Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DC 11 003
Apply for RFA DC 11 003
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCD Otopathology Research Collaboration Network (U24)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 10, 2010 and posted on Sep 10, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 1, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $7,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education 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) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIDCD Otopathology Research Collaboration Network (U24) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DC-11-003) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement designed to strengthen and modernize human otopathology research by building a coordinated, multi-site collaboration among a small number of temporal bone laboratories. The central goal is to make research on human ear disorders faster, more integrated, and more relevant to recent advances in areas like genetics, inner ear physiology, and disease mechanisms. Rather than funding isolated projects, this program focuses on shared infrastructure and coordinated workflows so that scarce, high-value human temporal bone tissues can be procured more strategically, used more efficiently, and studied with complementary expertise across institutions.
A major theme of the announcement is that human otopathology is inherently resource-limited and specialized: only a few laboratories have the expertise and capacity to process and analyze temporal bone specimens, and the field benefits when those groups operate as a network instead of duplicating efforts in parallel. The cooperative agreement structure is meant to actively coordinate how participating labs collaborate, share tissues and data, and set common priorities. In practical terms, this means the Network is expected to align protocols, improve how specific types of temporal bone tissues are targeted and distributed for research, and create a more unified approach to studying human ear pathology that takes advantage of each site’s strengths.
The FOA also pushes the field toward a more contemporary, translational model by explicitly encouraging collaborations that connect pathology with modern biology, advanced imaging, and informatics. The intent is to link detailed patient histories and clinical information with tissue-based pathology findings, then augment that foundation with newer technologies to generate insights that are more informative than traditional approaches alone. By integrating these elements, the Network is positioned to support research questions that are directly relevant to human disease and that can bridge discoveries coming from genetics or animal models back to human tissue evidence.
Training and workforce development are another key component. The program emphasizes coordinating the training of new otopathologists and technicians, reflecting the reality that this is a niche area where specialized skills are hard to replace. A networked model can standardize training experiences, broaden access to mentorship and specimen types, and help ensure continuity in expertise across the field.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary health research opportunity using the NIH U24 cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally indicates substantial NIH program involvement compared to a typical research grant. For FY2011, the FOA set aside about $1.5 million in total costs and anticipated making three awards. The source listing also reports an estimated total funding amount of $7.5 million across the overall project period. The award ceiling shown is $300,000. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Eligibility is broad and spans many organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations, small businesses, state governments, U.S. territories or possessions, and various federally recognized and other tribal entities and tribal organizations. The eligibility language also explicitly includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, HBCUs, Hispanic Serving Institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies.
Key dates in the posting indicate it was posted on September 10, 2010, with an original and current closing date of December 1, 2010, and an archive date of January 1, 2011. The CFDA number associated with the program is 93.173 (Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders). The announcement is issued by NIH through NIDCD, and additional details were provided through the NIH grants guide page linked in the posting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIDCD Otopathology Research Collaboration Network (U24) opportunity?
This opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DC-11-003) is an NIH cooperative agreement (U24) issued by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Its purpose is to strengthen and modernize human otopathology research by creating a coordinated, multi-site collaboration among a small number of temporal bone laboratories.
What is the main goal of this program?
The central goal is to make research on human ear disorders faster, more integrated, and more relevant to modern scientific advances (such as genetics, inner ear physiology, and disease mechanisms) by organizing participating laboratories into a coordinated network.
How is this different from funding individual research projects?
Rather than supporting isolated, stand-alone projects, this program emphasizes shared infrastructure and coordinated workflows across multiple sites. The intent is to improve how scarce, high-value human temporal bone tissues are procured, used, shared, and studied using complementary expertise across institutions.
Why does the FOA emphasize a network approach for human otopathology?
Human otopathology is described as resource-limited and highly specialized. Only a few laboratories have the expertise and capacity to process and analyze temporal bone specimens. The FOA highlights that the field benefits when those laboratories work as a coordinated network instead of duplicating efforts in parallel.
What types of laboratories are expected to participate?
The FOA centers on a small number of temporal bone laboratories with the specialized expertise needed to process and analyze human temporal bone specimens, working together under a coordinated, multi-site collaboration model.
What does the cooperative agreement (U24) structure imply?
The U24 mechanism indicates a cooperative agreement with substantial NIH program involvement compared to a typical research grant. The program is intended to actively coordinate how participating labs collaborate, share tissues and data, and set common priorities.
What kinds of coordination and standardization does the Network aim to achieve?
Based on the description, the Network is expected to align protocols, improve how specific types of temporal bone tissues are targeted and distributed for research, and create a more unified approach to studying human ear pathology that leverages each site’s strengths.
How does the program address the limited availability of human temporal bone tissue?
The program is designed to help procure temporal bone tissues more strategically and use them more efficiently by coordinating workflows and sharing tissues and expertise across sites, rather than having laboratories operate independently.
What scientific areas does the FOA encourage the Network to connect with?
The FOA explicitly encourages collaborations that connect pathology with modern biology, advanced imaging, and informatics, in addition to integrating advances in genetics, inner ear physiology, and disease mechanisms.
What does “translational” mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this FOA’s framing, a more contemporary, translational approach means linking detailed patient histories and clinical information with tissue-based pathology findings and augmenting that foundation with newer technologies (including imaging and informatics) to produce insights beyond traditional approaches alone.
How are clinical data and patient histories expected to be used?
The Network is positioned to link detailed patient histories and clinical information to tissue-based pathology findings, creating a stronger clinical-pathologic foundation that can be further enhanced by modern technologies.
How does the Network relate to findings from genetics or animal models?
The FOA emphasizes bridging discoveries from genetics or animal models back to evidence from human tissues, using the Network’s coordinated approach to support research questions directly relevant to human disease.
Is training included as part of the program?
Yes. Training and workforce development are described as key components. The program emphasizes coordinating the training of new otopathologists and technicians in a niche field where specialized skills are difficult to replace.
Why does the FOA emphasize training and workforce development?
The FOA notes that human otopathology is a specialized area with limited personnel and hard-to-replace skills. A network model can help standardize training experiences, expand access to mentorship and specimen types, and support continuity of expertise.
Who is the issuing agency for this funding opportunity?
The announcement is issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number listed for this program is 93.173 (Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders).
How much funding was set aside for FY2011, and how many awards were anticipated?
For FY2011, the FOA set aside approximately $1.5 million in total costs and anticipated making three awards.
What is the estimated total funding amount across the overall project period?
The source listing reports an estimated total funding amount of $7.5 million across the overall project period.
What is the award ceiling shown for this opportunity?
The award ceiling shown is $300,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations; small businesses; state governments; U.S. territories or possessions; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal entities; and tribal organizations. The eligibility language also explicitly includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, HBCUs, Hispanic Serving Institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies.
Are small businesses and for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description includes for-profit organizations and small businesses.
Are tribal entities and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language includes federally recognized tribal entities and other tribal entities, as well as tribal organizations.
Are minority-serving institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations.
What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The posting indicates it was posted on September 10, 2010. The original and current closing date are both listed as December 1, 2010. The archive date is January 1, 2011.
Where were additional details provided?
Additional details were provided through the NIH grants guide page linked in the posting.
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