Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 11 040
Apply for RFA MH 11 040
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Scalable Assays for Unbiased Analysis of Neurobiological Function (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 16, 2010 and posted on Aug 16, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 17, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal 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) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) .
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Opportunity Summary:
The Scalable Assays for Unbiased Analysis of Neurobiological Function (R01) funding opportunity (RFA-MH-11-040) is an NIH research grant announcement aimed at pushing forward practical, scalable lab platforms that can measure changes in how neurons and glial cells function. The central idea is to move beyond narrow, hypothesis-only readouts and instead develop in vitro assay systems that can detect meaningful neurobiological effects in a more unbiased, efficient way. In practice, the FOA is looking for new or substantially improved analytical approaches that can capture key cellular processes or molecular events that drive brain function, and then translate those readouts into assay platforms that are robust enough to be used repeatedly and at scale. The expectation is that these platforms will generate measurable neurobiological endpoints that can help researchers probe mechanisms of action, characterize perturbations to neural systems, and ultimately support pipelines for target identification and drug discovery.
This opportunity uses the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) mechanism, meaning applicants are proposing full research projects rather than small pilot efforts. The scientific emphasis is on assay development and adaptation of state-of-the-art measurement strategies into standardized, in vitro formats. The assays should be designed to reveal functional changes in neuronal and/or glial biology, with an emphasis on producing reliable, interpretable endpoints that can be used in a discovery workflow. While the announcement text is brief, the language signals interest in platforms that are not just novel in concept, but also engineered for robustness and throughput, so they can serve as general tools for the broader neuroscience and neuropsychiatric research communities, including use in early-stage translational research such as screening or prioritizing therapeutic targets.
Funding support is shared across two NIH institutes: the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). For Fiscal Year 2011, NIMH planned to commit about 3 million dollars in total costs to fund an estimated 5 to 10 awards, and NINDS planned to commit about 2 million dollars in total costs to fund an estimated 3 to 6 awards. The totals and award counts reflect an intent to make multiple awards rather than a single large project, suggesting that NIH wanted a portfolio of complementary assay approaches across different aspects of neurobiological function.
In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many common research-performing organizations: public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and additional categories explicitly called out such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, and non-U.S. (foreign) entities and regional organizations. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which generally lowers administrative barriers for applicants and allows projects to be budgeted based on what is necessary to execute the proposed work.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted on August 16, 2010, with an original and final closing date of November 17, 2010, and it was archived on December 18, 2010. The funding activity falls under health, with CFDA numbers 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants) and 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders). The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide page linked in the notice. For access or technical issues, the contact provided is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV).
Overall, this FOA is best understood as an NIH effort to strengthen the measurement toolbox for neuroscience by investing in scalable, unbiased in vitro assay platforms that can sensitively report neuronal and glial functional changes, with clear downstream relevance to mechanism studies and the early stages of therapeutic discovery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Scalable Assays for Unbiased Analysis of Neurobiological Function (R01).
What is the FOA number for this opportunity?
The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) number is RFA-MH-11-040.
What type of grant mechanism does this FOA use?
This opportunity uses the NIH Research Project Grant (R01) mechanism, which supports full research projects (not small pilot-only efforts).
What is the main goal of the program?
The goal is to advance practical, scalable laboratory platforms that measure changes in how neurons and glial cells function, using approaches designed to be more unbiased, efficient, and repeatable than narrow hypothesis-only readouts.
What kinds of scientific work is the FOA looking to fund?
The FOA emphasizes assay development and the adaptation of state-of-the-art measurement strategies into standardized, in vitro formats. The intent is to create new or substantially improved analytical approaches that capture key cellular processes or molecular events relevant to brain function and translate them into robust assay platforms.
What does "unbiased analysis" mean in the context of this FOA?
Based on the description provided, "unbiased" refers to moving beyond narrowly targeted, hypothesis-only readouts and instead developing assay systems that can detect meaningful neurobiological effects in a broader, more discovery-oriented way.
What biological systems or cell types are in scope?
The assays should be designed to reveal functional changes in neuronal and/or glial biology.
Are the assays expected to be in vitro?
Yes. The FOA specifically describes translating readouts into in vitro assay systems and standardized in vitro formats.
What qualities should the proposed assay platforms have?
The language in the announcement signals interest in platforms that are:
- Scalable (usable repeatedly and at scale)
- Robust (engineered for reliability and repeatability)
- Throughput-oriented (suitable for discovery workflows)
- Interpretable (producing reliable, interpretable neurobiological endpoints)
What kinds of outputs or endpoints are expected from the assays?
The expectation is that platforms will generate measurable neurobiological endpoints that can help researchers probe mechanisms of action, characterize perturbations to neural systems, and support target identification and drug discovery pipelines.
Who are the sponsoring NIH institutes for this FOA?
Funding support is shared across two NIH institutes: the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
How much funding was planned for Fiscal Year 2011?
For FY2011, the planned total costs were:
- NIMH: about $3 million
- NINDS: about $2 million
How many awards were estimated?
The FOA estimated multiple awards:
- NIMH: an estimated 5 to 10 awards
- NINDS: an estimated 3 to 6 awards
This suggests NIH intended to support a portfolio of complementary assay approaches rather than a single project.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3))
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits)
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-serving institutions
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Eligible federal agencies
- Non-U.S. (foreign) entities and regional organizations
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes non-U.S. (foreign) entities and regional organizations among eligible applicants.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was the FOA posted?
The opportunity was posted on August 16, 2010.
What was the closing date for applications?
The FOA listed an original and final closing date of November 17, 2010.
Is this opportunity still active?
No. The opportunity was archived on December 18, 2010.
What is the general subject area or activity category?
The funding activity falls under health, with a focus on strengthening measurement tools for neuroscience through scalable, unbiased in vitro assay platforms.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The CFDA numbers listed are:
- 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants)
- 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders)
What is the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide page linked in the notice.
Who should be contacted for access or technical issues?
For access or technical issues, the contact provided is the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
How should this FOA be understood at a high level?
It can be read as an NIH effort to strengthen the neuroscience measurement toolbox by investing in scalable, unbiased in vitro assay platforms that sensitively report neuronal and glial functional changes, with clear downstream relevance to mechanism studies and early-stage therapeutic discovery.
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