Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 06 429
Apply for PA 06 429
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Shared Neurobiology of Fragile X Syndrome and Autism (R03)" 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 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on May 24, 2006.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2009 Multiple Receipt Dates See Link to Full Announcement for details.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Independent school districts For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply. Eligible agencies of the Federal Government can apply. Faith based or community based organizations can apply. Applicants may submit more than one application, provided each application is scientifically distinct. Small grant support may not be used for thesis or dissertation research.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity titled "Shared Neurobiology of Fragile X Syndrome and Autism (R03)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-06-429) supports small, focused research projects that investigate the biological overlap between Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism, including autism spectrum disorders such as Rett syndrome. The central purpose is to encourage studies that clarify the underlying causes (etiology) and disease mechanisms (pathophysiology) that the two conditions may share, and to push that knowledge toward practical therapeutic directions. In other words, the FOA is built around the idea that FXS and autism are not just clinically similar in some patients, but may intersect at common neural and molecular pathways that can be studied and potentially targeted with treatments.
A major rationale for this program is the meaningful clinical co-occurrence between the two disorders. The announcement highlights that an estimated 2.5 percent to 6 percent of individuals with autistic features have FXS, and that roughly 15 percent to 25 percent of children with FXS meet criteria for autism. Beyond formal autism diagnoses, a much larger proportion of children with FXS (about 50 percent to 90 percent) show autism-like traits, including poor eye contact, repetitive or stereotyped behaviors (such as hand flapping or hand biting), perseverative speech and other language abnormalities, sensory sensitivities (including tactile defensiveness and sensory hyperarousal), significant developmental delay or moderate-to-severe intellectual disability, and pronounced social anxiety with mood instability. The FOA notes that many researchers view these overlaps as evidence for shared causal or mechanistic pathways, and it is specifically this shared biology that the program aims to illuminate.
The FOA places strong emphasis on neuroscience-based investigation across multiple levels of analysis. Applicants are encouraged to study the neural pathways, circuits, systems, and molecules that contribute to FXS and that may also be implicated in autism. The announcement points to ongoing basic neuroscience work in established model systems, particularly mouse and fly, as having already generated valuable insight into FXS biology at subcellular, cellular, and circuit or network levels. Building on that progress, NIH is encouraging R03 projects that use these insights to dissect components relevant to autism as well, especially where FXS and autism co-occur, with the longer-term goal of identifying new leverage points for treatment development.
Therapeutic relevance is not treated as optional in this FOA; it is a priority. While the program supports mechanistic discovery, it particularly encourages studies that identify drug targets that could lead to new therapies for both FXS and autism. This includes projects that connect molecular or circuit-level abnormalities to measurable functional outcomes and that point toward specific biological processes that could be modulated pharmacologically. The overall expectation is that research will be framed in a way that advances understanding of shared disease mechanisms and clarifies how those mechanisms could be exploited for intervention.
In terms of study populations and experimental systems, the FOA encourages both human and animal research, with a clear condition for human-subject work: projects that include human participants should include children affected with both FXS and autism, reflecting the program's focus on the shared phenotype and its underlying biology. For animal studies, the FOA explicitly allows multiple model systems, including mouse, fly, and zebrafish, and it underscores that basic neuroscience work in these models should be designed to address both FXS and autism rather than treating autism as a distant or purely speculative connection.
The mechanism is the NIH Small Research Grant (R03), which is designed for smaller, targeted projects that can generate pilot data, test feasibility, or explore innovative ideas that may later scale into larger studies. The listing provides an award ceiling of $50,000. The opportunity falls under health-related funding activity areas, and the CFDA numbers associated with the announcement include 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants), 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders), and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research).
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), state and local governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, independent school districts, certain for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and other applicants as permitted in the full announcement. The FOA specifies several notable eligibility points: foreign institutions are eligible to apply; eligible federal agencies may apply; faith-based and community-based organizations may apply; and applicants may submit more than one application as long as each is scientifically distinct. It also clarifies a restriction common to small grant mechanisms: R03 funds may not be used for thesis or dissertation research. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted May 24, 2006, with multiple receipt dates (rather than a single deadline), and the listed current closing date in the provided record is September 7, 2009, with an archive date of October 7, 2009. The NIH is the sponsoring agency, and the full announcement is linked through the NIH grants guide. The FOA also notes that projects focused almost exclusively on autism, without the explicit shared-mechanism focus with FXS required here, may be better suited to separate NIH program announcements for autism and autism spectrum disorders (PA-06-390, PA-06-391, or PA-06-392).
Taken together, PA-06-429 is best understood as a targeted invitation to use the well-developed mechanistic foundation of Fragile X research to clarify autism-relevant biology, with a special focus on shared pathways and on identifying druggable targets that could translate into treatments benefiting both conditions, particularly in children who present with both FXS and autism.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Shared Neurobiology of Fragile X Syndrome and Autism (R03) - PA-06-429
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?
