Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 203
The NIH funding opportunity PAR 24-203, titled "Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," supports R01 research projects aimed at uncovering the biological mechanisms linking COVID-19 to Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD). The core purpose is to move beyond broad clinical observations and instead use controlled experimental systems to explain how SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19-related processes interact with brain pathways that matter for neurodegeneration, including how these interactions shape AD/ADRD-relevant pathology and cognitive outcomes. The emphasis is firmly on mechanistic, hypothesis-driven work rather than clinical trials, meaning applicants are expected to generate causal or pathway-level insight using experimental models rather than testing interventions in human participants.
The solicitation is designed for studies using animal models, cell culture systems, and/or human tissue-based models. A key requirement is that AD/ADRD biology must be integrated into the project in a meaningful way: either the model itself needs to incorporate AD/ADRD risk factors or pathology (for example, transgenic or knock-in AD models, genetic risk variants, or relevant aging and vascular features), or the study must include experimental readouts that directly assess AD/ADRD-relevant phenotypes. Those phenotypes could include classic neuropathologic features (such as amyloid, tau-related changes, neuroinflammation, synaptic and neuronal loss, vascular dysfunction, or blood-brain barrier alterations) and functionally relevant outcomes like cognition-linked measures in animal models or neuronal network function in advanced in vitro systems. The overall message is that COVID-19 is not being studied in isolation; it must be examined specifically in the context of mechanisms that intersect with AD/ADRD vulnerability, progression, or risk.
Within that framework, the NOFO highlights three main scientific directions. The first focuses on situations where AD/ADRD pathology is already present, asking applicants to determine how COVID-19 changes central nervous system pathology and cognitive outcomes in that setting. This line of work fits models that already display AD/ADRD-like features, and then tests how infection, viral proteins, inflammatory cascades, or downstream systemic effects of COVID-19 influence disease-relevant brain changes. The second direction targets prodromal or early-phase scenarios, where the model represents a pre-symptomatic stage and the question is whether COVID-19 accelerates the onset or pace of AD/ADRD pathology and cognitive deficits. This encourages studies that can capture early tipping points, including how an acute infection might produce lasting changes that shift trajectories toward neurodegeneration. The third direction addresses predisposition and risk, emphasizing mechanisms by which COVID-19 might increase future susceptibility to AD/ADRD or interact with established comorbidities and risk factors. In practice, that could mean dissecting cellular and molecular pathways that remain altered after infection, especially when layered onto risk contexts like aging biology, cardiometabolic disease, vascular dysfunction, genetic predisposition, or chronic inflammatory states, as long as the work stays mechanistic and model-based.
Administratively, this is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity using the R01 mechanism under the health funding category, with CFDA numbers 93.853 and 93.866. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $500,000, and the original closing date provided is 2024-10-04. While the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided source data, the structure and constraints are clear: applicants should propose rigorous, non-clinical-trial research plans that can definitively connect COVID-19-related biological events to AD/ADRD-relevant neuropathology and outcomes.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Domestic applicants can include state, county, city or township, and 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 not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and additional categories labeled as "Other." The NOFO also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign organizations. In short, the funding is structured to invite a wide range of institutions to tackle a focused scientific problem: clarifying the mechanistic links between COVID-19 and AD/ADRD-relevant brain changes using experimental models and AD/ADRD-informed endpoints, without conducting clinical trials.Apply for PAR 24 203
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD (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): 93.853, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-04. (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 $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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FAQs: NIH PAR-24-203 - Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
What is the NIH opportunity PAR-24-203?
PAR-24-203 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." It supports R01 research projects focused on understanding biological mechanisms that link COVID-19 (including SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19-related processes) with Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD).
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to move beyond broad clinical observations and generate mechanistic, pathway-level explanations for how COVID-19-related biological events interact with brain pathways relevant to neurodegeneration, shaping AD/ADRD-related pathology and outcomes (including cognition-relevant outcomes where applicable in models).
What grant mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism.
Are clinical trials allowed under this NOFO?
No. The opportunity is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." The emphasis is on mechanistic, hypothesis-driven research using controlled experimental systems rather than testing interventions in human participants.
What kinds of study systems are expected?
The solicitation is designed for research using animal models, cell culture systems, and/or human tissue-based models.
