Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 06 268
Apply for PA 06 268
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Temporomandibular Joint and Muscle Disorders Pathophysiological Mechanisms Linking Comorbid Conditions (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 5, 2008 and posted on Mar 24, 2006.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Special district governments Independent school districts Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments State governments.
- Foreign institutions are eligible to apply. Eligible agencies of the Federal Government are eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
This NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (PA 06 268) supports exploratory, early-stage research aimed at figuring out why temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJMDs) so often show up alongside other chronic conditions, and what biological and behavioral mechanisms might be driving that overlap. TMJMDs are described here as a complex set of disorders affecting the temporomandibular joint and/or the facial muscles, commonly causing persistent facial pain plus jaw movement that is limited and painful. The FOA is built around the idea that TMJMD symptoms and related dysfunction may share underlying pathways with other long-lasting, hard-to-treat conditions, and that identifying shared mechanisms could improve how these illnesses are understood, classified, and eventually managed.
A major emphasis is comorbidity: the announcement highlights that TMJMD can co-occur with a wide range of other disorders, including fibromyalgia, atypical facial pain, trigeminal neuralgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, and migraine. It also notes connections to problems involving speech, hearing, swallowing, balance, smell, and taste, as well as certain cardiovascular diseases. Rather than treating these as unrelated coincidences, the FOA encourages applicants to investigate what links them, especially where patients experience overlapping symptom patterns such as chronic pain, sensory disturbances, fatigue, or other systemic complaints.
The scientific goal is to stimulate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research that uses current, state-of-the-art tools to uncover etiologic and pathophysiological mechanisms that could explain shared symptoms across TMJMD and its associated conditions. The FOA specifically welcomes projects that probe molecular, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms, reflecting a broad view that useful answers may come from genetics and cell signaling, neurobiology and sensory processing, immune or inflammatory pathways, autonomic or endocrine regulation, and also from behavioral and biopsychosocial factors that influence symptom persistence and severity. Applications can focus either on TMJMD or on one of the comorbid conditions, as long as the central purpose is to discover the biological mechanisms that connect the conditions rather than studying each in isolation.
Because the overall problem is large and cannot realistically be solved by a single study, the announcement clearly steers applicants toward a focused strategy: pick a particular pathway and a specific comorbid disease pairing with TMJMD, then design an exploratory project that can generate strong preliminary evidence about a plausible mechanistic link. That framing fits the R21 mechanism, which is intended for innovative, higher-risk projects that can open new directions and provide proof-of-concept data rather than fully mature, multi-aim programs.
On the funding side, this FOA uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21). Projects may last up to two years, with direct costs capped at $275,000 total over the two-year period and no more than $200,000 in direct costs in any single year. The announcement also notes that it runs in parallel with companion FOAs of the same scientific scope using other grant mechanisms: an R01 version (PA 06 188) for more extensive projects and an R03 version (PA 06 267) for smaller, short-term studies. The number and size of awards are not fixed in advance and will depend on factors like scientific merit, project length, and budget requests across the pool of submitted applications.
Eligibility is broad. A wide range of organizations may apply, including for-profit and nonprofit institutions, public or private universities and hospitals, laboratories, state and local governments, eligible federal agencies, tribal governments, faith-based or community-based organizations, and both domestic and foreign institutions. The FOA also emphasizes inclusive participation: any qualified investigator may serve as PD/PI, and individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants are allowed to submit more than one proposal as long as each application is scientifically distinct.
Administrative details in the source information identify the sponsoring agency as the National Institutes of Health and list relevant CFDA program areas spanning oral diseases and disorders, deafness and communication disorders, arthritis and musculoskeletal/skin research, and neuroscience/neurological disorders, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of TMJMD and its comorbidities. The FOA was posted March 24, 2006, used multiple receipt dates, and the archived record shows a last listed closing date of May 7, 2009 (with an archive date of June 7, 2009), indicating the opportunity is historical, though the scientific priorities remain representative of NIH interest in mechanistic links among chronic overlapping pain and sensory disorders.
FAQs: NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement PA 06 268 (R21) - TMJMD Comorbidity Mechanisms
What is this funding opportunity about?
This NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (PA 06 268) supports exploratory, early-stage research to understand why temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders (TMJMDs) frequently occur alongside other chronic conditions, and what biological and behavioral mechanisms might explain that overlap.
What are TMJMDs as described in this announcement?