The opportunity is titled "Shared Neurobiology of Fragile X Syndrome and Autism (R03)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is PA-06-429.
What is the main purpose of PA-06-429?
The central purpose is to support small, focused research projects that investigate the biological overlap between Fragile X syndrome (FXS) and autism (including autism spectrum disorders such as Rett syndrome). The FOA is intended to clarify shared underlying causes (etiology) and disease mechanisms (pathophysiology), and to push that knowledge toward practical therapeutic directions.
What is the core scientific theme NIH is emphasizing in this FOA?
This FOA is built around the idea that Fragile X syndrome and autism can intersect at common neural and molecular pathways. Applications are expected to focus explicitly on shared mechanisms rather than treating the conditions as only clinically similar.
Why does NIH highlight the overlap between Fragile X syndrome and autism?
The announcement cites meaningful clinical co-occurrence and shared features as a major rationale. It notes that an estimated 2.5% to 6% of individuals with autistic features have FXS, and roughly 15% to 25% of children with FXS meet criteria for autism. It also notes that about 50% to 90% of children with FXS show autism-like traits even if they do not meet full diagnostic criteria.
What autism-like traits in Fragile X syndrome are mentioned in the FOA?
The FOA describes autism-like traits in children with FXS such as poor eye contact; repetitive or stereotyped behaviors (for example, hand flapping or hand biting); perseverative speech and other language abnormalities; sensory sensitivities (including tactile defensiveness and sensory hyperarousal); significant developmental delay or moderate-to-severe intellectual disability; and pronounced social anxiety with mood instability.
What types of research are encouraged under this FOA?
The FOA encourages neuroscience-based investigations across multiple levels of analysis, including studying neural pathways, circuits, systems, and molecules that contribute to FXS and may also be implicated in autism. Projects are encouraged to leverage existing insight from Fragile X research and apply it to autism-relevant biology where the disorders overlap.
Does the FOA prioritize basic science, translational work, or both?
Both are supported, but therapeutic relevance is explicitly prioritized. The FOA supports mechanistic discovery while particularly encouraging studies that identify drug targets and link molecular or circuit-level abnormalities to measurable functional outcomes that could guide intervention development.
Is therapeutic relevance optional in this announcement?
No. The FOA indicates therapeutic relevance is a priority. While mechanistic studies are supported, the program particularly encourages work that identifies druggable targets or points toward biological processes that could be modulated pharmacologically to benefit both FXS and autism.
What experimental systems and models are allowed?
The FOA encourages both human and animal research. For animal studies, multiple model systems are explicitly allowed, including mouse, fly, and zebrafish. The FOA also highlights that established model systems (particularly mouse and fly) have already yielded valuable insight into FXS biology at subcellular, cellular, and circuit/network levels.
Are human-subject studies allowed, and are there any specific expectations?
Yes, human research is encouraged. The FOA adds a clear condition: projects that include human participants should include children affected with both Fragile X syndrome and autism, consistent with the program focus on the shared phenotype and its underlying biology.
For animal work, does the autism connection need to be explicit?
Yes. The FOA underscores that basic neuroscience work in animal models should be designed to address both FXS and autism, rather than treating autism as a distant or purely speculative connection.
What NIH grant mechanism is used for PA-06-429?
The mechanism is the NIH Small Research Grant (R03), which is intended for smaller, targeted projects that can generate pilot data, test feasibility, or explore innovative ideas that may later scale into larger studies.
What is the award ceiling listed for this R03 opportunity?
The record provided lists an award ceiling of $50,000.
Can R03 funds be used for a thesis or dissertation project?
No. The FOA explicitly states that R03 funds may not be used for thesis or dissertation research.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
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); state and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; independent school districts; certain for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and other applicants as permitted in the full announcement.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA specifies that foreign institutions are eligible to apply.
Can federal agencies apply?
Yes. The FOA indicates that eligible federal agencies may apply.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA specifies that faith-based and community-based organizations may apply.
Can an applicant submit more than one application to this FOA?
Yes. The FOA states that applicants may submit more than one application as long as each application is scientifically distinct.
What NIH activity areas or CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants), 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders), and 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research).
When was this opportunity posted, and what dates are listed for closing and archiving?
The opportunity was posted on May 24, 2006. It lists multiple receipt dates (rather than a single deadline). The provided record lists a current closing date of September 7, 2009, and an archive date of October 7, 2009.
What kinds of projects might not be a good fit for PA-06-429?
The FOA notes that projects focused almost exclusively on autism, without the explicit shared-mechanism focus with Fragile X syndrome required here, may be better suited to separate NIH program announcements for autism and autism spectrum disorders (PA-06-390, PA-06-391, or PA-06-392).
What does NIH ultimately want researchers to achieve through this FOA?
NIH is aiming to use the strong mechanistic foundation from Fragile X research to clarify autism-relevant biology in areas where the conditions overlap, with an emphasis on identifying shared pathways and potential drug targets that could translate into treatments benefiting both disorders, particularly in children who present with both FXS and autism.
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