Regulation of Brain Regional and Cell Type Specific Proteome Dynamics in Alzheimers Disease (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 20 041

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 20 041

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), within the Department of Health and Human Services, released this discretionary grant opportunity as RFA-AG-20-041, titled "Regulation of Brain Regional and Cell Type Specific Proteome Dynamics in Alzheimers Disease (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." It uses the R21 mechanism, which is designed to support early-stage, high-risk/high-reward projects that are exploratory and innovative rather than fully mature, large-scale research programs. As stated in the title and eligibility rules, clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, meaning the work should focus on basic, mechanistic, and preclinical research rather than testing interventions in human participants.

The scientific goal is to advance understanding of how protein composition and protein regulation change in Alzheimerapos;s disease across different brain regions and across specific cell types, with a strong emphasis on neurons and single-cell level biology in the central nervous system. The FOA is centered on "proteome dynamics," which generally refers not just to which proteins are present, but how protein abundance, turnover, modification, localization, and interaction networks shift over time, particularly during aging and along the trajectory of Alzheimerapos;s disease. A key theme is that Alzheimerapos;s-related changes may differ substantially depending on the brain region examined and the cell population studied, so approaches that can resolve these differences with high specificity are especially responsive.

This announcement encourages applicants to develop or apply novel proteomic platforms and enabling methods that can measure proteomic changes at finer resolution than traditional bulk tissue assays. In practice, this points toward technologies and workflows capable of capturing cell type-specific and ideally single-cell or near-single-cell proteomic information, along with approaches that can profile neuronal subtypes or discrete brain regions. In parallel, the FOA seeks the development or improvement of animal models that are better suited for studying how neuronal proteomes change during aging and in Alzheimerapos;s-like pathology, with the idea that improved models plus improved measurement platforms will make it possible to detect meaningful, mechanistically informative proteomic shifts that have been difficult to observe using standard tools.

From a programmatic and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized under health research and is associated with CFDA number 93.866. The listed eligible applicant organizations are broad and include many common research-performing entities, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and a range of governmental and tribal entities (state, county, municipal, special districts, federally recognized tribal governments, and other tribal organizations), as well as public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. This wide eligibility indicates NIH intended to attract proposals from academia, nonprofit research institutes, and industry groups with specialized technology development capabilities.

The funding parameters reflect the small, exploratory nature of an R21. The award ceiling is listed as $200,000, and the NIH anticipated making about 8 awards under this FOA. The announcement was created on June 26, 2019, with an original closing date of October 23, 2019, which places it as a time-limited solicitation aimed at quickly stimulating innovation in this niche area of Alzheimerapos;s biology and neuroproteomics.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted push to create and validate next-generation tools and preclinical approaches that can reveal how Alzheimerapos;s disease reshapes the neuronal and cell type-specific proteome across the brain, especially as organisms age. It is not positioned to fund late-stage translational trials, but rather the kind of platform-building and mechanistic groundwork that can later enable more definitive studies of disease pathways, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regulation of Brain Regional and Cell Type Specific Proteome Dynamics in Alzheimers Disease (R21 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): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 26, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 23, 2019. (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.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• 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).

Apply for RFA AG 20 041

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