Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 18 005
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Mechanisms Underlying the Contribution of Type 1 Diabetes Disease-associated Variants (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DK-18-005. It uses the R01 grant mechanism and is focused on basic and mechanistic research rather than clinical trials, meaning applicants are expected to propose laboratory, computational, and other non-interventional human studies aimed at understanding biology, not testing treatments or preventive interventions in people.
The core aim of the announcement is to support projects that explain how genetic risk factors for type 1 diabetes (T1D) actually contribute to disease. Many T1D-associated loci and variants have been identified through genetic studies, but pinpointing which genes and variants are truly causal, what they do in relevant cell types, and how they alter immune function or beta cell biology remains a major bottleneck. This FOA is intended to accelerate that next step: moving from association signals to specific mechanisms by determining the functional consequences of risk-associated genes and their variants. NIH emphasizes interest in applications from both integrative, multi-disciplinary teams and individual investigators, reflecting the expectation that successful proposals may combine genetics, functional genomics, immunology, beta cell biology, bioinformatics, and systems biology to connect variants to pathways and disease-relevant phenotypes.
In practical terms, the projects supported by this FOA are meant to clarify how disease-associated variants change gene regulation or protein function, which tissues and cell types are affected, and what downstream cellular processes are disrupted in a way that increases T1D risk. This could include mechanistic work in immune cells involved in autoimmunity, pancreatic islet cells that produce insulin, or other relevant tissues, as well as approaches that prioritize and validate causal variants within known risk regions. The overall outcome NIH is seeking is a more definitive map from variant to gene to function to disease mechanism, which can ultimately guide better targets for therapy or prevention even though the award itself does not support clinical trials.
The opportunity falls under the broad activity areas of health and food/nutrition and lists CFDA numbers 93.847 and 93.855. The stated award ceiling is $600,000, and the original closing date was December 6, 2018, with the opportunity created on April 3, 2018. While the listing does not specify the exact number of expected awards, it frames the program as a targeted push to advance functional understanding of T1D genetics.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. governmental entities (state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts), higher education institutions (public/state-controlled and private), and a range of nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including small businesses). It also includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), tribal organizations that are not federally recognized, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The FOA explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals NIH interest in drawing from a wide research community and supporting diverse institutions capable of contributing to mechanistic discovery in T1D genetics.
In summary, this R01 FOA is designed to fund mechanistic, non-clinical-trial research that converts known T1D genetic associations into concrete biological explanations. The emphasis is on identifying causal genes and variants, defining how they functionally alter relevant biology, and building a clearer mechanistic foundation that can later enable translational advances in type 1 diabetes.Apply for RFA DK 18 005
- The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mechanisms Underlying the Contribution of Type 1 Diabetes Disease-associated Variants (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847, 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-04-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-12-06. (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 $600,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Mechanisms Underlying the Contribution of Type 1 Diabetes Disease-associated Variants (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DK-18-005.
What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?
This funding opportunity uses the NIH R01 grant mechanism.
Is this opportunity intended to support clinical trials?
No. The FOA is explicitly "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," and it is focused on basic and mechanistic research rather than testing treatments or preventive interventions in people.
What types of studies are expected if clinical trials are not allowed?
Applicants are expected to propose laboratory, computational, and other non-interventional human studies that aim to understand underlying biology and mechanism (for example, how variants affect gene regulation or protein function), rather than evaluating interventions in humans.
What is the main goal of the FOA?
The central goal is to explain how genetic risk factors for type 1 diabetes (T1D) contribute to disease by moving from genetic association signals to specific causal variants/genes and their biological mechanisms in relevant tissues and cell types.
Why is NIH focusing on mechanisms for T1D-associated variants?
Many T1D-associated loci and variants have been identified through genetic studies, but determining which variants and genes are truly causal and understanding what they do in disease-relevant cell types remains a major bottleneck. This FOA is meant to accelerate that next step.
What kinds of research questions fit this FOA?
Projects are intended to clarify how disease-associated variants change gene regulation or protein function, which tissues and cell types are affected, and what downstream cellular processes are disrupted in ways that increase T1D risk.
What scientific areas or disciplines are relevant for proposed projects?
The FOA anticipates that successful applications may combine approaches from genetics, functional genomics, immunology, beta cell biology, bioinformatics, and systems biology to connect variants to pathways and disease-relevant phenotypes.
Does NIH prefer multi-disciplinary teams or individual investigators?
NIH states interest in applications from both integrative, multi-disciplinary teams and individual investigators.
Which tissues or cell types may be relevant under this FOA?
Examples mentioned include immune cells involved in autoimmunity and pancreatic islet cells (beta cells) that produce insulin, as well as other tissues relevant to T1D biology.
Does the FOA support work to identify and validate causal variants within known risk regions?
Yes. The FOA includes approaches that prioritize and validate causal variants within known T1D risk regions as part of moving from association to mechanism.
What outcome is NIH seeking from projects funded under this FOA?
NIH is seeking a more definitive map from variant to gene to function to disease mechanism, creating a mechanistic foundation that can guide future therapeutic or preventive target development (even though this FOA itself does not support clinical trials).
What are the listed activity areas for this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under broad activity areas of health and food/nutrition.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.847 and 93.855.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) stated in the listing?
The stated award ceiling is $600,000.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 3, 2018.
What was the original closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date was December 6, 2018.
Does the listing specify how many awards NIH expects to make?
No. The listing does not specify the exact number of expected awards, but it describes the program as a targeted push to advance functional understanding of T1D genetics.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S. governmental entities, higher education institutions (public and private), nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including small businesses), tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and other categories highlighted in the FOA.
Are state and local government entities eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
Are nonprofits and for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligibility includes nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations, including small businesses.
Are tribal entities eligible?
Yes. Eligibility includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized.
Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are included in the eligibility list.
Are certain institution types specifically highlighted as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights additional eligible categories including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, and faith-based or community-based organizations.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible federal agencies are listed among the eligible applicant categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included among eligible applicants.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Is this FOA mainly translational or mainly basic/mechanistic?
It is mainly basic and mechanistic, with an emphasis on understanding how T1D disease-associated variants functionally alter biology. While the knowledge can inform later therapy or prevention target development, the FOA itself is not for clinical trial testing.
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