Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 11 211
Apply for PA 11 211
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233 National Center on Sleep Disorders Research 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.838 Lung Diseases Research 93.839 Blood Diseases and Resources Research 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 10, 2011 and posted on May 10, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities State governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education City or township governments Small businesses 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) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) County governments.
- 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 Organizations) are not eligible to apply. Foreign (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH grant opportunity "Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 11-211) supported hypothesis-driven research projects that use virtual reality in concrete, testable ways to improve prevention and management of obesity and diabetes. The core idea was that VR can do things traditional education or clinical tools cannot do as well, such as immersing a person in realistic environments, letting them practice skills safely, tailoring feedback in real time, and helping them visualize consequences and outcomes. The FOA focused on using these strengths to encourage and sustain health behaviors tied directly to obesity and diabetes risk and control, including healthier eating patterns, increased physical activity, better self-care routines, and other day-to-day decisions that determine long-term health.
A major emphasis was on well-designed, multidisciplinary research that combines technical expertise in VR (for example, software development, human-computer interaction, simulation design, or immersive media) with biomedical, behavioral, and educational science (such as psychology, behavior change theory, diabetes education, nutrition science, kinesiology, learning science, or clinical care delivery). The intent was not simply to build a VR tool, but to test clear hypotheses about how and why VR-based approaches work, for whom they work, and under what conditions they produce measurable improvements. In practice, that meant rigorous studies capable of demonstrating effects on relevant outcomes, whether those outcomes were behavioral (dietary choices, adherence, activity levels, self-monitoring), clinical (weight, glycemic control, risk factors), educational (knowledge, skills, self-efficacy), or implementation-related (reach, engagement, feasibility in real-world settings).
The FOA described two intertwined goals. First, it aimed to develop VR technologies as research tools for behavioral science studies in obesity and diabetes, meaning VR could be used to create controlled but realistic scenarios to observe decision-making, test interventions, and measure responses in ways that are hard to achieve in standard laboratory or clinic settings. Second, it aimed to push VR toward practical use as a prevention and management tool at clinical and public health levels, extending healthcare and learning environments beyond the clinic and into settings where people live, learn, and make everyday choices. The announcement explicitly highlighted VR uses that help people learn, stay motivated, practice behaviors, and receive meaningful feedback in an engaging format.
Administratively, this was a discretionary grant opportunity using the NIH R01 mechanism, which typically supports substantial, multi-year research projects. It did not require cost sharing or matching. The opportunity was posted May 10, 2011, and it originally closed May 7, 2014 (with an archive date of June 7, 2014), meaning it is no longer open but remains relevant as a model for how NIH frames VR-driven health behavior research. The activity category was listed under Health, Income Security, and Social Services, and the CFDA numbers associated with the announcement reflected multiple NIH research domains (including sleep disorders, cardiovascular, lung, blood, and child health and human development research), consistent with obesity and diabetes having broad multi-system impacts.
Eligibility was intentionally broad across U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants included state and local governments (state governments, counties, cities/townships, special district governments), public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribes and other tribal entities), nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), and for-profit organizations (including small businesses and for-profits other than small businesses). The FOA also clarified additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it drew clear boundaries: non-U.S. entities were not eligible to apply, and foreign components of U.S. organizations were not allowed, reinforcing that the work needed to be led and conducted within eligible U.S. institutional structures.
For applicants trying to interpret what NIH was looking for, the message was straightforward: propose a hypothesis-testing R01 that uses VR because VR offers a unique scientific or practical advantage, not because it is novel on its own. Competitive projects under this type of FOA would be expected to articulate a strong rationale for VR, describe the intervention or experimental VR environment in detail, specify measurable endpoints tied to obesity/diabetes prevention or management, and bring together a team capable of both building the VR system and evaluating it with rigorous biomedical, behavioral, and educational research methods. The full archived announcement was hosted on the NIH Grants Guide website at the link provided in the source data, with technical access issues routed to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact.
FAQs: NIH "Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes (R01)" (PA 11-211)
What is this funding opportunity?
This was an NIH discretionary grant opportunity titled "Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes (R01)" under Funding Opportunity Number PA 11-211. It supported hypothesis-driven research projects that use virtual reality (VR) in concrete, testable ways to improve prevention and management of obesity and diabetes.
Is this grant opportunity still open?
No. It was posted May 10, 2011, and originally closed May 7, 2014, with an archive date of June 7, 2014. The announcement is no longer open for applications, but it can still be useful as a model for how NIH frames VR-driven health behavior research.
What NIH grant mechanism did it use?
It used the NIH R01 mechanism, which typically supports substantial, multi-year research projects.
What kinds of projects were the FOA trying to fund?
The FOA aimed to fund well-designed, hypothesis-driven research that uses VR because it offers a specific scientific or practical advantage. Projects were expected to test clear hypotheses about how and why VR-based approaches work, for whom they work, and under what conditions they produce measurable improvements relevant to obesity and diabetes prevention and management.