Does my project need to include AD/ADRD biology explicitly?
Yes. A key requirement is that AD/ADRD biology must be meaningfully integrated. This can be done by using models that incorporate AD/ADRD risk factors or pathology, and/or by including experimental readouts that directly assess AD/ADRD-relevant phenotypes.
What does it mean to integrate AD/ADRD risk factors or pathology into the model?
It means the experimental system should reflect AD/ADRD-relevant vulnerability or disease biology, such as transgenic or knock-in AD models, genetic risk variants, or relevant aging and vascular features, rather than studying COVID-19 effects in isolation.
What types of AD/ADRD-relevant phenotypes or endpoints are emphasized?
Examples include neuropathologic features like amyloid, tau-related changes, neuroinflammation, synaptic and neuronal loss, vascular dysfunction, and blood-brain barrier alterations. Functionally relevant outcomes may include cognition-linked measures in animal models or neuronal network function in advanced in vitro systems.
Can a proposal focus only on COVID-19 without AD/ADRD-relevant endpoints?
No. The overall message is that COVID-19 is not being studied in isolation; it must be examined specifically in the context of mechanisms that intersect with AD/ADRD vulnerability, progression, or risk, using AD/ADRD-informed models and/or AD/ADRD-relevant readouts.
What is the scientific emphasis of the NOFO: descriptive or mechanistic?
The emphasis is mechanistic and hypothesis-driven. Applicants are expected to produce causal or pathway-level insight using controlled experimental systems that connect COVID-19-related biological processes to AD/ADRD-relevant neuropathology and outcomes.
What are the main research directions highlighted in the NOFO?
The NOFO highlights three primary directions: (1) how COVID-19 changes central nervous system pathology and cognitive outcomes when AD/ADRD pathology is already present; (2) whether COVID-19 accelerates the onset or progression of pathology and deficits in prodromal or early-phase scenarios; and (3) mechanisms by which COVID-19 may increase future susceptibility to AD/ADRD or interact with comorbidities and established risk factors.
What does the first direction (existing AD/ADRD pathology) focus on?
It focuses on models where AD/ADRD-like pathology is already present and asks how SARS-CoV-2 infection, viral proteins, inflammatory cascades, or downstream systemic effects of COVID-19 influence disease-relevant brain changes and cognitive outcomes in that context.
What does the second direction (prodromal or early-phase) focus on?
It targets pre-symptomatic or early-stage models and asks whether COVID-19 accelerates the onset or pace of AD/ADRD pathology and cognitive deficits, including whether an acute infection produces lasting biological changes that shift trajectories toward neurodegeneration.
What does the third direction (predisposition and risk) focus on?
It emphasizes mechanistic pathways by which COVID-19 might increase future susceptibility to AD/ADRD or interact with comorbidities and established risk factors. This can include cellular and molecular pathways that remain altered after infection, especially when layered onto contexts such as aging biology, cardiometabolic disease, vascular dysfunction, genetic predisposition, or chronic inflammatory states, as long as the work remains mechanistic and model-based.
Is work on cognition required?
The NOFO emphasizes outcomes that are relevant to AD/ADRD, including cognitive outcomes where applicable (for example, cognition-linked measures in animal models). In in vitro systems, analogous functional outcomes such as neuronal network function are noted as relevant examples.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $500,000.
What is the closing date listed in the provided information?
The original closing date provided is 2024-10-04.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.853 and 93.866.
What is the funding category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under the health funding category.
How many awards will NIH make under this opportunity?
The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided source information.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Domestic applicants can include various levels of government (state, county, city or township, special district), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations not federally recognized, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other eligible categories noted as "Other."
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The information provided explicitly includes foreign organizations as eligible applicants.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among eligible applicants.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly included in the list of additional eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The NOFO explicitly calls out eligibility for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, and tribally controlled colleges and universities.
Are eligible federal agencies allowed to apply?
Yes. Eligible federal agencies are explicitly listed among additional eligible applicants.
What is NIH looking for in terms of rigor and study design?
The opportunity calls for rigorous, non-clinical-trial research plans that can definitively connect COVID-19-related biological events to AD/ADRD-relevant neuropathology and outcomes through mechanistic experimentation in controlled systems.
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