From Genomic Association to Causation: A Convergent Neuroscience Approach for Integrating Levels of Analysis to Delineate Brain Function in Neuropsychiatry (U01) | PAR 17 179

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.

• 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.

Apply for PAR 17 179

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