Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 11 203
Apply for PAR 11 203
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Predictive Multiscale Models for Biomedical, Biological, Behavioral, Environmental and Clinical Research (Interagency U01)" 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 93.172 Human Genome Research 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.389 National Center for Research Resources 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research 93.866 Aging Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 15, 2011 and posted on Apr 15, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses County governments City or township governments State governments Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district 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) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Foreign (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
Predictive Multiscale Models for Biomedical, Biological, Behavioral, Environmental and Clinical Research (Interagency U01) (PAR 11-203) was an interagency government grant opportunity led by the National Institutes of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Science Foundation. The central aim was to fund research teams developing predictive, computational multiscale models that can connect and explain phenomena across multiple levels of biological or behavioral organization. In practical terms, the program was designed for projects that do more than model a single layer of a system; it prioritized models that link scales, for example moving from molecular or genetic mechanisms up through cells, tissues, organs, organisms, behaviors, and ultimately clinical or population-relevant outcomes. The underlying motivation was that many major scientific and health challenges are difficult to solve efficiently using isolated, single-scale approaches, and that well-constructed multiscale models can accelerate discovery, interpretation, and translation into real-world biomedical, behavioral, environmental, and clinical advances.
The opportunity specifically emphasized prediction and utility, not just description. Applicants were expected to develop modeling frameworks that can generate testable predictions about complex systems and support decision-making in research contexts. Because multiscale work often runs into methodological barriers, the FOA also explicitly encouraged new or nonstandard modeling methods and experimental approaches that make multiscale modeling feasible. That includes innovations in mathematical modeling, computational simulation, data integration, model validation strategies, and experimental designs that produce the kinds of measurements needed to connect scales. In other words, the program was meant to push beyond conventional modeling and promote approaches that help scientists bridge gaps between disparate data types, timescales, spatial scales, and disciplinary traditions.
This funding opportunity used a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01), which typically indicates a more collaborative relationship with the funding agency than a standard research grant. Under a U01, awardees generally conduct the research while also coordinating with agency staff on aspects such as milestones, project direction, data sharing expectations, and programmatic goals. The broad activity categories associated with this FOA reflected its crosscutting scope, spanning education, environment, health, and income security and social services, and it mapped to numerous NIH CFDA areas, including environmental health, human genome research, alcohol and drug abuse research, technological innovations for human health, cancer biology, cardiovascular research, general biomedical research and training, child health and human development, and aging research. That breadth signaled that multiscale modeling was viewed as a foundational capability relevant to many institutes and research missions rather than a niche topic.
Eligibility was intentionally broad, allowing participation from many kinds of organizations. Eligible applicants included small businesses, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), public and private institutions of higher education, and multiple levels of government (city/township, county, state, special districts), as well as independent school districts. The FOA also recognized and encouraged participation by tribal entities and organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a wide range of mission-relevant institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). Faith-based and community-based organizations were listed as eligible, and notably, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign components of U.S. organizations were allowed, indicating an openness to international expertise when it strengthens the science.
Key administrative details place this as an archived, time-limited opportunity from an earlier cycle. It was posted and created on April 15, 2011, with an original and final closing date of January 31, 2014, and it was archived on March 3, 2014. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which matters because it reduced barriers for applicants that might not have been able to contribute institutional funds. The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants policy/guide system at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-203.html, and the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact was provided for technical access and linking issues (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV), reflecting the typical NIH approach for support when applicants have trouble retrieving the official solicitation.
Overall, the FOA can be understood as a strategic push to build the next generation of modeling capabilities that unify data and theory across scales, producing models that are predictive, validated, and useful for accelerating research and translation. By combining NIH and other federal science agencies, it also signaled a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary work that brings together biology, medicine, behavioral science, environmental science, applied mathematics, computing, and experimental design to tackle complex, multiscale problems more effectively than traditional single-scale studies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Predictive Multiscale Models for Biomedical, Biological, Behavioral, Environmental and Clinical Research (Interagency U01) and is identified as PAR 11-203.
