Structural Analyses of the Ligand Binding Properties of Taste and Smell Receptors (R01) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The NIH, through the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), offered this R01 funding opportunity to push forward detailed structural research on taste and smell receptors, with a strong preference for projects that bring together complementary expertise. The central scientific goal is to characterize the structural properties of chemosensory receptors and, in particular, to explain how ligands such as odorants, pheromones, and taste compounds interact with their specific (cognate) receptors. A major theme is identifying the key receptor binding sites and structural determinants that control ligand sensitivity (how strongly or readily a receptor responds) and selectivity (why a receptor prefers certain ligands over others). In practical terms, the FOA targets research that can connect receptor structure to real biological function, especially by pinpointing which amino acids or structural features govern binding and activation.

A defining feature of the announcement is its emphasis on collaboration, especially across disciplines that do not always sit in the same lab. NIDCD explicitly aimed to stimulate partnerships between chemosensory molecular biologists and biochemists who can clone, express, isolate, stabilize, and characterize challenging membrane proteins (a category that includes many taste and olfactory receptors) and biophysicists or structural biologists who can apply crystallography, NMR, and related analytical approaches to obtain and interpret structural information. Because many taste and smell receptors are membrane-bound and difficult to purify and analyze, the FOA is effectively encouraging teams that can handle the entire pipeline: receptor production and biochemical preparation, followed by rigorous structural and biophysical interrogation, and then interpretation of how ligand binding occurs at the molecular level.

The mechanism of support is the NIH Research Project Grant (R01), which is generally intended for mature, hypothesis-driven projects with a substantial scope of work. This FOA was described as running in parallel with another announcement of the same scientific scope that used the R21 mechanism (exploratory/developmental), signaling that investigators had two routes depending on the maturity and risk level of their ideas: R01 for more developed programs and R21 for earlier-stage or higher-risk concepts. For this R01 opportunity, the maximum project period allowed was 5 years, while the actual budget level and duration for individual awards were expected to vary depending on the scientific scope of each application. The announcement also made clear that awards would depend on available funds and on the number of high-quality applications received, which is standard NIH language but also a reminder that funding levels were not guaranteed.

From an application preparation standpoint, the FOA imposed a specific page limit: the R01 Research Plan section (PHS398 Items 2-5) could not exceed 25 pages total, and that limit included tables, figures, graphs, diagrams, and charts. That constraint matters for applicants because it forces a tight presentation of aims, methods, preliminary data, and anticipated outcomes, which is especially important for multidisciplinary proposals where teams may be tempted to include excessive methodological detail.

Eligibility was broad and included a wide range of domestic and non-domestic organizations. Eligible applicants encompassed public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses and other for-profit entities (other than small businesses were explicitly listed as eligible as well), state and local governments (including county, city/township, and special district governments), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal governments (federally recognized and other than federally recognized) and tribal organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and regional organizations. The FOA also highlighted additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations, along with foreign (non-U.S.) entities and eligible federal agencies. In other words, the opportunity was designed to be accessible to many types of research-performing organizations, not just traditional academic departments.

On the investigator side, the FOA invited any individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to apply through their institutions, and it explicitly encouraged applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities, consistent with NIH-wide inclusion goals. The announcement allowed multiple principal investigators (multiple PDs/PIs), which aligns well with the collaboration-heavy intent of the program, since structural biology, membrane protein biochemistry, and chemosensory molecular biology often require distinct leadership and infrastructure. Applicants were allowed to submit more than one application as long as each was scientifically distinct. The FOA also permitted resubmissions (with a required introduction addressing prior peer review critiques) and renewals, allowing both new projects and continuing programs to be proposed within this scientific area.

Administratively, this opportunity was cataloged as PA-09-058 under NIH, with CFDA number 93.173 (Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders). It did not require cost sharing or matching. The opportunity was posted December 19, 2008, and the closing date listed was January 7, 2012, with an archive date of February 7, 2012, indicating it is no longer active but remains relevant as a reference point for the type of research NIDCD sought to stimulate.

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