New Research Directions that Advance the NHLBI Strategic Vision Normal Biology (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 19 049

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 19 049

This funding opportunity, titled "New Research Directions that Advance the NHLBI Strategic Vision - Normal Biology (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (PA 19-049), is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) program announcement from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It uses the R21 mechanism, which is designed for early-stage, exploratory, or pilot projects that test new ideas, generate preliminary data, or open up fresh research directions. A key boundary is that clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, so proposed work needs to focus on basic, mechanistic, or preclinical studies rather than interventional human trials.

The main scientific purpose is to strengthen the foundation for future advances in diagnosing and treating heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) disorders by improving what is known about normal biology. NHLBI is emphasizing that understanding disease often starts with understanding how healthy systems are built and maintained: how molecular pathways operate, how cells and tissues function in normal conditions, and what happens when those systems are stressed. Within that theme, the announcement highlights a particular interest in resilience, meaning the biological processes that help some individuals maintain normal function or recover it despite aging or exposures that might lead others to develop disease. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for fundamental studies that explain why normal function persists in some settings and fails in others, with the idea that mapping these protective mechanisms can reveal new prevention strategies, therapeutic targets, biomarkers, or ways to stratify risk.

The FOA is positioned as supporting research that aligns with Objective 1 of the NHLBI Strategic Vision, which focuses on advancing understanding of normal biology and building knowledge about resilience and fundamental mechanisms that set the stage for later translational or clinical progress. The work supported is described as "pilot studies," and it is specifically aimed at enabling new research directions, including higher-risk ideas that are not yet ready for a larger R01 but are important enough to justify an exploratory award.

Eligibility is broad in the typical NIH sense and includes many U.S.-based applicant types across government, higher education, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly calls out several institution categories as eligible applicants, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and certain regional organizations.

On the foreign eligibility rules, the announcement draws a clear line: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. In other words, a U.S. applicant can include a foreign component in the project when scientifically justified and compliant with NIH policy, but a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health funding activity area, with CFDA numbers listed as 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, and 93.840. The award ceiling shown in the provided data is $200,000, consistent with the smaller, exploratory nature of the R21 mechanism. The original closing date provided is 2022-01-07, and the record creation date is 2018-11-01, indicating this was an active program announcement during that period (applicants would still need to confirm the current status and any subsequent reissues or updates if searching today).

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NHLBI support for short, focused, non-clinical-trial projects that deepen knowledge of how HLBS systems function under normal conditions and how resilience is biologically achieved. The expectation is that these pilots will produce insights or preliminary evidence that can propel the field toward future, larger studies and ultimately inform better approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating HLBS diseases.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "New Research Directions that Advance the NHLBI Strategic Vision Normal Biology (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): 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-07. (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: 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.

Apply for PA 19 049

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: