Characterization of Marmosets as Models of Aging and Age-Related Diseases (U34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 20 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 20 007

The NIH funding opportunity "Characterization of Marmosets as Models of Aging and Age-Related Diseases (U34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (RFA-AG-20-007) is a discretionary, health-focused cooperative agreement intended to accelerate the development and validation of the common marmoset as a laboratory animal model for studying aging biology and age-related diseases. The central purpose is not to run human clinical studies, but to build the foundational scientific and operational groundwork needed so that marmosets can be used more consistently, rigorously, and informatively in aging research. In practical terms, the FOA is aimed at supporting planning and preparatory activities that help the research community understand how marmosets age, what normal aging looks like in this species, what measurements are reliable and reproducible, and how age-associated conditions can be detected and tracked in ways that are relevant to human aging.

This opportunity uses the cooperative agreement mechanism (U34), which generally signals substantial scientific or programmatic involvement from NIH staff compared with a traditional investigator-initiated grant. The intent is typically to support structured planning, protocol development, and coordination activities that can lead to stronger, more standardized future research efforts. Because the FOA is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," applications are expected to stay on the non-clinical-trial side of NIH policy, meaning they should not propose studies designed to prospectively assign human participants to an intervention in order to evaluate health-related outcomes. The focus here is on preclinical and model-development work centered on marmosets.

The program sits under the NIH, with an associated CFDA number of 93.866, and the activity category is listed as Health. The award ceiling is $225,000, indicating a modest budget consistent with planning, characterization, standardization, and preliminary infrastructure-type activities rather than large-scale, multi-year experimental programs. The original closing date for applications was October 22, 2019, and the FOA creation date was June 14, 2019. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided listing, which often means it may vary depending on application quality, program priorities, and available funds.

A wide range of domestic applicant organizations are eligible. These include state, county, and 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; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; certain tribal organizations; 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 explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as 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, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This broad eligibility is meant to encourage participation from many institutional types, including those that serve underrepresented communities and those with specialized research or animal-resource capabilities.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in its Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In effect, the work supported under this FOA must be carried out within eligible U.S.-based institutional structures without foreign components, which simplifies oversight and aligns with NIH policy and program goals for this specific initiative.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted NIH effort to strengthen the scientific foundation for using marmosets in aging and age-related disease research. By supporting coordinated characterization work, the program aims to make marmoset-based studies more interpretable and comparable across labs, improve the quality of aging-related phenotyping and measurement, and ultimately help the broader research ecosystem assess when and how this primate model can responsibly and effectively inform human aging and disease mechanisms.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Characterization of Marmosets as Models of Aging and Age-Related Diseases (U34 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 2019-06-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-10-22. (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 $225,000.00 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 AG 20 007

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