Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 12 059
Apply for PAR 12 059
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) to Discover Chemical Probes (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.399 Cancer Control 93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research 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 Jul 17, 2014 and posted on Dec 13, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 17, 2014. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments County governments Private institutions of higher education.
- 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 PAR-12-059, titled "Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) to Discover Chemical Probes (R21)," supports early-stage, exploratory research projects that can be turned into high throughput screening-ready assays and used to discover small-molecule chemical probes. The core idea is that an investigator with a strong biological question or target teams up with an established HTS facility (academic, nonprofit, or commercial) that already has the tools, staff expertise, automation, and experience to run large-scale screens. The program is set up to speed the path from a promising assay concept to a robust assay that can handle high volume screening, with the ultimate goal of producing chemical probes that help researchers understand biology and disease.
From NIH's perspective, the opportunity is meant to stimulate two closely linked outcomes. First, it aims to drive the discovery and early development of novel small molecules that can function as chemical probes, meaning compounds used primarily as research tools to interrogate targets and pathways relevant to human disease and treatment. Second, it aims to enable the discovery of new biological targets, or the validation of targets that are suspected to matter in disease, thereby improving the evidence base for studying disease mechanisms. A notable emphasis is placed on assays that are likely to provide genuinely new insight into important disease targets and biological processes, rather than incremental assay adaptations that do not substantially expand what can be learned about a disease or pathway.
The award mechanism is the NIH R21, which is generally used for exploratory or developmental work where the concept is promising but may still require proof-of-feasibility. In this FOA, that lines up with assay development and HTS enablement work, where the key challenge is often translating a biological readout into a stable, reproducible, miniaturized, and automatable format suitable for screening. The announcement sets an award ceiling of $200,000 and states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
The FOA is categorized as discretionary funding and is administered by the National Institutes of Health. It spans a broad set of NIH mission areas, reflected by the CFDA numbers listed, including but not limited to mental health, alcohol and substance use, cancer (across prevention, diagnosis, treatment, biology, and control), arthritis and musculoskeletal/skin diseases, general biomedical research and training, child health and development, aging, vision, and deafness/communication disorders. This breadth signals that the program is not limited to one disease area; rather, it is a platform-oriented opportunity focused on generating assays and probes that can illuminate disease biology across many fields.
Eligibility is intentionally broad. Applicants can include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), as well as a range of government entities (state, county, city/township, special district), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and tribal governments and organizations. The eligibility language also explicitly includes many institution types often highlighted in federal programs, such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. Importantly, non-U.S. entities are eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are allowed, meaning international collaborations can fit within the program when well justified.
In practical terms, a competitive application under this FOA would typically center on a clear biological rationale for the target or pathway, a convincing case that the proposed assay can be made HTS-ready (for example, with measurable, reproducible signals and a realistic plan for optimization), and a well-defined collaboration with an HTS facility that has documented capability to execute screening and interpret results. Because NIH highlights "assays that provide new insight," the strongest projects would also make it clear how the assay readout connects to disease mechanisms or therapeutic relevance, and how the resulting probes would be used to answer specific, high-impact questions in biology.
Key dates in the record indicate it was posted on December 13, 2011, with an original closing date of September 7, 2014. The record also lists a current closing date and a creation date of July 17, 2014, and an archive date of August 17, 2014, indicating the opportunity is now archived rather than open. For the full official announcement text and any detailed requirements, the listing provides an NIH Grants Guide link (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-059.html) and points applicants to the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contacts for access or linking issues.
FAQs: NIH PAR-12-059 - Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) to Discover Chemical Probes (R21)
What is PAR-12-059?
PAR-12-059 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding Opportunity Announcement titled "Solicitation of Assays for High Throughput Screening (HTS) to Discover Chemical Probes (R21)." It supports early-stage, exploratory projects that turn a promising assay concept into an HTS-ready assay that can be used in large-scale screening to discover small-molecule chemical probes.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The program is designed to speed the path from an assay concept to a robust, reproducible, miniaturized, and automatable assay suitable for high throughput screening, with the ultimate goal of producing chemical probes that help researchers better understand biology and disease.
What kinds of projects fit this FOA?
Projects that begin with a strong biological question or target and propose a realistic plan to develop or refine an assay until it is ready for high throughput screening. The emphasis is on assay development and HTS enablement work aligned with chemical probe discovery.
What is a "chemical probe" in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, chemical probes are novel small molecules used primarily as research tools to interrogate biological targets and pathways that are relevant to human disease and treatment. The aim is to produce compounds that enable clearer study of target function and disease mechanisms.
Why does NIH emphasize "new insight" assays?
NIH highlights assays that are likely to provide genuinely new insight into important disease targets and biological processes. The FOA explicitly de-emphasizes incremental assay adaptations that do not substantially expand what can be learned about a disease or pathway.
What are the two closely linked outcomes NIH wants from this program?
First, discovery and early development of novel small molecules that can function as chemical probes. Second, enabling discovery of new biological targets or validating suspected disease-relevant targets, improving the evidence base for studying disease mechanisms.
What funding mechanism does PAR-12-059 use?
The FOA uses the NIH R21 award mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory or developmental research where an idea is promising but still needs proof-of-feasibility.
