Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA TW 13 002
Apply for RFA TW 13 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment food and nutrition health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on the Role of Epigenetics in Social, Behavioral, Environmental and Biological Relationships, throughout the Life Span and across Generations (R21)" 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 May 17, 2013 and posted on May 17, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 13, 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 $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments For profit organizations other than small businesses City or township governments State governments Independent school districts Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Small businesses Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have 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 Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Research on the Role of Epigenetics in Social, Behavioral, Environmental and Biological Relationships, throughout the Life Span and across Generations (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA TW 13 002) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary research grant designed to spark early stage, exploratory work on how epigenetic processes connect life experiences and exposures to biological outcomes. The central idea is to support innovative, collaborative basic research that examines the ways social conditions, behaviors, environmental factors, and biological systems interact through epigenetic mechanisms, not just at a single time point but across the entire life course and potentially across generations. This FOA emphasizes building a foundation for later, larger studies by generating preliminary evidence that can support more comprehensive future applications.
A defining feature of this announcement is its focus on leveraging existing data resources rather than launching brand new long-term cohort recruitment. Applicants are expected to use already available biopsychosocial and environmental datasets drawn from human cohort studies or animal studies, specifically ones that also have stored biospecimens suitable for epigenetic profiling. In practice, this means the research should be positioned to connect measured exposures and experiences (such as stress, nutrition, environmental toxicants, socioeconomic conditions, parenting environments, or behavioral patterns) with epigenetic readouts derived from biospecimens (for example, DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility markers, or related epigenomic indicators, depending on what is feasible with the specimens). The emphasis on existing cohorts and specimens reflects the exploratory nature of the award and the expectation that projects will move quickly to analysis and hypothesis generation rather than spending most of the award period on infrastructure building.
The award mechanism is the NIH R21, which is generally used for exploratory and developmental research. Here, the FOA specifies a one-year project period, with an award ceiling of $150,000, reinforcing that these projects are intended to be focused, efficient, and aimed at producing preliminary results rather than definitive long-term conclusions. Across the program, NIH estimated total funding was about $1,000,000, suggesting multiple awards could be made depending on budgets and project scopes. The intended outcome is that awardees will produce early data that clarifies feasibility, identifies promising epigenetic signals or pathways, tests analytic approaches, and strengthens the rationale for subsequent full-scale basic research applications. While the FOA is framed as basic research, it explicitly notes that results may ultimately contribute to clinically relevant directions, such as informing future development of decision support tools, diagnostic approaches, and prevention or treatment strategies, once the underlying mechanisms are better understood.
In terms of scientific scope, the FOA is broadly interested in the role epigenetics may play in both normal functioning and disease or dysfunction (pathophysiology), and it explicitly spans the entire life span and cross-generational questions. That life course framing opens the door to studying sensitive periods (for example, prenatal development, early childhood, adolescence, reproductive years, or aging), as well as how exposures at one stage might shape later health and behavior through epigenetic changes. The cross-generational emphasis supports work that considers whether and how epigenetic alterations linked to exposures or stressors might be observed in offspring or subsequent generations, particularly when appropriate study designs or animal models and biospecimens are available to examine those relationships. The FOA also highlights interactions among domains, meaning projects are expected to grapple with combined influences rather than treating social, behavioral, environmental, and biological variables as isolated contributors.
Eligibility under this opportunity is broad, reflecting NIH's typical openness to many organizational types and the global relevance of environmental health and epigenetics. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), state and local governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities, and school districts. The eligibility details also explicitly include a range of mission-focused institutions and communities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI). Importantly, foreign organizations and other non-domestic entities are listed as eligible, along with U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, reducing barriers for applicants who may not have additional non-federal funds to contribute.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted and created on May 17, 2013, with an original and current closing date of November 13, 2013, and an archive date of December 14, 2013. The CFDA listing included 93.113 (Environmental Health), aligning the scientific focus with environmental and exposure-related determinants of health. The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the link provided in the source, and NIH offered technical assistance contacts through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) for applicants experiencing access or linking issues.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted, short-duration catalyst for teams that already have access to well-characterized cohorts or animal study resources with biospecimens, and who want to test novel ideas about how lived experiences and exposures become biologically embedded through epigenetic processes. It encourages projects that can quickly connect rich social, behavioral, environmental, and biological data to epigenetic profiling, producing credible preliminary findings and methodological lessons that justify and shape larger, longer-term research programs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research on the Role of Epigenetics in Social, Behavioral, Environmental and Biological Relationships, throughout the Life Span and across Generations (R21)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA TW 13 002.
