Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 07 426
Apply for PAR 07 426
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sharing Data and Tools Federation using the BIRN and caBIG Infrastructures (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 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 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 93.361 Nursing Research 93.389 National Center for Research Resources 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research 93.866 Aging Research 93.867 Vision Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on Aug 3, 2007.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 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.)
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH funding opportunity titled "Sharing Data and Tools Federation using the BIRN and caBIG Infrastructures (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-07-426) is designed to push biomedical research communities toward broader, more practical sharing of research data sets and informatics tools. It sits under the broader NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, which coordinates cooperative efforts across multiple NIH Institutes and Centers that support nervous system research, while also allowing participation from Institutes outside the Blueprint. The central problem the FOA is trying to address is that, even though sharing plain text information is routine and highly valuable (the announcement uses the analogy of web search engines), biomedical research increasingly depends on complex, heterogeneous data types that are much harder to share, search, and reuse. These include neuroimaging files, clinical and behavioral data, and genomic or gene expression data, along with the specialized software tools needed to analyze them.
A key emphasis of this FOA is that the NIH already invested in large-scale infrastructure intended to make this kind of sharing possible, and the program wants researchers to take advantage of that investment rather than reinventing systems from scratch. The two highlighted infrastructures are the Biomedical Informatics Research Network (BIRN) and the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG). BIRN grew out of neuroscience needs, particularly neuroimaging, and had several neuroimaging communities acting as real-world test beds. By the time of this FOA, BIRN is described as mature enough to support broader communities beyond those original imaging groups, including other neuroscience subfields and even biomedical areas outside neuroscience. caBIG is presented as having similar goals (open, federated sharing of data and tools), but a different technical strategy: instead of relying on particular software systems, caBIG focuses on interoperability through standardized data and interfaces so that different systems can communicate in a consistent way. In practical terms, applicants are being encouraged to use BIRN, caBIG, or both to expose data sets and/or software tools in ways that make them discoverable, accessible, and reusable by a wider research community.
The award mechanism is the NIH R01 Research Project Grant, but the program expectations are closer to targeted, time-limited informatics-enablement projects than to long, renewable hypothesis-driven research programs. The FOA explicitly notes that many awards are expected to be relatively modest and short in duration, commonly in the range of about $100,000 to $200,000 in direct costs per year for roughly 2 to 3 years, and it states that renewals are not likely. Awards depend on available funds and the quality and number of applications received, and the size and duration can vary depending on what a given project proposes to build, adapt, or deploy.
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and foreign (non-U.S.) organizations. The FOA allows multiple PDs/PIs on an application, which is often important for projects that combine domain science expertise (for example, neuroscience or clinical research) with informatics, data standards, and software engineering. Investigators may submit more than one application as long as each is scientifically distinct, and resubmissions are allowed provided the application includes an introduction responding to the prior peer review critique.
From an applicant perspective, the most responsive projects under this announcement are those that take an existing data resource or analysis tool and make it meaningfully interoperable and shareable through BIRN and/or caBIG approaches. That could mean building connectors, adopting community standards for data representation and metadata, implementing standardized interfaces, enabling federated query across sites, or packaging tools so other researchers can reliably run them and interpret the outputs. The overarching goal is to increase the scientific return on data and tool creation by reducing barriers to discovery, access, and reuse across labs, institutions, and research domains.
Administratively, applications were submitted through NIH electronic grant submission systems using the SF424 (R&R) forms, and the FOA listed multiple special receipt dates: January 18, 2008; September 18, 2008; January 21, 2009; and September 21, 2009, with review handled via a special emphasis review convened by the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR). A technical assistance workshop was also planned (October 18, per the announcement) to help applicants understand expectations and logistics, with in-person and videocast participation options. Overall, the opportunity is essentially an NIH-backed push to turn valuable but often siloed biomedical data and tools into community assets by leveraging two major federated informatics infrastructures and the interoperability principles behind them.
FAQs: Sharing Data and Tools Federation using the BIRN and caBIG Infrastructures (R01) (PAR-07-426)
What is the goal of this NIH funding opportunity?
The goal is to move biomedical research communities toward broader, more practical sharing of research data sets and informatics tools. The focus is on making complex, heterogeneous biomedical data and software easier to discover, access, search, and reuse across labs and institutions by leveraging existing NIH-supported infrastructures.
What is the funding opportunity title and number?
The opportunity is titled "Sharing Data and Tools Federation using the BIRN and caBIG Infrastructures (R01)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-07-426.
What types of data and tools is this FOA concerned with?
The FOA emphasizes complex biomedical data types and the specialized tools needed to analyze them. Examples explicitly mentioned include neuroimaging files, clinical and behavioral data, and genomic or gene expression data, along with software used for analysis.
Why is NIH emphasizing data and tool sharing in this program?
