Funding Opportunities

Office of Special Populations continues the momentum in 2018

As we look forward to a bevy of fall activities, I’d like to update you on some of the Office of Special Populations’ (OSP) recent happenings and activities. Read on to find out what we’ve been doing and what we’re planning for the near future.

Sharing the wealth to increase Alzheimer's research

How do we grow a field rapidly? That’s the question that drove us when we began receiving large increases in support for research on Alzheimer’s disease and its related disorders—a total of $1.3 billion across fiscal years 2014–2018. What are the quickest ways to ensure increasing numbers of high-quality applications...

CALERIE Network aims to inspire, support new studies

The first study to specifically focus on the effects of sustained caloric restriction (CR) in humans—CALERIE (Comprehensive Assessment of the Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy)—collected a trove of biosamples and data. CALERIE investigators are now aiming to facilitate new studies and analyses that will take advantage of these resources.

Symposium celebrates open science, launches new data platform

It was great to see so many of you at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference last month! I was thrilled to catch up with colleagues, attend the special events, and learn about many new Alzheimer’s research findings. In case you missed it, NIA and the Alzheimer’s Association hosted a pre-conference symposium: “Enabling Precision Medicine for Alzheimer’s Disease Through Open Science.”

Yes! We mean NIA grantees too...

If we roll back the clock 12 months, we’ll see that, back then, NIA issued a call for administrative supplements for existing NIA grantees to add an aim on Alzheimer’s disease (and its related dementias) to a grant that was not already studying Alzheimer’s or its related dementias. This year, we decided to open the field up a little and include other NIH institutes.

BSR seeks wins in a new arena: AD/ADRD

March Madness—a time for bracket busting and bragging rights, Cinderella stories and unexpected outcomes. And, so it goes in NIA-supported research, too! We in the Division of Behavioral and Social Research have been developing our game in new directions—funding more research in Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD).

New opportunities announced for next-gen Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers grants

The NIA-supported Alzheimer’s Disease Centers (ADCs) have long been a crucial part of NIA’s overall Alzheimer’s disease program and have many accomplishments to their credit. During this time of expanding interest and support for Alzheimer’s research, NIA is introducing important changes to this Centers program.

A long story about a strange way to publish funding opportunities: Or, just another day at the office

Here we go again. Maybe. The U.S. House and Senate appropriations committees have written large increases into their appropriations bills for NIA—again in FY 2018—to expand research into Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD).

Regenerative medicine conference points to new research opportunities

Among the initiatives launched under the 21st Century Cures Act, which brought us the Cancer Moonshot, the BRAIN initiative, and the All of Us precision medicine program, is the Regenerative Medicine Innovation Project (RMIP). NIH, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is taking the lead on this exciting new venture, which seeks to accelerate clinical research on adult stem cells.

A new era of clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

You may have already heard that the NIA has awarded a new cooperative agreement establishing the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium (ACTC). We expect the ACTC to accelerate and expand studies for therapies in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. We hope you’ve also heard that the funding opportunity for ACTC trials is open. The first submission date for applications is March 29 and we strongly encourage interested investigators to reach out to the ACTC leadership and NIA well in advance.