Pilot Projects Investigating Understudied G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Ion Channels, and Protein Kinases (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA RM 18 021

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 18 021

The Pilot Projects Investigating Understudied G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Ion Channels, and Protein Kinases (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding opportunity (RFA-RM-18-021) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant mechanism designed to support small, focused pilot studies on a specific set of hard-to-study biological targets. The scientific emphasis is on "IDG-eligible" understudied proteins within three major target families that are central to modern biomedical research and drug discovery: non-olfactory G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), protein kinases, and ion channels. The goal is to push research on these less-characterized proteins beyond what the NIH-supported IDG Centers can accomplish on their own, while also showing, in real experimental settings, how useful the IDG program's reagents, datasets, and methodological approaches can be when used by the broader research community.

At a practical level, the opportunity is aimed at enabling early, proof-of-concept work that can clarify whether an understudied receptor, channel, or kinase has meaningful biological function, disease relevance, tractable pharmacology, or potential as a therapeutic target. Because it uses the R03 mechanism, projects are expected to be limited in scope, tightly justified, and structured to produce clear, interpretable outputs rather than large-scale multi-aim programs. Another core purpose is "validation" and "demonstration of utility" of IDG resources, meaning applicants are expected to leverage IDG-generated tools (such as chemical probes, antibodies, constructs, assays, interaction maps, omics datasets, or computational resources) and show that these assets can drive credible discovery when applied to specific understudied proteins. The clinical trial prohibition indicates that the proposed work must not include clinical trial activities; the intent is preclinical, mechanistic, tool-building, or target-characterization research rather than prospective interventional studies in humans.

The award information provided for this opportunity lists an award ceiling of $100,000, which signals that budgets should be modest and that the studies should be designed to be feasible within that funding limit. The activity category is Health under CFDA 93.310, and the instrument type is a Grant. The posted original closing date for applications was 2018-10-26, with a creation date of 2018-07-20, which places this as a time-bounded solicitation from that period rather than an always-open announcement.

Eligibility is broad across many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants 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 other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The solicitation also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

The announcement draws an important distinction regarding foreign involvement. While it references non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities in the list of "other eligible applicants," it then clarifies that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and that 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. In typical NIH terms, this means a U.S. applicant organization can include certain justified international collaborations or subcomponents (for example, a specific overseas site performing a defined set of experiments) as part of the project, but the primary applicant institution must be eligible and U.S.-based, and the structure must comply with NIH rules governing foreign components.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a targeted NIH pilot funding call meant to accelerate basic and translationally relevant knowledge about understudied GPCRs, ion channels, and kinases by enabling small, high-impact experiments. It is structured to broaden participation beyond the IDG Centers, spread the use of IDG tools and data throughout the community, and generate early findings and validated approaches that can support larger follow-on studies in future funding mechanisms.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pilot Projects Investigating Understudied G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Ion Channels, and Protein Kinases (R03 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): 93.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-07-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-10-26. (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 $100,000.00 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 RFA RM 18 021

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