Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 16 050
Apply for RFA AI 16 050
- The HHS-NIH11 in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Systems Approach to Immunity and Inflammation (U19)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855, 93.856,.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 26, 2016 and posted on May 26, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 02, 2016. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Systems Approach to Immunity and Inflammation (U19) funding opportunity (RFA AI 16 050) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement designed to push beyond traditional single-gene or single-pathway studies and instead build a broad, integrated picture of how the immune system responds to infectious agents and immunologic stimuli. The central aim is to generate a comprehensive, systems-level understanding of both innate and adaptive immune responses that are triggered by pathogens, vaccine adjuvants, or vaccines. Rather than focusing only on well-known immune regulators, the program is explicitly geared toward discovering previously unrecognized genes, pathways, and mechanisms that shape immune activation, inflammation, and protective immunity.
A defining feature of the FOA is its emphasis on forward genetics in mice as the discovery engine. Applicants are expected to conduct forward genetic screens using mutant mouse resources or genetically diverse mouse populations, then connect those genetic perturbations to measurable immune phenotypes. In practical terms, this means identifying animals that respond unusually to infection or immunization (for example, exaggerated inflammation, impaired pathogen clearance, altered antibody responses, or atypical T-cell activation), mapping those traits back to causal genetic variants, and then using systems biology tools to understand what those variants are doing at the molecular and cellular levels. The intent is to pair genetic discovery with high-dimensional readouts such as transcriptomics, proteomics, cellular profiling, cytokine/chemokine networks, pathway analyses, and other integrative computational approaches so that the outcome is not just a list of genes, but a coherent model of immune response dynamics.
Another core expectation is translation and validation in humans. While mouse genetics drives hypothesis generation and mechanistic discovery, the FOA calls for validation of key findings in human cells and tissues. This requirement is meant to ensure that newly identified regulatory nodes and pathways are relevant to human immunology and not limited to mouse-specific biology. Applicants would typically be expected to test whether the same genes or signaling programs operate in human immune cell subsets, whether comparable signatures appear after vaccination or adjuvant exposure, or whether human genetic or functional data support the pathways uncovered in mouse screens.
The longer-term goal of the program is to create foundational knowledge that can be used to improve real-world interventions. By clarifying the dynamic immune networks that follow infection or vaccination, and by pinpointing underappreciated regulatory switches, the research is intended to inform the development of novel translational approaches. These could include more rational vaccine designs, improved adjuvant selection, biomarkers that predict responsiveness or adverse inflammation, or immune-based therapeutics that modulate key pathways to enhance protection while limiting harmful inflammatory outcomes.
Administratively, this opportunity uses the U19 mechanism, meaning it is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard investigator-initiated grant. In a cooperative agreement, NIH typically expects substantial programmatic involvement, coordination, and milestone-driven progress, often suited to multi-project, team-based efforts that integrate genetics, immunology, systems biology, and computational analysis. The sponsoring agency is HHS-NIH (listed as HHS-NIH11), and the activity falls under the Health category, with CFDA numbers 93.855 and 93.856. Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and various government and tribal entities.
Key logistical details in the posted record include a maximum award ceiling of $1,500,000, a posted and creation date of May 26, 2016, and an application closing date of November 2, 2016 (original and current closing dates match). While the record lists “ExpectedAwards:†without a number, the overall structure and U19 mechanism strongly suggest support for coordinated, multi-component research programs aimed at producing integrated datasets, mechanistic insights, and human validation that together advance a systems-level understanding of immunity and inflammation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Systems Approach to Immunity and Inflammation (U19) - RFA AI 16 050
What is the Systems Approach to Immunity and Inflammation (U19) funding opportunity?
It is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement funding opportunity (RFA AI 16 050) focused on building a broad, integrated, systems-level understanding of how the immune system responds to infectious agents and immunologic stimuli. The program is designed to move beyond traditional single-gene or single-pathway studies by combining forward genetics in mice with high-dimensional systems biology and computational analyses, along with validation of key findings in humans.
What is the main scientific goal of this FOA?
The central aim is to generate a comprehensive, systems-level understanding of innate and adaptive immune responses triggered by pathogens, vaccine adjuvants, or vaccines. A major objective is to discover previously unrecognized genes, pathways, and mechanisms that influence immune activation, inflammation, and protective immunity, and to assemble these findings into coherent models of immune response dynamics.
What makes this opportunity different from traditional immunology grants?