Which agency is offering this funding?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary research grant opportunity.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA is intended to spark early-stage, exploratory research on how epigenetic processes connect life experiences and exposures to biological outcomes. It emphasizes innovative, collaborative basic research that links social conditions, behaviors, environmental factors, and biological systems through epigenetic mechanisms across the life span and potentially across generations.
What type of grant mechanism is used?
The award mechanism is the NIH R21, which is generally used for exploratory and developmental research.
How long is the project period?
The FOA specifies a one-year project period.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $150,000.
How much total funding did NIH estimate for this program?
NIH estimated total funding at about $1,000,000, indicating multiple awards could be made depending on budgets and project scope.
What kinds of studies does this FOA prioritize?
This FOA prioritizes early, hypothesis-generating work designed to build a foundation for later, larger studies by producing preliminary evidence, testing analytic approaches, identifying promising epigenetic signals or pathways, and clarifying feasibility.
Does this FOA support brand new cohort recruitment or long-term infrastructure building?
No. A defining feature is the focus on leveraging existing data resources rather than launching brand new long-term cohort recruitment. The expectation is that projects can move quickly into analysis and hypothesis generation instead of spending most of the award period on building infrastructure.
What data resources are applicants expected to use?
Applicants are expected to use already available biopsychosocial and environmental datasets from human cohort studies or animal studies, specifically ones that also have stored biospecimens suitable for epigenetic profiling.
Are biospecimens required?
Yes. The FOA emphasizes using existing cohorts or animal study resources that have stored biospecimens appropriate for epigenetic profiling, so exposures and experiences can be linked to epigenetic readouts.
What epigenetic measures or readouts are mentioned as examples?
Examples include DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility markers, and related epigenomic indicators, depending on what is feasible with the available specimens.
What types of exposures or experiences are within scope?
The FOA describes connecting measured exposures and experiences such as stress, nutrition, environmental toxicants, socioeconomic conditions, parenting environments, or behavioral patterns to epigenetic outcomes derived from biospecimens.
Is the scientific scope limited to disease, or does it include normal functioning too?
It includes both. The FOA is broadly interested in epigenetics in normal functioning as well as disease or dysfunction (pathophysiology).
What does "life span" emphasis mean for project topics?
The life-course framing supports research across the entire life span, including work on sensitive periods such as prenatal development, early childhood, adolescence, reproductive years, or aging, and how exposures at one stage may shape later outcomes through epigenetic changes.
What does "across generations" mean in this FOA?
The FOA supports cross-generational questions, including whether epigenetic alterations linked to exposures or stressors might be observed in offspring or subsequent generations, when appropriate study designs or animal models and biospecimens are available.
Does the FOA encourage examining multiple domains together (social, behavioral, environmental, biological)?
Yes. The FOA highlights interactions among domains and expects projects to address combined influences rather than treating social, behavioral, environmental, and biological variables as isolated contributors.
Is this FOA considered basic research?
Yes. It is framed as basic research, with an emphasis on generating early evidence and methodological lessons that can support later, larger basic research applications.
Does the FOA mention potential longer-term clinical relevance?
Yes. While the focus is basic research, the FOA notes that results may ultimately contribute to clinically relevant directions such as informing future decision support tools, diagnostic approaches, and prevention or treatment strategies once mechanisms are better understood.
Who is 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 (including small businesses); state and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public housing authorities; and school districts.
Are specific institution types explicitly included?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI).
Are foreign organizations eligible?
Yes. Foreign organizations and other non-domestic entities are listed as eligible, along with U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted and created?
The opportunity was posted and created on May 17, 2013.
What were the closing date and archive date?
The original and current closing date was November 13, 2013, and the archive date was December 14, 2013.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing included 93.113 (Environmental Health).
Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the link provided in the source information.
Was technical assistance mentioned for application access issues?
Yes. NIH offered technical assistance contacts through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) for applicants experiencing access or linking issues.
What kind of team or project setup is this FOA best suited for?
It is best suited for teams that already have access to well-characterized human cohorts or animal study resources with stored biospecimens and want to test novel ideas about how experiences and exposures become biologically embedded through epigenetic processes in a short, focused one-year project.
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