 in total costs in FY2011 to support up to 2 awards, with a two-year total cost commitment of $900,000. NIBIB planned to commit $500,000 in FY2011 across this FOA and its companion R01 announcement combined, totaling $1,000,000 over two years, and anticipated funding up to 2 R21s or 1 R01 under that arrangement. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments, independent school districts). It also includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a variety of designated institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. Federal agencies are also listed among other eligible applicants.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted and created on June 24, 2010, with an original (and current) closing date of September 1, 2010, and an archive date of October 2, 2010. The activity is categorized under Health, and the CFDA program areas linked to the announcement include discovery and applied research for technological innovations to improve human health (93.286) as well as cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases research (93.837, 93.838, 93.839). The full announcement was made available through NIH at the listed link: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-11-026.html. For access issues, the announcement directs applicants to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the official title and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "New Strategies for Growing 3D Tissues (R21)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-HL-11-026.
Which NIH institutes are leading this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary NIH research grant announcement led by three NIH institutes: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).
What grant mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 Research Project Grant mechanism, which is typically intended for early-stage, exploratory, proof-of-concept research.
What is the main scientific purpose of this R21 opportunity?
The goal is to advance strategies for growing and studying functional three-dimensional (3D) tissues by pushing beyond basic cell culture. The program emphasizes improving understanding of how human cells sense and respond to their microenvironment and developing assays and methods that better reflect the biological instructions that occur during organogenesis.
What kinds of projects does this FOA want to support?
The FOA supports early-stage, exploratory projects that translate fundamental developmental and cell biology into practical engineering strategies to enable tissue repair, replacement, or regeneration, either in vitro or in vivo.
Is the goal simply to create a 3D cluster of cells?
No. The FOA emphasizes creating systems that reliably guide coordinated cell behaviors that occur in real tissues during development or regeneration. It highlights the expectation to reproducibly recreate key biological events that matter for tissue formation and function (including differentiation, proliferation, and senescence), rather than producing a non-functional "3D blob of cells."
What biological processes does the FOA specifically highlight as important to recreate?
The announcement specifically calls out differentiation, proliferation, and senescence as key biological events that matter for tissue formation and function and that should be reproducibly recreated in the lab.
What kinds of cues or microenvironmental factors are emphasized?
The FOA highlights the need to clarify which environmental cues drive specific cellular responses, including biochemical, mechanical, spatial, temporal, and other cues, and how those responses can be used to produce stable, functional tissue-like structures.
Does the FOA encourage development of tools and platforms?
Yes. It describes work that can include building improved experimental platforms, measurement tools, assays, and modeling frameworks that help determine which microenvironmental signals drive particular cell behaviors relevant to 3D tissue formation and function.
Is this funding opportunity multidisciplinary?
Yes. The FOA is explicitly multidisciplinary and expects genuine collaboration across at least two scientific disciplines.
Which disciplines are specifically mentioned as relevant?
The FOA highlights combinations such as developmental biology, computational science and systems biology, cell biology, tissue engineering, chemistry, physics, and organ physiology.
Is a multiple-PI (multi-Principal Investigator) approach allowed or encouraged?
Yes. The multiple-PI mechanism is strongly encouraged, reflecting NIH's expectation that leadership may be shared across disciplines when projects truly span fields.
Is there a companion funding opportunity for more mature projects?
Yes. This R21 announcement runs in parallel with a companion announcement of identical scientific scope that supports the R01 mechanism (RFA-HL-11-025), which is intended for more developed, longer-term projects.
How should applicants decide between the R21 and the companion R01?
Based on the description provided, earlier-stage, method-building, or exploratory concepts would generally align with the R21 track, while projects with extensive preliminary data and a larger, comprehensive plan might be better aligned with the R01 companion.
How much funding did NHLBI plan to commit and how many awards were anticipated?
NHLBI planned to commit $1,065,625 in total costs in FY2011 to fund up to 5 R21 awards, with a two-year total cost commitment of $2,131,250.
How much funding did NIAMS plan to commit and how many awards were anticipated?
NIAMS planned to commit $450,000 in total costs in FY2011 to support up to 2 awards, with a two-year total cost commitment of $900,000.
How much funding did NIBIB plan to commit and how many awards were anticipated?
NIBIB planned to commit $500,000 in FY2011 across this FOA and its companion R01 announcement combined, totaling $1,000,000 over two years. Under that arrangement, NIBIB anticipated funding up to 2 R21s or 1 R01.
Does this opportunity require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations and governments. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments, and independent school districts).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments).
Are public housing authorities eligible to apply?
Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are listed among eligible applicants.
Are designated institution types like HBCUs and Hispanic-serving institutions eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are included in the eligibility list.
Are regional organizations and U.S. territories eligible?
Yes. Regional organizations and U.S. territories or possessions are included among eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies eligible applicants?
Yes. Federal agencies are listed among other eligible applicants.
When was this opportunity posted and created?
It was posted and created on June 24, 2010.
What was the application closing date?
The original (and current) closing date listed is September 1, 2010.
When was the archive date for this opportunity?
The archive date is October 2, 2010.
What is the activity category and general topic area?
The activity is categorized under Health.
Which CFDA program areas are linked to this announcement?
The CFDA program areas linked include discovery and applied research for technological innovations to improve human health (93.286) and cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases research (93.837, 93.838, 93.839).
Where can applicants view the full NIH announcement?
The full announcement is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-11-026.html
Who should be contacted for access issues related to the announcement?
For access issues, the announcement directs applicants to contact the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: DRAFT EXPLORER 2010 ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY
Previous opportunity: New Strategies for Growing 3D Tissues (R01)
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