Large scale mapping and/or molecular profiling of ensembles and/or cell-types mediating opioid action in the rodent brain (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 182

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Large scale mapping and/or molecular profiling of ensembles and/or cell-types mediating opioid action in the rodent brain (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."

2) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA listing?

The funding opportunity number is PAR 20 182, and the CFDA number provided is 93.279.

3) What grant mechanism does this program use?

This program uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism.

4) Are clinical trials allowed under this announcement?

No. The opportunity is explicitly limited to non-clinical trial research. Projects must stay in the preclinical or basic research space and should not test interventions in humans.

5) What is the overall purpose of this announcement?

The main goal is to accelerate large-scale, systematic research that identifies and characterizes the brain cells and cell groups involved in opioid biology in rodents.

6) What kinds of opioid-related cells or cell groups is NIH trying to map and profile?

NIH is interested in cellular ensembles and/or distinct cell types that:

• Produce opioids
• Respond to opioids
• Serve as primary pharmacological targets of opioid drugs

7) What species or model system is the focus of this opportunity?

The focus is on the rodent brain.

8) What types of approaches does NIH emphasize for this opportunity?

The announcement emphasizes innovative, scalable, and high-throughput technologies that can create detailed inventories and registrations of opioid-related cell types and ensembles.

9) Is single-cell resolution expected or preferred?

Yes. A key emphasis is on approaches capable of single-cell resolution, so mapping can pinpoint specific neuronal and non-neuronal populations rather than only broad brain regions.

10) What are the core scientific aims NIH expects projects to address?

Supported projects are expected to focus on one or more of three tightly linked aims:

• Mapping: determining where relevant cells are located and how they are organized in the brain
• Anatomical characterization: understanding connections, circuits, and organization relative to known neuroanatomical landmarks
• Molecular profiling: identifying defining molecular signatures (for example genes, transcripts, proteins, receptors, or other molecular markers)

11) Can projects connect brain cell activity to opioid-related behaviors in rodents?

Yes. NIH highlights interest in studies that connect cell activity to opioid-related behaviors in rodents, as long as the work remains within the non-clinical trial boundary.

12) What kinds of opioid-related behavioral endpoints are mentioned?

The announcement mentions behaviors associated with opioid exposure, reward, dependence, withdrawal, analgesia, and other opioid-relevant behavioral endpoints.

13) What does NIH mean by "large-scale" in this context?

Based on the description, "large-scale" points toward broad, systematic datasets and maps produced using scalable methods and pipelines that can label, record, and profile large numbers of cells across brain regions, rather than small, low-throughput experiments.

14) What kinds of outputs is NIH trying to support?

The stated intent is to produce robust, high-resolution cellular and molecular reference information about where opioids act in the rodent brain and which cell populations and ensembles mediate those actions.

15) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broad and includes many applicant types, including:

• 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
• 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)
• Small businesses

16) Are specialized institution types explicitly included as eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories, including:

• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• AANAPISIs (Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions)
• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities
• Faith-based or community-based organizations
• Regional organizations
• U.S. territories or possessions
• Eligible federal agencies
• Non-U.S. (foreign) organizations

17) Does the opportunity allow non-U.S. (foreign) organizations to apply?

Yes. The eligibility information explicitly includes non-U.S. (foreign) organizations.

18) What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed in the provided information is $1,000,000.

19) What was the original closing date listed for the opportunity?

The original closing date provided is 2020-06-24.

20) How many awards are expected to be made?

An "ExpectedAwards" field is mentioned, but the number of expected awards is not specified in the provided text.

21) What types of research are not a fit for this announcement based on the description?

Based on the "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" restriction and the emphasis on rodent brain mapping/profiling, projects that test interventions in humans would not fit. The program description also suggests that small, low-throughput experiments are less aligned than scalable, systematic mapping and profiling efforts.

22) What kinds of brain cell populations are included in the scope?

The scope includes both neuronal and non-neuronal populations, with an emphasis on identifying specific cell types and ensembles at single-cell resolution.

23) What is meant by "inventories and registrations" of cells and ensembles?

From the provided description, this refers to creating detailed, organized references of which opioid-related cells exist, where they are located in the brain, and how they can be consistently identified and mapped across brain regions and neuroanatomical landmarks.

24) Does this opportunity prioritize reusable community resources?

The solicitation places special value on methods that can scale and produce broad, systematic datasets and maps that are potentially reusable by the wider research community.

25) What is the main scientific theme tying the aims together?

The unifying theme is to precisely identify where opioids act in the rodent brain and to define the specific cell types and ensembles involved, using high-resolution mapping, anatomical circuit context, and molecular signatures.