Limited Competition: NIA Genome Center for Alzheimer's Disease (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 19 288

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 288

This grant opportunity, PAR 19-288, is a limited-competition Funding Opportunity Announcement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Institute on Aging (NIA), to continue operating the NIA Genome Center for Alzheimer's Disease (GCAD). The award mechanism is a U54 cooperative agreement, which usually means the funded Center would not just receive funds and operate independently, but would work closely with NIH program staff under a cooperative, partner-style relationship. The announcement is explicitly marked "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," so the work supported under this award is meant to be analytical, computational, and resource-oriented rather than involving the conduct of clinical trials.

The core purpose of the award is to keep GCAD running as the central hub that supports the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP). In practical terms, GCAD is expected to function as the focal point for critical data and analysis stages across ADSP, including quality control (QC) checking for sequencing and related genomic datasets, harmonizing data so that it can be compared and combined across multiple cohorts and studies, and conducting or coordinating meta-analyses that synthesize evidence across datasets. The FOA frames GCAD as supporting a major component of ADSP's overall analysis pipeline, meaning this is not a small add-on function; it is a central, enabling infrastructure for turning large-scale Alzheimer's genomics data into reliable results.

The scientific and public health aim is to strengthen a multidisciplinary, genetics-driven approach to understanding Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (ADRD). By improving QC, harmonization, and meta-analysis across ADSP efforts, GCAD helps ensure that downstream findings about genetic risk factors, protective variants, biological pathways, and potential drug targets are based on well-curated and consistently processed data. The FOA emphasizes that the Center serves as a national resource with the specific goal of identifying potential avenues for therapeutic development and disease prevention, which positions GCAD as an enabling platform that supports discovery and translation rather than a single-investigator research project.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations that commonly apply for NIH funding. Eligible applicant types include state, county, and 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; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories or possessions are also included among the other eligible applicants listed.

At the same time, the announcement draws clear lines regarding foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant could potentially include certain kinds of international collaboration or activities if they meet NIH's definition and are properly justified and compliant, even though the applicant itself must be domestic.

From an administrative standpoint, the listing notes this is a discretionary grant in the health area and provides the CFDA number 93.866. The original closing date shown is September 25, 2022, and the creation date for the opportunity record is May 23, 2019. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided excerpt, and the expected number of awards is not listed. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as support for a centralized, high-impact genomics analysis and data coordination center that underpins national Alzheimer's sequencing efforts by ensuring data quality, consistency, and robust combined analyses across studies.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: NIA Genome Center for Alzheimer's Disease (U54 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): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-05-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-09-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 19 288

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