Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics Approaches for Nutrition Research (R01) | Apply Online

FAQs: NIH PAR-13-375 - Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics Approaches for Nutrition Research (R01)

What is PAR-13-375?

PAR-13-375 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics Approaches for Nutrition Research (R01)." It is a discretionary research grant opportunity focused on advancing nutrition science by integrating modern genetics and genomics approaches into nutrition research.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The central goal is to encourage research that uses nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics to answer important questions in human nutrition and health. The FOA emphasizes using omics methods in a meaningful way to understand diet-gene interactions, diet-driven biological pathways, and individual variability in responses to diet, nutrients, and nutrition interventions.

What does "nutrigenetics" mean in the context of this FOA?

Nutrigenetics refers to how genetic variation influences individual responses to diet and nutrients. In this FOA's framing, nutrigenetics-driven studies would examine how differences in genetics help explain why people respond differently to the same dietary exposure or intervention.

What does "nutrigenomics" mean in the context of this FOA?

Nutrigenomics refers to how diet and nutrients influence gene expression and other genome-related processes. Under this FOA, nutrigenomics is positioned as a way to study how dietary exposures affect molecular networks and biological pathways.

What type of grant mechanism is used?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 grant mechanism. R01s are intended to support well-developed research projects, typically hypothesis-driven (or strongly justified), that can produce rigorous and publishable findings and advance a scientific field.

What kind of research approaches does NIH appear to be encouraging here?

Based on the description, NIH is encouraging projects that integrate genetics/genomics tools into nutrition research in a substantive way, rather than treating omics as an add-on. The FOA highlights the value of studying diet-gene interactions, pathways affected by dietary exposures, and biological explanations for differences in nutritional needs or health outcomes.

Are specific scientific topics or disease areas listed?

No specific scientific topics are listed in the provided summary. Instead, the framing suggests broad interest in nutrition and health questions where genetics/genomics and other omics approaches are central to the research strategy.

What omics or high-throughput methods are referenced as relevant?

The description indicates that projects could involve genomic data, transcriptomics, epigenomics, metabolomics, proteomics, microbiome-related measurements, or integrative multi-omics strategies, as long as these approaches are used meaningfully to address nutrition-related questions.

Is collaboration emphasized?

Yes. A core emphasis is collaboration, specifically encouraging teams that combine nutrition science expertise with technical expertise in omics technologies (such as genomics and related high-throughput approaches). The FOA recognizes that strong work in this area often requires both kinds of expertise.

How does this FOA relate to personalized or precision nutrition?

The FOA is aligned with a broader movement toward precise, mechanism-based nutrition research. The description suggests interest in evidence that could inform personalized or stratified nutrition strategies by identifying biological signatures and mechanisms behind different responses to diet.

Which federal agency sponsors this opportunity?

The program is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Which CFDA program areas are associated with this FOA?

The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA listings, including complementary and integrative health research and training (93.213), nursing research (93.361), several cancer research categories (93.393, 93.396, 93.399), and diabetes/digestive/kidney diseases extramural research (93.847). This mix signals that nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics were viewed as cross-cutting tools relevant to multiple health and disease areas.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The FOA specifies there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to provide non-federal funds as a condition of award.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, state and local governments (including county and city/township governments), special district governments, independent school districts, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses.

Are certain institution types specifically mentioned as eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly names a wide range of institution types commonly highlighted in federal eligibility language, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also references faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies.

Can a foreign (non-U.S.) institution apply as the applicant organization?

No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization under this FOA.

Can international partners still be involved in the research?

Yes, within the limits described. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which allows room for scientifically justified international collaboration.

Is this FOA still open for applications?

No. Based on the dates provided, this announcement is archived and is not an active solicitation today.

What were the key posting and closing dates?

The FOA was posted on October 18, 2013, created on December 5, 2013, and had an original and final closing date of March 22, 2016. The archive date is April 22, 2016.

Where can the archived FOA be found?

The archived announcement is available through the NIH Grants Guide page: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-375.html

Who should be contacted for access or linking issues related to the FOA page?

The contact provided for access or linking issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.

Does the information provided state the award amount or budget limits?

No. The summary provided does not include award size, budget caps, or project period limits.

Does the information provided describe the application steps or required submissions?

No. The summary provided does not describe the application package, submission steps, required forms, or review criteria.

Does this FOA restrict applicants to academic institutions only?

No. The eligibility language described includes a wide variety of organization types, including higher education, nonprofits, governments, and for-profit entities (including small businesses).

What is the practical takeaway for someone exploring this FOA today?

Although the FOA is archived, it documents NIH's historical priorities around integrating nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics into nutrition research and highlights NIH interest in collaborative, omics-enabled projects that explain individual variability and underlying mechanisms related to diet and health.