What is the main rationale for using virtual reality in this program?
The FOA emphasized VR strengths that traditional education or clinical tools may not deliver as effectively, such as immersing participants in realistic environments, allowing safe skills practice, tailoring feedback in real time, and helping people visualize consequences and outcomes. The intent was to use these strengths to encourage and sustain health behaviors tied to obesity and diabetes risk and control.
Which health behaviors were specifically highlighted?
Examples included healthier eating patterns, increased physical activity, better self-care routines, and other day-to-day decisions that shape long-term health outcomes related to obesity and diabetes.
Did the FOA focus only on education, or also on clinical/behavior change outcomes?
It focused on both. Projects could target behavioral outcomes (like dietary choices, adherence, activity levels, self-monitoring), clinical outcomes (such as weight, glycemic control, or other risk factors), educational outcomes (knowledge, skills, self-efficacy), and implementation-related outcomes (reach, engagement, feasibility in real-world settings).
Was building a VR tool by itself enough?
No. The FOA made it clear that the goal was not simply to build a VR tool. Applicants were expected to test clear hypotheses using rigorous studies capable of demonstrating effects on relevant outcomes.
What were the two major goals of the FOA?
First, to develop VR technologies as research tools for behavioral science studies in obesity and diabetes (for example, using controlled but realistic scenarios to observe decision-making and measure responses). Second, to advance VR toward practical use as a prevention and management tool at clinical and public health levels, extending learning and care beyond the clinic into everyday settings where decisions are made.
What does it mean that VR could be used as a "research tool" in this FOA?
It meant VR could create controlled yet realistic scenarios that help researchers study decision-making, test interventions, and measure responses in ways that can be difficult to achieve in standard laboratory or clinic environments.
What does it mean that VR could be used as a "prevention and management tool"?
It meant VR interventions could be designed for practical use to help people learn, stay motivated, practice behaviors, and receive meaningful feedback in engaging formats, with the broader goal of supporting obesity and diabetes prevention and ongoing management.
What types of expertise did NIH expect on the project team?
The FOA emphasized multidisciplinary teams combining VR technical expertise (such as software development, human-computer interaction, simulation design, or immersive media) with biomedical, behavioral, and educational science expertise (such as psychology, behavior change theory, diabetes education, nutrition science, kinesiology, learning science, or clinical care delivery).
What kinds of study designs or evidence expectations were implied?
The FOA stressed rigorous, hypothesis-testing studies that can credibly demonstrate measurable effects on outcomes relevant to obesity and diabetes, including behavioral, clinical, educational, and implementation outcomes.
What kinds of endpoints might a project measure under this FOA?
The FOA gave examples spanning behavioral endpoints (dietary choices, adherence, activity levels, self-monitoring), clinical endpoints (weight, glycemic control, risk factors), educational endpoints (knowledge, skills, self-efficacy), and implementation endpoints (reach, engagement, feasibility in real-world settings).
What did NIH mean by using VR because it offers a "unique advantage"?
It meant the application should justify VR based on capabilities that directly strengthen the science or the intervention, such as realistic immersion, safe practice of skills, real-time tailored feedback, and improved visualization of consequences and outcomes, rather than using VR primarily for novelty.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA stated that it did not require cost sharing or matching.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad across U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants included state and local governments (including state governments, counties, cities/townships, and special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, tribal governments and tribal organizations, nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), and for-profit organizations (including small businesses and for-profits other than small businesses).
Were any specific institution types explicitly mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA also listed Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Were non-U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. The FOA stated that non-U.S. entities were not eligible to apply.
Were foreign components of U.S. organizations allowed?
No. The FOA indicated that foreign components of U.S. organizations were not allowed.
What thematic area or activity category was associated with the FOA?
The activity category was listed under Health, Income Security, and Social Services.
What CFDA coverage did the FOA reflect?
The CFDA numbers associated with the announcement reflected multiple NIH research domains (including sleep disorders, cardiovascular, lung, blood, and child health and human development research), consistent with obesity and diabetes having broad multi-system impacts.
What would NIH likely expect in a competitive application (based on the FOA description)?
Based on the FOA description, a strong application would be expected to: (1) articulate a clear rationale for why VR is necessary or superior for the research aim, (2) describe the VR intervention or experimental environment in detail, (3) specify measurable endpoints tied to obesity/diabetes prevention or management, and (4) include a team able to both build the VR system and evaluate it using rigorous biomedical, behavioral, and educational research methods.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full archived announcement was hosted on the NIH Grants Guide website at the link provided in the source data.
Who should be contacted for technical access issues related to the archived announcement?
Technical access issues were routed to the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact, as noted in the opportunity description.
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Next opportunity: Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes (R21)
Previous opportunity: Virtual Reality Technologies for Research and Education in Obesity and Diabetes (R43/R44)
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