Which agencies were involved?
This was an interagency effort led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with the Department of Energy (DOE), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
What was the central aim of the program?
The main aim was to fund research teams developing predictive, computational multiscale models that connect and explain phenomena across multiple levels of biological or behavioral organization, with a focus on models that can support research decisions and produce testable predictions.
What does "multiscale modeling" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, multiscale modeling meant projects that go beyond a single layer of analysis and explicitly link scales, such as connecting molecular or genetic mechanisms to cells, tissues, organs, organisms, behaviors, and ultimately clinical or population-relevant outcomes.
What types of outcomes or impact was the program trying to enable?
The program was motivated by the idea that many major scientific and health challenges are hard to solve with isolated, single-scale approaches. It aimed to support models that can accelerate discovery, interpretation, and translation into real-world biomedical, behavioral, environmental, and clinical advances.
Did the FOA prioritize predictive models or descriptive models?
It emphasized prediction and utility rather than description alone. Applicants were expected to develop modeling frameworks that can generate testable predictions about complex systems and support decision-making in research contexts.
Were nonstandard or innovative methods encouraged?
Yes. The FOA explicitly encouraged new or nonstandard modeling methods and experimental approaches that make multiscale modeling feasible, including innovations in mathematical modeling, computational simulation, data integration, model validation strategies, and experimental designs that generate measurements needed to connect scales.
What kinds of technical challenges was this FOA trying to address?
It was designed to push progress on barriers common to multiscale work, such as bridging disparate data types, timescales, spatial scales, and disciplinary traditions, and improving approaches for linking, validating, and using models across levels of organization.
What funding mechanism was used?
The opportunity used a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01).
What does a U01 cooperative agreement typically imply for awardees?
A U01 typically indicates a more collaborative relationship with the funding agency than a standard research grant. Awardees generally conduct the research while also coordinating with agency staff on items such as milestones, project direction, data sharing expectations, and programmatic goals.
What research areas did this FOA span?
The FOA reflected a broad, crosscutting scope spanning categories such as education, environment, health, and income security and social services, and it mapped to numerous NIH CFDA areas including environmental health, human genome research, alcohol and drug abuse research, technological innovations for human health, cancer biology, cardiovascular research, general biomedical research and training, child health and human development, and aging research.
What does the breadth of listed areas suggest about the program?
It suggested that multiscale modeling was viewed as a foundational capability relevant to many institutes and research missions, rather than a narrow or niche topic.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. Eligible applicants included small businesses, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), public and private institutions of higher education, and multiple levels of government (city/township, county, state, and special districts), as well as independent school districts.
Were tribal organizations and certain mission-relevant institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA recognized and encouraged participation by tribal entities and organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and institutions such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Were faith-based and community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based and community-based organizations were listed as eligible applicants.
Were non-U.S. (foreign) entities allowed to apply or participate?
Yes. The FOA allowed non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign components of U.S. organizations, indicating openness to international expertise when it strengthens the science.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted/created on April 15, 2011. The original and final closing date was January 31, 2014.
Is this opportunity still active?
No. It is described as an archived, time-limited opportunity. It was archived on March 3, 2014.
Where can the official announcement be found?
The full announcement was hosted through the NIH Grants Policy/Guide system at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-203.html
Who was listed as a contact for technical access or linking issues?
The NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact was provided for technical access and linking issues: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What kinds of teams or disciplines did the FOA implicitly encourage?
By emphasizing multiscale, predictive modeling and being interagency, the FOA signaled strong interest in interdisciplinary work spanning areas like biology, medicine, behavioral science, environmental science, applied mathematics, computing, and experimental design.
What is a simple example of the kind of multiscale linkage the FOA cared about?
The FOA prioritized models that connect layers such as molecular or genetic mechanisms up through cells, tissues, organs, organisms, behaviors, and ultimately clinical or population-relevant outcomes, rather than modeling only one layer in isolation.
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