Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 112
This funding opportunity, titled "Understanding Mechanisms and Outcomes of Trained Immunity (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (PAR-24-112), is a discretionary National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project grant (R01) focused on advancing the science of trained immunity, also described as innate immune memory. The core goal is to support studies that explain the basic biological mechanisms that drive trained immunity, identify measurable biomarkers that indicate when and how trained immunity is occurring, and clarify what trained immunity actually does in real immune contexts. A key boundary of this announcement is that it does not allow clinical trials, so the emphasis is on mechanistic, translational, and discovery-oriented research rather than interventional clinical testing.
The NOFO highlights three broad areas where trained immunity is especially relevant and where NIH is seeking deeper understanding. First, it encourages research on how trained immunity shapes immune system development and overall immune function, which can include how early-life exposures, infections, microbiome-related signals, or environmental stimuli influence innate immune programming over time. Second, it supports work examining how trained immunity affects protection against vaccines or natural infections, including why certain exposures might enhance or blunt later immune responses, how innate training interacts with adaptive immunity, and what immune signatures predict better or worse protective outcomes. Third, it welcomes research exploring trained immunity in conditions where immune responses become harmful or misdirected, such as allergic diseases, autoimmune disorders, and rejection of organ, tissue, or cell transplants. In this last category, the focus is on understanding how innate immune memory could contribute to inflammation, tissue damage, graft rejection risk, or disease flares, and how biomarkers might help anticipate these outcomes.
Because the opportunity explicitly calls out mechanisms and biomarkers, strong applications will typically be built around clearly testable hypotheses about underlying biology, such as cellular and molecular pathways, metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming, persistence and durability of trained states, and the identity and behavior of innate immune cells involved (for example, monocytes/macrophages, NK cells, and progenitor or stem-cell-associated contributions). Biomarker-oriented aims could include developing or validating assays and signatures that reflect trained immunity status, magnitude, or functional consequences, with an eye toward reproducibility and usefulness across models or populations. Even though clinical trials are not allowed, studies can still be relevant to human health through observational human immunology, use of human samples, ex vivo functional assays, computational analyses, or preclinical and mechanistic model systems designed to illuminate human disease and vaccine biology.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations and institutions. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township 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 that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations as permitted. The NOFO also specifically notes additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth suggests NIH is encouraging wide participation across different research settings, including institutions serving underrepresented populations and organizations outside the United States when scientifically justified.
Administratively, the opportunity is in the health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.855. It was created on January 25, 2024, and lists an original closing date of January 7, 2027, indicating a multi-year window during which applications may be accepted according to the NOFO schedule. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided source data, and the expected number of awards is also not listed, which typically means applicants should refer to the full NIH announcement and standard R01 budget guidance and institute-specific policies to understand realistic budget expectations and paylines.
In practical terms, this NOFO is aimed at researchers who can connect the emerging concept of trained immunity to clear biological mechanisms and measurable indicators, and then link those findings to meaningful immune outcomes in development, vaccination and infection, and immune-mediated diseases like allergy, autoimmunity, and transplant rejection. It is a good fit for teams combining immunology, systems biology, genomics/epigenomics, metabolism, bioinformatics, and model-based experimentation, especially when the work can produce broadly useful mechanistic insights and biomarker tools that clarify when trained immunity helps and when it harms.Apply for PAR 24 112
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Understanding Mechanisms and Outcomes of Trained Immunity (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-07.
- 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)
1) What is the title and number of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Understanding Mechanisms and Outcomes of Trained Immunity (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and the identifier provided is PAR-24-112.
2) What type of grant is this?
This is a discretionary National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project grant (R01).
3) What is the main scientific focus of this NOFO?
The focus is trained immunity (also called innate immune memory). The goal is to advance understanding of the basic biological mechanisms that drive trained immunity, identify measurable biomarkers of trained immunity, and clarify the real immune outcomes associated with trained immunity in relevant contexts.
4) Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The opportunity explicitly states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," so the emphasis is on mechanistic, translational, and discovery-oriented research rather than interventional clinical testing.
5) If clinical trials are not allowed, can research still involve human-relevant work?
Yes. Even without clinical trials, studies can be human-health relevant through observational human immunology, use of human samples, ex vivo functional assays, computational analyses, and preclinical/mechanistic model systems designed to illuminate human disease and vaccine biology.
6) What are the core goals NIH is looking for in applications?