What is the maximum award amount?
The announcement sets an award ceiling of $200,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is expected to run the high throughput screening?
The core model is collaboration: an investigator with the biological question/target teams up with an established HTS facility (academic, nonprofit, or commercial) that already has the tools, automation, staff expertise, and experience to run large-scale screens and interpret results.
What makes an HTS facility "established" for purposes of this FOA?
Based on the description, an established HTS facility is one that has documented capability, including appropriate tools, staff expertise, automation, and experience executing large-scale screens and analyzing screening outputs.
What kinds of assay characteristics are important for HTS readiness?
The FOA points to the need to translate a biological readout into an assay that is stable, reproducible, miniaturized, and automatable, with measurable signals and a realistic plan for optimization so it can handle high-volume screening.
Is this FOA limited to a single disease area or institute?
No. The FOA spans a broad set of NIH mission areas, reflected by multiple CFDA numbers (including areas such as mental health, alcohol and substance use, cancer, arthritis and musculoskeletal/skin diseases, child health and development, aging, vision, and deafness/communication disorders). It is described as platform-oriented rather than restricted to one disease.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); small businesses; for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses); and various government entities (state, county, city/township, special district). It also includes public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities and tribal governments and organizations.
Are institutions like HBCUs, HSIs, or tribally controlled colleges explicitly included?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes institution types commonly highlighted in federal programs, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and other categories such as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Can non-U.S. organizations apply?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities are eligible to apply.
Are foreign components allowed under this FOA?
Yes. Foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are allowed, supporting international collaborations when well justified.
What does "discretionary funding" mean here?
The listing categorizes the FOA as discretionary funding and indicates it is administered by NIH. (No additional interpretation is provided in the opportunity description beyond that classification.)
What would a competitive application typically include?
Based on the description, competitive applications typically include: (1) a clear biological rationale for the target or pathway; (2) a convincing plan showing the assay can be made HTS-ready (measurable and reproducible signals, and a realistic optimization plan); (3) a well-defined collaboration with an HTS facility with documented screening and analysis capability; and (4) a clear explanation of how the assay readout connects to disease mechanisms or therapeutic relevance and how resulting probes would be used to answer specific, high-impact biology questions.
Is PAR-12-059 currently open for applications?
No. The record indicates the opportunity is archived rather than open. It was posted December 13, 2011, with an original closing date of September 7, 2014. The record also shows a current closing date and creation date of July 17, 2014, and an archive date of August 17, 2014, consistent with an archived listing.
Where can applicants find the official FOA text?
The listing points to the NIH Grants Guide page for the official announcement text: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-059.html
Who is the contact for access or linking issues to the FOA?
The listing directs users to the NIH Office of Extramural Research webmaster contacts for access or linking issues.
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| Solicitation of Validated Hits for the Discovery of in vivo Chemical Probes (R01) Apply for PAR 12 060 Funding Number: PAR 12 060 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Jointly Sponsored Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Predoctoral Training Program in the Neurosciences (T32) Apply for PAR 12 084 Funding Number: PAR 12 084 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on the Health of LGBTI Populations R01 Apply for PA 12 111 Funding Number: PA 12 111 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on the Health of LGBTI Populations R03 Apply for PA 12 112 Funding Number: PA 12 112 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Research on the Health of LGBTI Populations (R21) Apply for PA 12 113 Funding Number: PA 12 113 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research on Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) R21 Apply for PA 12 142 Funding Number: PA 12 142 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research on Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) R01 Apply for PA 12 141 Funding Number: PA 12 141 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21) Apply for PAR 12 174 Funding Number: PAR 12 174 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R03) Apply for PAR 12 176 Funding Number: PAR 12 176 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Womens Mental Health During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R21) Apply for PA 12 215 Funding Number: PA 12 215 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Womens Mental Health During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R01) Apply for PA 12 216 Funding Number: PA 12 216 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on Children in Military Families The Impact of Parental Military Deployment and Reintegration on Child and Family Functioning (R13) Apply for PA 12 223 Funding Number: PA 12 223 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Ethical Issues in Research on HIV/AIDS and its Co morbidities (R01) Apply for PAR 12 244 Funding Number: PAR 12 244 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ethical Issues in Research on HIV/AIDS and its Co morbidities (R21) Apply for PAR 12 243 Funding Number: PAR 12 243 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) H3Africa Research Grants (U01) Apply for RFA RM 12 007 Funding Number: RFA RM 12 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| U.S. Russia Bilateral Collaborative Research Partnerships (CRP) on the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS and Co morbidities (R21) Apply for RFA DA 14 001 Funding Number: RFA DA 14 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Award (R25) Apply for PAR 13 027 Funding Number: PAR 13 027 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Opportunities for Collaborative Research at the NIH Clinical Center (U01) Apply for PAR 13 029 Funding Number: PAR 13 029 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Prevention and Health Promotion Interventions to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Associated Physical and Psychological Health Problems in U.S. Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families (R34) Apply for RFA DA 13 013 Funding Number: RFA DA 13 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| Prevention and Health Promotion Interventions to Prevent Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Associated Physical and Psychological Health Problems in U.S. Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families (R01) Apply for RFA DA 13 012 Funding Number: RFA DA 13 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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