Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer's Disease and AD Related Dementias (T32 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 18 524

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 524

The NIH funding opportunity PAR-18-524 supports Institutional Training Grants (T32) designed to build a strong, diverse pipeline of scientists prepared for translational Alzheimer`s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) research. The main goal is workforce development: helping institutions train predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers to effectively participate in, and eventually lead, cross-disciplinary team science efforts that move promising discoveries toward therapies. The emphasis is on translational research capacity, meaning trainees are expected to gain practical skills that connect foundational biology to real-world therapeutic development, rather than staying confined to a single academic discipline.

A central feature of the program is interdisciplinarity. NIH is looking for training programs that intentionally bring together trainees from varied educational backgrounds, including basic biology, translational and clinical research, and data science. The expectation is that the institutional program will teach trainees how to work across traditional boundaries and understand the full therapy-development landscape for AD/ADRD. That includes core knowledge of disease biology, competence in data science approaches relevant to modern biomedical research, and exposure to both traditional and emerging drug discovery disciplines. The FOA is aimed at training that is rigorous and up to date, reflecting how current AD/ADRD research often relies on integrated teams that combine wet-lab biology, computational methods, and clinically informed translational strategy.

This is an institutional training mechanism, meaning the applicant organization proposes and runs a structured training program rather than funding an individual trainee directly. The supported programs are meant to provide a coherent training environment, mentorship structure, and curriculum or training experiences that prepare trainees to contribute to cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research directions in AD/ADRD. Even though the research spectrum mentioned includes clinical research, the FOA is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," indicating that while trainees may learn about clinical research and translational pathways, the supported training program is not intended to include conducting clinical trials under this award.

Eligible applicants are broad and include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments. The announcement also highlights additional eligible 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, and U.S. territories or possessions. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, reinforcing that the training program must be based within eligible U.S. entities and locations as defined in the FOA.

Administratively, the opportunity is a discretionary NIH grant in the health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA 93.866. The original closing date listed is January 7, 2021, and the opportunity was created on December 21, 2017. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided details, and the expected number of awards is not listed here, so applicants would need to refer to the full funding announcement for budget guidance, program scale expectations, and other application requirements. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NIH investing in institutional training infrastructure to produce the next generation of AD/ADRD translational scientists who can operate in team-based, data-informed, therapy-focused research environments.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Institutional Training Programs to Advance Translational Research on Alzheimer's Disease and AD Related Dementias (T32 - 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 2017-12-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Others.

Apply for PAR 18 524

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