Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 12 185
Apply for PA 12 185
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment food and nutrition health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Role of Environmental Chemical Exposures in the Development of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (R01)" 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 93.847 Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 11, 2012 and posted on May 11, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses Independent school districts Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) State governments City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County 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 Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement PA-12-185, titled "Role of Environmental Chemical Exposures in the Development of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (R01)," was released by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to support research that clarifies how exposure to environmental chemicals may contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. The central expectation is that an application will make a clear, testable connection between a specific environmental chemical exposure (or defined class of exposures) and measurable increases in outcomes such as weight gain, impaired glucose tolerance, reduced insulin sensitivity, and other core features of metabolic syndrome. In other words, projects are expected to move beyond general correlations and instead link exposure to concrete metabolic changes that plausibly lead to higher disease incidence.
A major emphasis of this opportunity is timing of exposure, with NIEHS noting that developmental windows are likely to be especially sensitive. While researchers can propose studies focused on any life stage, the announcement highlights in utero exposure, neonatal exposure, and early childhood as periods when chemical exposures may have outsized and lasting effects on metabolism and disease risk. For human research in particular, the FOA encourages investigators to connect developmental exposures to early biomarkers that signal the beginnings of disease processes, rather than waiting for adult clinical disease endpoints alone. This framing supports studies that can detect early metabolic disruption and identify trajectories toward later obesity or diabetes, including physiologic or molecular indicators that precede diagnosis.
The FOA supports both human and animal model approaches, but it sets distinct expectations for each. Human studies should be designed to capture developmental exposures and relate them to early indicators of metabolic dysfunction, strengthening the argument for causality and early-life programming. Animal studies are encouraged to do more than demonstrate an association; they should help identify which environmental chemicals alter relevant metabolic endpoints and then probe where in the body those effects occur and what mechanisms are responsible. This includes identifying target tissues and biological pathways that could explain how exposure translates into altered energy balance, adiposity, insulin signaling, lipid handling, inflammation, endocrine disruption, or other processes that plausibly elevate risk for obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.
Administratively, this is an NIH discretionary grant opportunity using the R01 research project grant mechanism, which typically supports investigator-initiated, hypothesis-driven research programs of substantial scope. The activity categories align with environmental health, food and nutrition, health, and related social and economic security areas, reflecting the broad public health implications of metabolically active environmental exposures. The FOA lists CFDA numbers 93.113 (Environmental Health), 93.847 (Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research), and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research), signaling that the scientific theme intersects with multiple NIH missions even though NIEHS is the issuing institute.
Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic organization types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, special district governments), independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The announcement also explicitly includes a wide range of mission-driven and community-focused institutions and organizations, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), tribally affiliated organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. Importantly, non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may apply, and foreign components are allowed consistent with NIH policy, which opens the door for international cohorts, exposure settings, or specialized mechanistic expertise not available in the United States.
The FOA does not require cost sharing or matching funds, which lowers barriers for applicants and places emphasis on scientific merit, feasibility, and public health relevance. Key dates show that the opportunity was posted on May 11, 2012, with an original and final closing date of September 7, 2015, and an archive date of October 8, 2015, meaning it is no longer open for new applications under that specific announcement number. For full details, NIEHS directed applicants to the NIH Grants Guide posting at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-12-185.html, and provided NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for technical access issues.
Taken together, the opportunity is best understood as a call for rigorous, exposure-linked metabolic disease research that can explain not just whether environmental chemicals are associated with obesity and diabetes risk, but how, when, and through what biological mechanisms those risks are shaped, with special attention to early-life exposures and the earliest detectable signs of metabolic dysfunction.
FAQs: NIH PA-12-185 (R01) - Role of Environmental Chemical Exposures in Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome
What is the focus of Funding Opportunity Announcement PA-12-185?
PA-12-185 is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement issued by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to support research that clarifies how exposure to environmental chemicals may contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Which NIH institute released this FOA?
The FOA was released by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism, which generally supports investigator-initiated, hypothesis-driven research programs of substantial scope.
What is the central expectation for applications submitted under this FOA?
Applications are expected to make a clear, testable connection between a specific environmental chemical exposure (or a defined class of exposures) and measurable increases in outcomes related to metabolic disease, such as weight gain, impaired glucose tolerance, reduced insulin sensitivity, and other core features of metabolic syndrome.
