Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 179
This National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity, titled "From Genomic Association to Causation: A Convergent Neuroscience Approach for Integrating Levels of Analysis to Delineate Brain Function in Neuropsychiatry (U01)," is designed to push neuropsychiatric research beyond identifying statistical genetic associations and toward building credible explanations of how biology produces psychopathology. The core aim is to support projects that can connect genetics and other biological mechanisms to brain function and, ultimately, to measurable behavioral outcomes, using a convergent neuroscience approach. In practice, that means developing research programs that do more than collect data at one scale (like genes or circuits) and instead explicitly link neighboring or "contiguous" levels of analysis, such as gene to molecule, molecule to cell, cell to circuit, circuit to systems-level brain function, and on to cognition, affect, and behavior.
A key emphasis of the announcement is causation or, when strict causality is not feasible, well-justified probabilistic linkages between levels of analysis. Applicants are expected to show how specific biological processes at one level contribute to quantifiable properties at another level, either through direct mechanistic pathways or through emergent phenomena that arise when many components interact. The FOA signals a preference (not a strict requirement) for studies that span at least three levels of analysis and that incorporate genetics as a central thread. The overall scientific vision is to create explanatory models of psychopathology that can account for complex neuropsychiatric outcomes in a way that is testable, measurable, and grounded in biology rather than being purely descriptive.
The program is built around team science and intentionally calls for highly synergistic, inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations. It encourages assembling convergent neuroscience teams that include not only neuroscientists but also experts from fields described as "orthogonal" to typical neuroscience training, such as data and computational science, physics, engineering, mathematics, and environmental sciences. The expectation is that these teams will either develop new methods and theories or creatively integrate existing approaches in ways that allow them to bridge levels of analysis. A major deliverable is the creation of conceptual and theoretical frameworks alongside computational explanatory models that connect contiguous levels of biological organization. These models are not intended to remain abstract; they are expected to be validated experimentally, meaning the project should include empirical strategies to test whether the proposed cross-level links actually hold and whether they help explain behavioral, cognitive, and affective features relevant to psychopathology.
Because this is a U01 cooperative agreement, the NIH anticipates substantial involvement in the project beyond a typical grant, usually through scientific coordination and programmatic stewardship consistent with cooperative mechanisms. The funding instrument and structure are meant to support ambitious, integrated efforts where coordination across disciplines, data types, and experimental approaches is central rather than optional. Another explicit program goal is to strengthen the broader convergent neuroscience ecosystem by promoting shared resources. Successful applications are therefore expected to include robust plans for sharing data, tools, and other resources so that the wider research community can build on what the funded teams produce, accelerating progress beyond the boundaries of any single project.
In terms of administrative details provided in the source information, the opportunity is listed as discretionary funding with a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01) under a health-related activity category, associated with CFDA number 93.242, and administered by the NIH. The funding opportunity number is PAR-17-179, with a creation date of 2017-02-27 and an original closing date of 2019-05-07. The listed award ceiling is $2,500,000. While the number of expected awards is not specified in the provided text, the ceiling indicates the program was structured to support large, complex projects consistent with multi-level, team-based research.
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types: state, county, and local 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 governments; public housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and certain non-U.S. entities and regional organizations. Overall, the eligibility language reflects an intent to invite participation from a wide range of institutional settings, including organizations that serve historically underrepresented communities and, where appropriate, international or regional partners.
Taken together, this FOA targets a specific gap in neuropsychiatric science: the frequent disconnect between genetic findings and actionable biological understanding of brain function and mental illness. It funds teams that can integrate genetics with multi-scale neuroscience, build computational and conceptual models that explain how mechanisms propagate across levels, and then test those models experimentally. Just as importantly, it expects those efforts to produce shareable resources that help define a community framework for convergent neuroscience, making the outputs useful beyond the immediate award period and awardee institutions.Apply for PAR 17 179
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "From Genomic Association to Causation: A Convergent Neuroscience Approach for Integrating Levels of Analysis to Delineate Brain Function in Neuropsychiatry (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-02-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-05-07. (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 $2,500,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "From Genomic Association to Causation: A Convergent Neuroscience Approach for Integrating Levels of Analysis to Delineate Brain Function in Neuropsychiatry (U01)."
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The main purpose is to move neuropsychiatric research beyond statistical genetic associations and toward credible, testable explanations of how biology produces psychopathology. Projects are expected to connect genetics and other biological mechanisms to brain function and, ultimately, to measurable behavioral outcomes using a convergent neuroscience approach.
What does "from genomic association to causation" mean in this context?
It refers to going beyond identifying genetic variants statistically associated with neuropsychiatric traits and instead building explanations for how specific biological mechanisms contribute to brain function and neuropsychiatric outcomes. When strict causality is not feasible, applicants are expected to propose well-justified probabilistic linkages between levels of analysis.
What is meant by a "convergent neuroscience approach"?
A convergent neuroscience approach means integrating data, methods, and theory across multiple, neighboring (contiguous) levels of analysis rather than focusing on a single scale. The approach emphasizes linking one level to the next (for example, gene to molecule to cell to circuit) to create explanatory models of neuropsychiatric outcomes.
What are examples of "levels of analysis" mentioned in the opportunity?