The information provided emphasizes three core goals: (1) explaining the basic biological mechanisms driving trained immunity, (2) identifying measurable biomarkers that indicate when and how trained immunity is occurring, and (3) clarifying what trained immunity does in real immune contexts (its functional outcomes).
7) What are the main research areas highlighted as priorities for trained immunity?
The NOFO highlights three broad areas: (1) how trained immunity shapes immune system development and overall immune function, (2) how trained immunity affects protection against vaccines or natural infections, and (3) how trained immunity contributes to harmful or misdirected immune responses such as allergy, autoimmunity, and transplant rejection.
8) What types of early-life or environmental factors are mentioned as relevant to immune development and trained immunity?
The opportunity notes that studies may include how early-life exposures, infections, microbiome-related signals, or environmental stimuli influence innate immune programming over time.
9) What kinds of vaccine- and infection-related questions fit this NOFO?
Examples described include understanding why certain exposures might enhance or blunt later immune responses, how innate training interacts with adaptive immunity, and what immune signatures predict better or worse protective outcomes following vaccination or natural infection.
10) How does the NOFO describe trained immunity in immune-mediated diseases and transplant settings?
It welcomes research on trained immunity in conditions where immune responses become harmful or misdirected, including allergic diseases, autoimmune disorders, and rejection of organ, tissue, or cell transplants. The focus is on how innate immune memory may contribute to inflammation, tissue damage, graft rejection risk, or disease flares, and how biomarkers might help anticipate these outcomes.
11) What does NIH mean by "mechanisms" in the context of this NOFO?
Applications are expected to center on clearly testable hypotheses about underlying biology. Mechanistic examples named include cellular and molecular pathways, metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming, the persistence and durability of trained states, and the identity and behavior of innate immune cells involved.
12) Which innate immune cell types are specifically mentioned?
The opportunity gives examples including monocytes/macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and progenitor or stem-cell-associated contributions.
13) What kinds of biomarker work does this NOFO appear to encourage?
Biomarker-oriented aims could include developing or validating assays and signatures that reflect trained immunity status, magnitude, or functional consequences, with attention to reproducibility and usefulness across models or populations.
14) Does the NOFO emphasize reproducibility for biomarkers?
Yes. The description explicitly notes an emphasis on reproducibility and on biomarkers being useful across models or populations.
15) What does the NOFO suggest about linking biomarkers to outcomes?
Based on the description provided, the intent is not only to measure trained immunity but also to connect those measurements to meaningful immune outcomes in development, vaccination/infection, and immune-mediated disease settings.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad, including many organization types such as government entities (state, county, city/township, and special districts), independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, non-federally recognized tribal organizations, public/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education within those nonprofit categories as stated), for-profit organizations (including other than small businesses), small businesses, and other organizations as permitted.
17) Are U.S. territories and possessions included in the eligible applicant categories?
Yes. The NOFO specifically notes eligibility for U.S. territories or possessions.
18) Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The information provided states that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are included among eligible applicants.
19) Does the NOFO call out specific institution types, such as minority-serving institutions?
Yes. It specifically notes categories including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). It also mentions faith-based or community-based organizations.
20) Is this opportunity associated with a specific funding activity category and CFDA number?
Yes. It is described as being in the health funding activity category and associated with CFDA number 93.855.
21) When was this funding opportunity created, and what is the closing date listed?
The opportunity was created on January 25, 2024, and the original closing date listed is January 7, 2027. The multi-year window suggests applications may be accepted according to the NOFO schedule.
22) Is there an award ceiling stated in the provided information?
No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided source data.
23) Is the expected number of awards provided?
No. The expected number of awards is not listed in the provided information.
24) What does the lack of an award ceiling and expected number of awards imply for applicants?
Based on the description provided, it suggests applicants may need to rely on the full NIH announcement and standard R01 budget guidance and institute-specific policies to understand realistic budget expectations and likely award volume.
25) What kinds of research approaches or team capabilities seem well-aligned with this NOFO?
The description indicates a strong fit for teams that can connect trained immunity to clear biological mechanisms and measurable indicators, and link them to meaningful immune outcomes. It notes relevant strengths such as immunology, systems biology, genomics/epigenomics, metabolism, bioinformatics, and model-based experimentation.
26) What is the overall purpose of the NOFO in practical terms?
In practical terms, it aims to produce broadly useful mechanistic insights and biomarker tools that clarify when trained immunity is beneficial (for example, supporting protection in vaccination/infection contexts) and when it may be harmful (for example, contributing to allergy, autoimmunity, or transplant rejection).
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