Find Funding Opportunities

This RFA is soliciting applications proposing placebo-controlled, clinical trials to determine the efficacy and safety of FDA approved monoclonal antibody therapies directed against amyloid compared to placebo in diverse "mixed dementia" populations with a focus on Lewy Body Dementias (LBD). In this NOFO the mixed-etiology dementias (MED) that are of interest and that are in scope are cognitive impairment and dementia cases positive for 1) canonical Alzheimers pathology biomarkers (for example, amyloid deposition assessed using positron emission tomography and/or low cerebrospinal fluid amyloid beta 42 combined with elevated phosphorylated tau; and 2) a clinical LBD diagnosis, i.e. Parkinsons disease dementia (PDD) and/or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Bayesian approaches with response adaptive randomization to examine specific subgroups are encouraged. Successful applications will be powered to determine efficacy in diverse populations representative of the distribution of the disease in the United States by sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic distribution. Applications must include elements of patient and community engagement that are incorporated into all stages of program development and at all levels of the organizational structure.

Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRC) (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)

The purpose of this Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutionsis to support small scale research grants at institutions that do not receive substantial funding from the NIH, with an emphasis on providing biomedical research experiences primarily for undergraduate students, and enhancing the research environment at applicant institutions. Eligible institutions must award baccalaureate science degrees and have received no more than $6 million dollars per year of NIH support (in both direct and F and A/indirect costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years. For institutions composed of multiple schools and colleges, the $6 million funding limit is based on the amount of NIH funding received by all the non-health professional schools and colleges within the institution as a whole. See Part II. Section 3.1 Eligible Organizations for more information.

The purpose of this Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions is to support small scale research grants at institutions that do not receive substantial funding from the NIH, with an emphasis on providing biomedical research experiences primarily for undergraduate students and enhancing the research environment at applicant institutions. Eligible institutions must award baccalaureate science degrees and have received no more than $6 million dollars per year of NIH support (in both direct and F and A/indirect costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years. For institutions composed of multiple schools and colleges, the $6 million funding limit is based on the amount of NIH funding received by all the non-health professional schools and colleges within the institution as a whole. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports investigator-initiated mechanistic and/or minimal risk clinical trials addressing the mission and research interests of the participating NIH institutes. For the purpose of this NOFO, minimal risk clinical trials are defined as those that do not require FDA oversight, do not intend to formally establish efficacy, and have low risks to potentially cause physical or psychological harm.

This FOA encourages applications for the Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program for the purpose of supporting the research activities during the early stage careers of independent clinical researchers. The program offers the opportunity for a unique bridge between the NIH intramural and extramural research communities and contains two phases. In the first phase, Lasker Scholars will receive appointments for up to 5-7 years as tenure-track investigators within the NIH Intramural Research Program with independent research budgets. In the second phase, successful scholars will receive up to 3 years of NIH support for their research at an extramural research facility; or, the Scholar can be considered to remain as an investigator within the intramural program.

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to support research that 1) defines associations between variations in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genetic regions and immune-mediated diseases, 2) elucidates mechanisms underlying these associations with the goal of advancing therapeutic opportunities, and/or 3) validates association data in order to improve the predictive power of clinical disease screening.

This NOFO will solicit R01 applications that propose studies in animal, cell culture, and/or human tissue models to elucidate the mechanisms by which COVID-19 interacts with and/or modulates AD/ADRD-relevant phenotypes. Either the model itself or the experimental readouts will be required to incorporate AD/ADRD risk factors, pathologies, or relevant comorbidities. To this end, proposals can focus on one or more of the following: - Mechanistic studies that address how COVID-19 impacts CNS pathology and cognitive outcomes when AD/ADRD pathology is already present (for example, in a model of AD/ADRD). - Mechanistic studies that address how COVID-19 accelerates AD/ADRD pathology and cognitive deficits in a prodromal model (early phase, pre-symptomatic). - Mechanistic studies that address how COVID-19 predisposes for AD/ADRD and/or interacts with relevant comorbid conditions and risk factors (cellular mechanisms that could potentially increase the risk for future AD/ADRD).

This initiative is designed to promote discovery of cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie brain blood vessels responses to passive anti-beta-amyloid immunotherapy that result in amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA). The goal is to establish an understanding of molecular mechanisms that can be targeted to protect the blood brain barrier (BBB), and thus the brain blood vessels, during therapeutic interventions that target beta-amyloid.

(Reissue of RFA-NS-16-021, PAR-18-413, RFA-NS-19-039) Diffuse brain white matter disease is highly prevalent in the elderly, and has been clinically associated with vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) in both men and women. Diffuse white matter disease is thought to include a variety of pathologies including demyelination and/or fiber loss due to multifocal infarction and local ischemia. It is often accompanied by arteriosclerosis in deep penetrating arteries, multiple infarcts in the basal ganglia, brainstem or cerebellum. Though most commonly extending out from the periventricular surfaces, it may also occur in subcortical white matter. Diffuse white matter disease is typically detected in clinical settings as hyperintensity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or signal loss on computed tomography x-ray (CT) scan; diffuse white matter disease can be detected histologically as well, for example in human pathology and in studies using animal models. Despite the prevalence and potential significance of white matter disease for cerebrovascular disease etiology and cognitive outcomes, much remains to be learned about the cellular and molecular causes, regional vulnerability, and progression over time. The physiological consequences of diffuse white matter disease on local axon and neural circuit function are almost completely unknown. The purpose of this FOA is to address some of the many gaps in knowledge of the biologic mechanisms of the commonly occurring, cerebrovascular disease and age-related diffuse white matter disease at the molecular, cellular, tissue and brain circuit level. The ultimate goal of this fundamental research is to inform future efforts to reduce the burden of illness due to age-related vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia.

This is a non-competitive funding opportunity intended to fund a single award. NCATS is announcing its intent to issue a single source cooperative agreement to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) to support the Data Management and Coordinating Center. The Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) is intended to advance and improve diagnosis, management, and treatment of numerous, diverse rare diseases through highly collaborative, multi-site, patient-centric, translational, and clinical research with an emphasis on early and timely identification of individuals with rare diseases and clinical trial readiness. The DMCC facilitates and supports the activities of each individual Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (RDCRC) along with trans-network activities that broadly facilitate the advancement of rare disease research via four avenues: administrative support, data management support, clinical research support and patient engagement, and broad dissemination of information. The RDCRCs will continue conducting research conducted under a separate NOFO.