Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 13 009
Apply for RFA ES 13 009
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Novel Methods for Obtaining Molecular Information from Archived Tissue Samples (SBIR R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 21, 2013 and posted on Jul 17, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 1, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Novel Methods for Obtaining Molecular Information from Archived Tissue Samples (SBIR R43/R44)" is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) solicitation focused on developing new technologies that make it easier and more reliable to extract meaningful molecular data from stored tissue samples. The central problem it targets is that many valuable research and clinical tissue collections already exist in biobanks and archives, but the way those tissues were preserved (especially formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, or FFPE, as well as some frozen storage approaches) can limit the quality and types of downstream molecular analyses that can be done. This FOA is essentially aimed at helping small businesses create tools, methods, and preservation solutions that unlock more DNA, RNA, protein, and small-molecule information from these samples while still keeping the tissue morphology intact for histology.
A major emphasis is on enabling improved molecular analyses from two common archived specimen types: banked frozen tissues and FFPE tissues. FFPE is widely used because it preserves tissue structure very well and is compatible with routine pathology workflows, but the chemistry of formalin fixation can damage or cross-link nucleic acids and proteins in ways that complicate genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic measurements. Frozen tissues can preserve biomolecules better, but they come with other practical and stability challenges and still may not be ideal for every workflow. Because of these limitations, the FOA invites innovations that can increase the amount, accuracy, and usefulness of molecular information recovered from archived samples, including technologies that can better handle degraded material, reduce artifacts introduced by preservation, or improve extraction and measurement sensitivity.
Another explicit need highlighted in the announcement is the development of improved tissue fixatives and preservation methods. The goal here is to create preservation approaches that maintain histologic features (so the tissue can still be examined microscopically and compared across studies) while also preserving high-quality biomolecules, including DNA, RNA, proteins, and small molecules. This applies to both rodent and human tissues, reflecting the reality that environmental health and biomedical research relies heavily on animal model studies as well as human cohort and clinical samples. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for preservation chemistry and protocols that reduce the traditional trade-off between good morphology and good molecular integrity, ideally producing archived samples that remain compatible with a wide range of modern molecular assays.
From an applicant and program structure standpoint, this is an SBIR opportunity, meaning it is reserved for eligible small business concerns and is intended to support commercialization-oriented research and development. The activity uses the SBIR Phased mechanism R43/R44, which corresponds to Phase I (feasibility/proof-of-concept) and Phase II (full research and development), with the expectation that projects move toward a product, platform, or deployable method that can be adopted by labs, biobanks, or clinical and research organizations. The opportunity is categorized as a grant under the broader activity area of Environmental Health (CFDA 93.113), and it does not require cost sharing or matching funds, which lowers the financial barrier for small businesses pursuing early-stage innovation.
In terms of scale and competitiveness, the FOA listed an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000 and anticipated making about 8 awards. That combination suggests relatively selective funding and encourages proposals that are clearly differentiated, technically credible, and tied to a strong use case involving archived tissues and molecular readouts. The posted date was July 17, 2013, with the original closing date of October 17, 2013, later extended to November 1, 2013, and it was archived on December 1, 2013. While those dates indicate the specific solicitation window has passed, the summary still reflects a recurring and ongoing need in biomedicine: methods that can make the enormous investment in archived tissue collections pay off more fully by enabling higher-quality molecular profiling and more reliable cross-study comparisons.
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the full announcement was linked through the NIH grants guide (RFA-ES-13-009). For access or technical issues, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV, which is a practical detail for applicants who had trouble reaching the FOA documents online. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NIH support for small businesses to build next-generation tissue preservation and analysis technologies that can turn archived specimens into richer, more dependable sources of molecular information without sacrificing the histology that makes those tissues scientifically and clinically interpretable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Novel Methods for Obtaining Molecular Information from Archived Tissue Samples (SBIR R43/R44)."
Which agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal is to support small businesses in developing new technologies, tools, and methods that make it easier and more reliable to obtain meaningful molecular information from archived tissue samples, while preserving tissue morphology for histology.
What problem is this FOA trying to solve?
Many valuable tissue collections already exist in biobanks and archives, but preservation methods (especially formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded or FFPE, and some frozen storage approaches) can limit the quality and types of downstream molecular analyses that can be performed. The FOA targets innovations that overcome these limitations.
What types of archived tissue samples are emphasized?
The FOA places major emphasis on two common archived specimen types: banked frozen tissues and FFPE tissues.
Why are FFPE tissues specifically challenging for molecular analysis?
FFPE preservation is widely used because it maintains tissue structure and fits routine pathology workflows, but formalin fixation chemistry can damage or cross-link nucleic acids and proteins. This can complicate genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic measurements.
What are the trade-offs with frozen tissues?
Frozen tissues can preserve biomolecules better than FFPE in many cases, but they have practical and stability challenges and may not be ideal for every workflow.
What kinds of molecular information is the FOA trying to unlock from archived tissues?
The opportunity focuses on improving recovery and usefulness of molecular data including DNA, RNA, proteins, and small molecules.
What types of innovations are encouraged under this FOA?
Innovations are encouraged that increase the amount, accuracy, and usefulness of molecular information recovered from archived samples. This includes approaches that better handle degraded material, reduce artifacts introduced by preservation, or improve extraction and measurement sensitivity.
Does the FOA include interest in new tissue fixatives and preservation methods?
Yes. A highlighted need is improved tissue fixatives and preservation methods that preserve histologic features while also preserving high-quality biomolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, and small molecules).
What does it mean to preserve "tissue morphology" in this context?
It means maintaining histologic features so the tissue can still be examined microscopically and compared across studies, which is important for scientific and clinical interpretation.
Are both human and animal tissues within scope?
Yes. The FOA notes applicability to both rodent and human tissues, reflecting the needs of animal model research as well as human cohort and clinical samples.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This is an SBIR opportunity using the phased R43/R44 mechanism, corresponding to Phase I (feasibility/proof-of-concept) and Phase II (full research and development).
Who is eligible to apply based on the description provided?
It is reserved for eligible small business concerns under the NIH SBIR program.
What is the intended outcome or direction of projects funded under this SBIR?
Projects are intended to be commercialization-oriented and move toward a product, platform, or deployable method that can be adopted by labs, biobanks, or clinical and research organizations.
Is this opportunity categorized under a specific activity area or CFDA listing?
Yes. It is described as a grant under the broader activity area of Environmental Health (CFDA 93.113).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states that it does not require cost sharing or matching funds.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The FOA listed an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
Approximately 8 awards were anticipated.
What does the combination of total funding and anticipated awards suggest?
It suggests the competition may be relatively selective and may favor proposals that are well-differentiated, technically credible, and tied to strong use cases involving archived tissues and molecular readouts.
When was this FOA posted and when did it close?
The posted date was July 17, 2013. The original closing date was October 17, 2013, later extended to November 1, 2013.
Is this specific solicitation still open?
No. It was archived on December 1, 2013, and the dates provided indicate the solicitation window has passed.
What is the FOA identifier or link reference mentioned?
The full announcement is referenced through the NIH Grants Guide as RFA-ES-13-009.
Who is listed as a contact for access or technical issues with the FOA documentation?
The contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
It is NIH support for small businesses to develop next-generation tissue preservation and analysis technologies that turn archived specimens into richer, more dependable sources of molecular information without sacrificing the histology that makes those tissues interpretable.
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| Childrens Health Exposure Analysis Resource (CHEAR) National Exposure Assessment Laboratory Network (U2C) Apply for RFA ES 15 009 Funding Number: RFA ES 15 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment Health Funding Amount: $8,000,000 |
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