The FOA highlights that sharing plain text information is routine and valuable (using web search engines as an analogy), but modern biomedical research increasingly relies on complex data types that are harder to share and reuse. The program is intended to reduce those barriers so that data and tools created by one group can generate broader scientific returns for the community.
What infrastructures are applicants expected to use?
Applicants are encouraged to use the Biomedical Informatics Research Network (BIRN), the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG), or both, rather than building entirely new sharing systems from scratch.
What is BIRN and why is it relevant here?
BIRN (Biomedical Informatics Research Network) is an NIH-supported infrastructure that grew out of neuroscience needs, particularly neuroimaging, and used neuroimaging communities as real-world test beds. By the time of this FOA, BIRN is described as mature enough to support broader research communities beyond the original imaging groups, including other neuroscience subfields and even areas outside neuroscience.
What is caBIG and how does it differ from BIRN?
caBIG (cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid) has similar goals around open, federated sharing of data and tools, but it is described as taking a different technical strategy. Rather than relying on particular software systems, caBIG emphasizes interoperability through standardized data and interfaces so that different systems can communicate consistently.
Does a project have to be in neuroscience to apply?
No. While the opportunity sits under the broader NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, the FOA explicitly allows participation from NIH Institutes outside the Blueprint, and BIRN is described as supporting communities beyond neuroscience as well.
What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
The award mechanism is the NIH R01 Research Project Grant.
Is this meant to support long-term, renewable research programs?
No. Although it uses the R01 mechanism, the FOA describes expectations that are closer to targeted, time-limited informatics-enablement projects than to long, renewable, hypothesis-driven research programs. It also states that renewals are not likely.
What funding level and project period does the FOA suggest are typical?
The FOA notes that many awards are expected to be relatively modest and short. It commonly cites about $100,000 to $200,000 in direct costs per year for roughly 2 to 3 years, though size and duration can vary depending on what the project proposes.
Are renewals expected or encouraged?
No. The FOA explicitly states that renewals are not likely.
What makes a project especially responsive to this announcement?
Projects are most responsive when they take an existing data resource or analysis tool and make it meaningfully interoperable and shareable through BIRN and/or caBIG approaches. The central idea is to expose data sets and tools so they are discoverable, accessible, and reusable by a wider research community.
What are examples of activities or deliverables that fit this FOA?
Examples described in the FOA include building connectors, adopting community standards for data representation and metadata, implementing standardized interfaces, enabling federated query across sites, or packaging tools so other researchers can reliably run them and interpret the outputs.
Is the program encouraging applicants to build brand-new data-sharing platforms?
No. A key emphasis is that NIH has already invested in large-scale infrastructure (BIRN and caBIG) to make sharing possible, and applicants are encouraged to take advantage of that investment rather than reinventing systems from scratch.
What is meant by "federated" sharing in the context of this FOA?
Based on the description, federated sharing refers to enabling discovery and access across multiple sites or systems in a way that supports interoperable communication and, in some cases, federated query across sites, rather than requiring all data and tools to live in a single centralized location.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. It includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and foreign (non-U.S.) organizations.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes foreign (non-U.S.) organizations among eligible applicants.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes small businesses and other for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as eligible applicants.
Can an application include multiple PDs/PIs?
Yes. The FOA allows multiple PDs/PIs, which is often important for projects that combine domain science expertise with informatics, data standards, and software engineering.
Can an investigator submit more than one application?
Yes. Investigators may submit more than one application as long as each application is scientifically distinct.
Are resubmissions allowed?
Yes. Resubmissions are allowed, provided the application includes an introduction responding to the prior peer review critique.
How are applications submitted?
Applications are submitted through NIH electronic grant submission systems using the SF424 (R&R) forms.
What were the special receipt dates listed in the FOA?
The FOA listed multiple special receipt dates: January 18, 2008; September 18, 2008; January 21, 2009; and September 21, 2009.
How will applications be reviewed?
Review is handled via a special emphasis review convened by the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR).
Was there any planned technical assistance for applicants?
Yes. The FOA planned a technical assistance workshop (October 18, per the announcement) to help applicants understand expectations and logistics, with in-person and videocast participation options.
What factors determine the final award size and duration?
Awards depend on available funds and the quality and number of applications received, and the size and duration can vary based on what a given project proposes to build, adapt, or deploy.
What is the larger NIH context for this opportunity?
This FOA sits under the broader NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, which coordinates cooperative efforts across multiple NIH Institutes and Centers that support nervous system research, while also allowing participation from Institutes outside the Blueprint.
What is the core problem this FOA is trying to solve?
The core problem is that biomedical research depends on complex, heterogeneous data and specialized tools that are difficult to share, search, and reuse, leading to valuable resources remaining siloed. The FOA aims to turn these into community assets by improving interoperability and federation using BIRN and/or caBIG.
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