This FOA explicitly emphasizes integrated, systems-level discovery rather than studies limited to well-known immune regulators or a single pathway. It expects applicants to use forward genetics in mice as the discovery engine and then apply systems biology tools (such as transcriptomics, proteomics, cellular profiling, and integrative computational approaches) to understand how genetic variants drive immune phenotypes over time and across immune networks.
What role does forward genetics in mice play in the program?
Forward genetics in mice is described as a defining feature of the FOA and serves as the main engine for discovery. Applicants are expected to conduct forward genetic screens using mutant mouse resources or genetically diverse mouse populations, identify unusual immune responses to infection or immunization, map those traits to causal genetic variants, and then connect genetic perturbations to measurable immune phenotypes.
What kinds of immune phenotypes are applicants expected to measure in mice?
The FOA describes identifying animals that respond unusually to infection or immunization, including examples such as exaggerated inflammation, impaired pathogen clearance, altered antibody responses, or atypical T-cell activation. These phenotypes are then mapped to causal genetic variants and analyzed using systems-level readouts.
What types of systems biology data or readouts are encouraged?
The FOA highlights high-dimensional readouts and integrative approaches, including transcriptomics, proteomics, cellular profiling, cytokine/chemokine network analyses, pathway analyses, and other computational and integrative systems biology tools. The intent is to produce not only gene lists, but an integrated model explaining immune response dynamics.
Is the program focused only on known immune regulators?
No. The program is explicitly geared toward discovering previously unrecognized genes, pathways, and mechanisms that shape immune activation, inflammation, and protective immunity, rather than restricting projects to established regulators.
Are applicants expected to validate findings in humans?
Yes. A core expectation is translation and validation in humans. While mouse genetics drives hypothesis generation and mechanistic discovery, the FOA calls for validation of key findings in human cells and tissues to ensure relevance to human immunology and to reduce the risk that results are limited to mouse-specific biology.
What does human validation typically involve under this FOA?
Based on the FOA description, human validation would typically mean testing whether the same genes or signaling programs operate in human immune cell subsets, whether comparable signatures appear after vaccination or adjuvant exposure, or whether human genetic or functional data support pathways identified through mouse screens.
What immune triggers or stimuli are in scope for this research?
The FOA focuses on immune responses triggered by pathogens, vaccine adjuvants, or vaccines. It is centered on immune activation and inflammation as well as protective immunity arising from these triggers.
What longer-term outcomes is this program trying to enable?
The longer-term goal is foundational knowledge that improves real-world interventions. The FOA describes outcomes such as informing more rational vaccine design, improving adjuvant selection, developing biomarkers that predict responsiveness or adverse inflammation, and supporting immune-based therapeutics that modulate key pathways to enhance protection while limiting harmful inflammatory outcomes.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the U19 mechanism, which is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard investigator-initiated grant. The FOA description indicates this structure is suited to coordinated, multi-component research programs integrating genetics, immunology, systems biology, and computational analysis.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U19)?
In a cooperative agreement, NIH typically expects substantial programmatic involvement, coordination, and milestone-driven progress. The FOA description suggests a team-based effort with coordinated components and integrated outputs, rather than loosely connected projects.
Who is the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is HHS-NIH (listed as HHS-NIH11).
What category does this funding opportunity fall under?
The activity is listed under the Health category.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.855 and 93.856.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad. It includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and various government and tribal entities.
What is the maximum award ceiling listed in the posted record?
The posted record lists a maximum award ceiling of $1,500,000.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posted and creation date in the record is May 26, 2016.
What is the application closing date?
The application closing date is November 2, 2016, and the original and current closing dates match in the posted record.
How many awards are expected?
The posted record includes an "ExpectedAwards:" field but does not provide a number. The description notes that the U19 mechanism and the program structure suggest coordinated, multi-component research programs, but an award count is not specified in the provided information.
What kinds of research outputs is this FOA aiming to produce?
The FOA is aimed at producing integrated datasets, mechanistic insights, and human validation results that collectively advance a systems-level understanding of immunity and inflammation. It emphasizes generating coherent models of immune response dynamics rather than isolated findings.
Is the intent to only generate gene lists from screens?
No. The FOA explicitly frames the goal as building a coherent model of immune response dynamics. Gene discovery through mouse forward genetics is meant to be paired with systems biology data and computational integration so the outcome explains mechanisms and network behavior, not just a list of implicated genes.
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