Cutting Edge Informatics Tools for Illuminating the Druggable Genome (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA RM 21 020

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?

The funding opportunity is titled "Cutting Edge Informatics Tools for Illuminating the Druggable Genome (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-RM-21-020.

Which NIH program does this opportunity support?

This opportunity supports the Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) program, with a focus on developing advanced informatics capabilities that strengthen IDG resources and the broader research community working on druggable targets.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The main purpose is to build Cutting Edge Informatics Tools (CEITs) that improve how IDG-related data are handled end-to-end, including data processing, integration, analysis, interpretation, and visualization, especially to help researchers study understudied druggable targets.

What funding mechanism is used (and what does it mean for applicants)?

This FOA uses the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism. Under a cooperative agreement, awardees should expect substantial scientific and programmatic involvement from NIH and coordination with other components of the IDG Consortium, rather than operating as a fully independent, investigator-initiated project.

Are clinical trials allowed under this funding opportunity?

No. The opportunity is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" and is not intended to support clinical trials.

What category and CFDA number are associated with this opportunity?

The activity falls under the health category and is associated with CFDA 93.310.

What kinds of tools or products is NIH looking for?

The FOA emphasizes practical, deployable informatics tools that reduce barriers for scientists working with complex IDG-relevant datasets. Examples described at a high level include software, pipelines, platforms, and user-facing interfaces that help researchers process, analyze, integrate, and visualize diverse data relevant to drug discovery and target biology.

What are the major deliverables expected from funded projects?

The opportunity highlights three major deliverables: (1) develop and deploy tools that enhance the community's ability to process, analyze, and visualize IDG data; (2) provide methods and data resource prioritization that can be incorporated into Pharos; and (3) create approaches to prioritize which understudied targets should move forward for deeper experimental follow-up.

How does Pharos fit into this funding opportunity?

Pharos (https://pharos.nih.gov/idg/index) is the IDG knowledgebase and portal. The FOA calls for methods and data resource prioritization that can be incorporated into Pharos to strengthen predictions about physiological function and disease links for understudied proteins.

What scientific problem is this opportunity trying to address with Pharos improvements?

A central issue is that many understudied proteins have sparse literature and limited experimental characterization. The FOA seeks approaches that improve predictions of physiological function and disease association so those targets can be assessed with more confidence and context.

Which target families are specifically named for prioritization?

The FOA specifically names non-olfactory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), protein kinases, and ion channels as key IDG families where prioritization approaches are sought.

Why is prioritization of understudied targets emphasized?

The FOA aims to help determine which understudied targets within key drug-relevant families should move forward for deeper experimental follow-up, either within the IDG pipeline or by the broader research community, so experimental resources can be focused on the most promising targets.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and governmental entities, such as state/county/city 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/Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.

Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly notes additional eligible groups and institution types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and faith-based or community-based organizations.

Are federal agencies, U.S. territories, or regional organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA includes eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicants.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA indicates that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are eligible.

What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The excerpt lists an award ceiling of $300,000.

What is the closing date for this funding opportunity?

The original closing date provided is July 15, 2021.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The excerpt states that the funding opportunity was created on April 5, 2021.

Is the expected number of awards stated?

No. The excerpt notes that the expected number of awards is not provided.

How should applicants think about working with NIH and the broader IDG effort?

Because this is a U01 cooperative agreement, applicants should plan for substantial NIH scientific and programmatic involvement and for coordination with other components of the IDG Consortium, including alignment with IDG ecosystem needs and integration points such as Pharos.

What does "end-to-end" data handling refer to in this FOA?

In the context provided, "end-to-end" refers to improving workflows across data processing through downstream analysis, interpretation, and visualization, so researchers can more easily integrate and make sense of diverse datasets relevant to drug discovery and target biology.

What kinds of data does the FOA imply these tools should help researchers work with?

The FOA points to diverse datasets relevant to drug discovery and target biology, including multi-omics, chemical biology, target annotation, and disease association information, with an emphasis on making integration, analysis, and visualization easier for the community.

What is the overarching outcome NIH wants from these informatics tools?

The described outcome is a stronger IDG Knowledge Management Center (KMC) and a strengthened community-facing ecosystem where researchers can better analyze and prioritize understudied druggable targets, improving readiness for experimental follow-up and future drug discovery.