Does the FOA encourage studies that go beyond general correlations?
Yes. The FOA emphasizes moving beyond broad correlations by linking exposure to concrete metabolic changes that plausibly lead to higher disease incidence.
What health outcomes are specifically highlighted as relevant to measure?
The FOA highlights measurable outcomes such as weight gain, impaired glucose tolerance, reduced insulin sensitivity, and other core features of metabolic syndrome.
Is timing of exposure important in this FOA?
Yes. A major emphasis is on timing of exposure, with NIEHS noting that developmental windows are likely to be especially sensitive.
Which developmental windows are specifically highlighted as potentially sensitive?
The FOA highlights in utero exposure, neonatal exposure, and early childhood as periods when chemical exposures may have outsized and lasting effects on metabolism and disease risk.
Are studies limited to early-life exposure windows only?
No. Researchers may propose studies focused on any life stage, but the FOA explicitly highlights developmental periods (in utero, neonatal, early childhood) as especially important.
What does the FOA encourage for human studies in particular?
For human research, the FOA encourages connecting developmental exposures to early biomarkers that signal the beginnings of disease processes, rather than relying only on adult clinical disease endpoints.
What does the FOA mean by "early biomarkers" or "early indicators" of metabolic dysfunction?
Based on the FOA description, these are physiologic or molecular indicators that can detect early metabolic disruption and help identify trajectories toward later obesity or diabetes, including indicators that may appear before formal diagnosis.
Does the FOA support both human and animal model research?
Yes. The FOA supports both human studies and animal model approaches, with distinct expectations for each.
What are the expectations for human studies under this FOA?
Human studies should be designed to capture developmental exposures and relate them to early indicators of metabolic dysfunction in ways that strengthen the argument for causality and early-life programming.
What are the expectations for animal studies under this FOA?
Animal studies are encouraged to do more than demonstrate an association. They should help identify which environmental chemicals alter relevant metabolic endpoints and then probe where in the body those effects occur and what mechanisms are responsible.
What kinds of mechanistic questions does the FOA emphasize for animal studies?
The FOA emphasizes identifying target tissues and biological pathways that explain how exposure may translate into altered energy balance, adiposity, insulin signaling, lipid handling, inflammation, endocrine disruption, or other processes that plausibly elevate risk for obesity, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.
Does the FOA specify whether a project can focus on a single chemical versus a class of chemicals?
Yes. The FOA describes a central expectation that an application will link either a specific environmental chemical exposure or a defined class of exposures to measurable metabolic outcomes.
What activity areas or categories are associated with this opportunity?
The activity categories align with environmental health, food and nutrition, health, and related social and economic security areas, reflecting broad public health implications of metabolically active environmental exposures.
Which CFDA numbers are listed for this FOA?
The FOA lists CFDA numbers 93.113 (Environmental Health), 93.847 (Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research), and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research).
What do the listed CFDA numbers suggest about the scope of the research theme?
They signal that the scientific theme intersects multiple NIH missions (environmental health, diabetes-related research, and child health/human development), even though NIEHS is the issuing institute.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many domestic organization types such as public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; state and local governments (including counties, cities/townships, and special district governments); independent school districts; and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
Are community-focused or mission-driven institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), tribally affiliated organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA states that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are eligible to apply.
Are non-domestic components of U.S. organizations allowed?
Yes. The FOA indicates that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may apply.
Are foreign components permitted within an application?
Yes. Foreign components are allowed consistent with NIH policy, which may support international cohorts, exposure settings, or specialized mechanistic expertise not available in the United States.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA does not require cost sharing or matching funds.
When was PA-12-185 posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 11, 2012.
What was the closing date for applications under this FOA?
The original and final closing date listed was September 7, 2015.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The FOA has passed its final closing date and has an archive date of October 8, 2015, meaning it is no longer open for new applications under that specific announcement number.
Where can the official FOA text be found?
The FOA directed applicants to the NIH Grants Guide posting at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-12-185.html.
Who was listed for technical access issues related to the FOA?
The FOA referenced NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for technical access issues.
What overall kind of project is this FOA trying to fund?
It is a call for rigorous, exposure-linked metabolic disease research that can explain not just whether environmental chemicals are associated with obesity and diabetes risk, but how, when, and through what biological mechanisms those risks are shaped, with special attention to early-life exposures and the earliest detectable signs of metabolic dysfunction.
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