TMJMDs are described as a complex set of disorders affecting the temporomandibular joint and/or facial muscles. They commonly involve persistent facial pain and jaw movement that is limited and painful.
What is the main scientific theme of the FOA?
The central theme is comorbidity and shared mechanisms. The FOA is built around the idea that TMJMD symptoms and dysfunction may share underlying pathways with other long-lasting, hard-to-treat conditions, and that identifying these shared mechanisms could improve how the illnesses are understood, classified, and eventually managed.
Which comorbid conditions are specifically mentioned?
The FOA highlights that TMJMD can co-occur with many other disorders, including fibromyalgia, atypical facial pain, trigeminal neuralgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, and migraine.
Are non-pain-related comorbidities mentioned?
Yes. The announcement notes connections to problems involving speech, hearing, swallowing, balance, smell, and taste, as well as certain cardiovascular diseases.
What kinds of overlapping symptoms is NIH interested in applicants studying?
The FOA encourages study of overlapping symptom patterns across TMJMD and associated conditions, such as chronic pain, sensory disturbances, fatigue, and other systemic complaints, with an emphasis on discovering what links these patterns rather than treating them as unrelated coincidences.
What is the overall scientific goal for proposed projects?
The goal is to stimulate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research using current, state-of-the-art tools to uncover etiologic and pathophysiological mechanisms that could explain shared symptoms across TMJMD and its associated conditions.
What types of mechanisms are appropriate for this FOA?
The FOA welcomes projects that probe molecular, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms. Examples of areas mentioned include genetics and cell signaling, neurobiology and sensory processing, immune or inflammatory pathways, autonomic or endocrine regulation, and behavioral and biopsychosocial factors that influence symptom persistence and severity.
Do applications have to focus on TMJMD itself?
Applications may focus either on TMJMD or on one of the comorbid conditions, as long as the central purpose is to discover the biological mechanisms connecting the conditions rather than studying each condition in isolation.
Is the FOA encouraging broad, multi-condition studies?
Not as a single project approach. Because the overall problem is considered too large to be solved by one study, the FOA explicitly steers applicants toward a focused strategy: select a particular pathway and a specific TMJMD-comorbid disease pairing, then design an exploratory project to generate strong preliminary evidence for a plausible mechanistic link.
What grant mechanism is used?
This FOA uses the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant mechanism (R21), which is designed for innovative, higher-risk projects that can open new directions and provide proof-of-concept data rather than fully mature, multi-aim programs.
What is the maximum project period?
Projects may last up to two years.
What are the budget limits for this R21 FOA?
Direct costs are capped at $275,000 total over the two-year period, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs in any single year.
How many awards will NIH make under this FOA?
The number and size of awards are not fixed in advance. They depend on factors such as scientific merit, project length, and budget requests across the pool of submitted applications.
Are there related or companion funding opportunities with the same scientific scope?
Yes. The announcement notes companion FOAs of the same scientific scope using other mechanisms: an R01 version (PA 06 188) for more extensive projects and an R03 version (PA 06 267) for smaller, short-term studies.
What organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes for-profit and nonprofit institutions; public or private universities and hospitals; laboratories; state and local governments; eligible federal agencies; tribal governments; faith-based or community-based organizations; and both domestic and foreign institutions.
Can foreign institutions apply?
Yes. The FOA states that both domestic and foreign institutions are eligible.
Who can serve as the PD/PI?
Any qualified investigator may serve as PD/PI. The FOA also encourages applications from individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and individuals with disabilities.
Can an applicant submit more than one application?
Yes. Applicants may submit more than one proposal as long as each application is scientifically distinct.
Which federal agency sponsors this FOA?
The sponsoring agency listed is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What program areas (CFDA) are associated with this FOA?
The administrative details list CFDA program areas spanning oral diseases and disorders, deafness and communication disorders, arthritis and musculoskeletal/skin research, and neuroscience/neurological disorders, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of TMJMD and its comorbidities.
When was this FOA posted, and is it still active?
The FOA was posted March 24, 2006, used multiple receipt dates, and the archived record shows a last listed closing date of May 7, 2009 (with an archive date of June 7, 2009). Based on those dates, it is a historical (archived) opportunity.
Even if the FOA is archived, what does it indicate about NIH interests?
As described in the source information, the scientific priorities remain representative of NIH interest in mechanistic links among chronic overlapping pain and sensory disorders, particularly where TMJMD co-occurs with other persistent conditions.
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