Mapping Interconnectivity Among Hallmarks of Aging under Lifespan Modifications (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 23 013

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 23 013

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Mapping Interconnectivity Among Hallmarks of Aging under Lifespan Modifications (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AG-23-013; CFDA 93.866) supports investigator-initiated research projects that aim to clarify how the major biological "hallmarks of aging" influence one another over time and how those interactions are controlled. The central theme is not simply to study any single hallmark in isolation, but to map the relationships among multiple hallmarks, identify which ones tend to appear earlier or later across the lifespan, and determine whether some hallmarks exert upstream control over others in a way that suggests a hierarchy. In practical terms, NIH is looking for mechanistic, integrative aging biology that can explain how age-related molecular and cellular changes connect and potentially reinforce or counterbalance each other.

A key scientific emphasis of the FOA is the concept of lifespan timing and context. Proposed studies should examine how hallmark interactions vary across different stages of normal aging, and across different cell types, tissues, or biological systems. The announcement also highlights an adaptive framing: applicants are encouraged to test whether cross-talk among hallmarks may sometimes represent compensatory or protective responses that help maintain function and health at specific life stages, rather than being uniformly harmful. This pushes projects toward designs that can distinguish cause from consequence and can capture dynamic, stage-specific biology instead of providing only static snapshots of aging.

This FOA is positioned as part of a coordinated set of three inter-connected announcements that share an overarching goal: using the hallmarks-of-aging framework to inspire innovative, cross-cutting research in aging biology. That means reviewers are likely to expect proposals to be explicitly aligned with "interconnectivity" and "regulation" across hallmarks, and to contribute broadly useful insights, maps, models, or conceptual frameworks that other researchers can build on. Because the mechanism is an R01, the program is oriented toward substantial, hypothesis-driven projects with clear aims, strong rationale, and rigorous experimental plans, rather than small pilot efforts.

The award mechanism is a discretionary grant under the NIH R01 activity, and clinical trials are not allowed under this specific announcement. In other words, the work should be non-clinical-trial research, which typically includes basic, translational, mechanistic, computational, or preclinical approaches, as long as they do not meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial. The source data lists an award ceiling of $300,000 (as provided in the opportunity record), and the original closing date was 2022-10-11, indicating this was a time-bound solicitation within that cycle.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Standard eligible applicants include state, county, city/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 that are not federally recognized governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA explicitly notes 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, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). The breadth of eligibility signals an intent to encourage diverse institutional participation and to draw on a wide range of expertise and resources.

Overall, this opportunity targets research that can explain how hallmark processes are linked, when and where those linkages matter during normal aging, and whether the body uses hallmark-to-hallmark interactions as an adaptive strategy at different life stages. The strongest applications under this FOA would be expected to move beyond cataloging age-related changes and instead deliver an interpretable picture of interaction networks, regulatory relationships, and temporal ordering across hallmarks in relevant biological contexts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mapping Interconnectivity Among Hallmarks of Aging under Lifespan Modifications (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): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-02-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-10-11. (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 $300,000.00 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 23 013

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