The opportunity describes linking contiguous levels such as gene to molecule, molecule to cell, cell to circuit, circuit to systems-level brain function, and then to cognition, affect, and behavior.
Does the FOA require projects to include multiple levels of analysis?
The FOA signals a preference (not a strict requirement) for studies that span at least three levels of analysis and that incorporate genetics as a central thread.
Is genetics required to be part of the project?
The FOA emphasizes incorporating genetics as a central thread and indicates a preference for projects that use genetics within multi-level integration, though it is presented as a preference rather than a strict requirement in the provided information.
What kind of linkages between levels of analysis are expected?
Applicants are expected to show how biological processes at one level contribute to quantifiable properties at another level. These connections can be framed as direct mechanistic pathways or as emergent phenomena that arise when many components interact.
What is the focus on causation versus correlation?
The FOA emphasizes causation where feasible, and otherwise expects well-supported probabilistic links. The goal is to produce explanatory models grounded in biology that can be tested and measured, rather than remaining purely descriptive.
What are the expected scientific deliverables of funded projects?
A major deliverable is the creation of conceptual and theoretical frameworks alongside computational explanatory models that connect contiguous levels of biological organization. These models are expected to be validated experimentally through empirical strategies that test the proposed cross-level links.
Are the computational and conceptual models expected to be tested?
Yes. The models are not intended to remain abstract; projects are expected to include experimental validation to determine whether the cross-level links hold and whether they help explain behavioral, cognitive, and affective features relevant to psychopathology.
What does "team science" mean for this program?
The program is designed for highly synergistic, inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations. Teams are expected to integrate expertise across disciplines so that coordination across data types, experiments, and analytical approaches is central to the research plan.
What kinds of disciplines are encouraged to participate?
In addition to neuroscience, the FOA encourages participation from fields described as orthogonal to typical neuroscience training, including data and computational science, physics, engineering, mathematics, and environmental sciences.
Does this opportunity encourage new methods and theories?
Yes. Teams are encouraged to develop new methods and theories or to creatively integrate existing approaches in ways that allow them to bridge contiguous levels of analysis.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
The mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, which is intended to support ambitious, integrated efforts and involves substantial NIH involvement beyond what is typical for non-cooperative mechanisms.
What does substantial NIH involvement mean under a U01 cooperative agreement?
Based on the provided information, NIH anticipates substantial involvement through scientific coordination and programmatic stewardship consistent with cooperative mechanisms, reflecting the expectation of coordinated, multi-disciplinary project execution.
Is data and resource sharing expected?
Yes. A stated program goal is to strengthen the broader convergent neuroscience ecosystem by promoting shared resources. Successful applications are expected to include robust plans for sharing data, tools, and other resources to support the wider research community.
Why is resource sharing emphasized in this FOA?
The FOA aims to accelerate progress beyond any single project by making outputs useful to the broader community, helping to build a shared framework for convergent neuroscience and enabling others to build on the funded work.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is PAR-17-179.
Who administers this opportunity?
This opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.242.
What is the activity category listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under a health-related activity category (as described in the provided information).
What type of funding is this listed as?
It is listed as discretionary funding with a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01).
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $2,500,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided information.
What is the creation date for this funding opportunity?
The creation date is listed as 2017-02-27.
What is the original closing date for this funding opportunity?
The original closing date is listed as 2019-05-07.
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and local 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 governments; public housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are institutions serving historically underrepresented communities included in eligibility?
Yes. The announcement highlights eligibility for organizations such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations.
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. The announcement includes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicants.
Are any non-U.S. entities eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility language includes certain non-U.S. entities and regional organizations (as stated in the provided information).
What scientific gap is this FOA trying to address?
It targets the common disconnect between genetic findings and actionable biological understanding of brain function and mental illness. The FOA supports work that integrates genetics with multi-scale neuroscience to produce explanatory, experimentally testable models of psychopathology.
What kinds of outcomes should projects ultimately connect to?
Projects are expected to connect biological mechanisms to brain function and ultimately to measurable behavioral outcomes, including cognitive and affective features relevant to psychopathology.
What does "contiguous levels of analysis" mean?
It means connecting neighboring levels of biological organization in a stepwise way (for example, gene to molecule to cell), rather than making disconnected jumps across scales without explaining the intermediate linkages.
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| From Genomic Association to Causation: A Convergent Neuroscience Approach for Integrating Levels of Analysis to Delineate Brain Function in Neuropsychiatry (Collaborative U01) Apply for PAR 17 176 Funding Number: PAR 17 176 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
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| Hearing Health Care for Adults: Improving Access and Affordability (R01) Apply for PA 17 202 Funding Number: PA 17 202 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Nutrition and Alcohol-Related Health Outcomes (R01) Apply for PA 17 211 Funding Number: PA 17 211 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Nutrition and Alcohol-Related Health Outcomes (R21) Apply for PA 17 213 Funding Number: PA 17 213 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Clinical Coordinating Center for NCCIH Multi-Site Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials of Mind and Body Interventions (Collaborative UG3/UH3) Apply for PAR 17 175 Funding Number: PAR 17 175 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mind and Body Intervention Multi-Site Clinical Trial Data Coordinating Center (U24) Apply for PAR 17 173 Funding Number: PAR 17 173 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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