Anticipating an avalanche of applications: Alzheimer's and related dementias-focused supplements for non-Alzheimer's grants
December 11, 2019

Kimberly KRAMER,
Health Specialist,
Division of Extramural Activities (DEA).

We at NIA have again issued a Notice advertising a program through which NIH grantees can apply for administrative supplements to add Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) research components to grants that are not currently focused on AD. When NIA launched this program in FY 2018, we naively underestimated how popular it would prove! Now that we’ve reached our third year of offering these supplements, we know to brace ourselves for the coming onslaught of applications. We’re looking forward to welcoming strong responses from the 20+ participating NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices — and of course from our own grantees!

Encouraging research diversity

We’ve previously highlighted the great diversity of research funded under this AD/ADRD supplement program, and we’re happy to report that supplements funded in FY 2019 represented a similarly broad range of scientific topics. Here are just a few examples of research we supported:

• Exploring if pneumonias acquired while hospitalized can lead to cognitive impairment in intensive care settings.
• Assessing how epigenetic and biological aging accelerates the onset of AD/ADRD in people with Down syndrome.
• Investigating how chronic alcoholism alters the progression of AD/ADRD.
• Researching if our pet canines show Alzheimer’s-like symptoms too; the Dog Aging Project has added that question to its goals.

We are hoping to support a large variety of topics again in FY 2020!

Increase your chances at future funding success

Need extra incentive to apply? Consider this: The research you conduct through your AD/ADRD administrative supplement may generate preliminary data you can use when applying for NIA funding in the future. In fact, our initial analyses of this program indicate that having received an AD/ADRD administrative supplement increases your chances of subsequently receiving a research project grant from NIA. This is regardless of whether your subsequent grant is related to Alzheimer’s disease!

Apply now

For full instructions on applying for an AD/ADRD administrative supplement, refer to NOT-AG-20-008, “Notice of Special Interest: Alzheimer’s-focused administrative supplements for NIH grants that are not focused on Alzheimer’s disease.” (Remember to check that the IC that supports your grant is participating in this initiative!) Applications are due on March 6, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. local time of the applicant organization.

Do you have questions about the AD/ADRD administrative supplement program? Take a look at the program contacts listed in the Notice and reach out to the contact from the IC that supports your grant. Or, leave a comment below!