Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 22 008
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (RFA-ES-22-008) supports research aimed at explaining how environmental exposures, particularly environmental chemicals, can change brain biology and behavior in ways that raise the likelihood of psychiatric disorders that typically emerge in late childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. The central idea is to move beyond simply showing that an exposure is associated with mental health outcomes and instead pin down the underlying biological mechanisms that connect exposure to altered neurodevelopment, brain function, and behavior relevant to psychiatric risk.
This announcement emphasizes basic and pre-clinical mechanistic science. NIH is explicitly encouraging approaches that can directly test causal pathways and biological processes, ranging from in vitro work (for example, cell culture systems, organoids, or other controlled laboratory platforms) to whole-organism models that allow researchers to measure changes in neural circuits, behavior, and developmental trajectories. Projects should be designed to clarify how exposure-related biological changes might contribute to the pathogenesis of psychiatric abnormalities, meaning the processes that lead to the development of psychiatric-relevant phenotypes. While the FOA is centered on environmental chemicals, it also welcomes studies that deepen understanding of how genes and environment work together, including gene-by-environment mechanisms that may help explain why some individuals are more vulnerable or resilient to the same exposure.
The expected value of this research, from the funder perspective, is that mechanistic insights will create a more solid foundation for future prevention, intervention, or treatment strategies. In practical terms, that could mean identifying biological pathways that are disrupted by specific exposures, defining sensitive developmental windows when exposure has the greatest impact, discovering biomarkers that track exposure-related neurobiological changes, or uncovering targets that could be addressed through behavioral, environmental, or pharmacologic interventions later on. Even though the FOA does not support clinical trials, the work is intended to be informative for eventual translational efforts that improve mental health outcomes.
The award mechanism is the NIH Research Project Grant (R01), which is typically used for more mature, hypothesis-driven projects with a well-developed research plan. This FOA runs alongside a companion opportunity (RFA-ES-22-009) that uses the R21 mechanism, which is generally aimed at earlier-stage, exploratory, or higher-risk projects. Applicants deciding between the two would usually consider the maturity of their preliminary data and whether the proposed work is best framed as a full-scale R01 project versus a shorter, more exploratory R21.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of institutions and organizations. In addition to common NIH-eligible entities (such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and various levels of government including state, county, city/township, special district, independent school districts, and federally recognized tribal governments), the FOA highlights additional eligible applicant categories. These include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities. It also allows eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations, reflecting an intent to support a wide research community and potentially enable studies that take advantage of unique populations, expertise, or environmental contexts.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from NIH in the environment and health area (CFDA 93.113). The original closing date listed is February 22, 2023, and the opportunity record notes an award ceiling of $400,000. The FOA was created on October 3, 2022. Overall, the opportunity is geared toward investigators who can bring strong experimental rigor to questions about how environmental exposures biologically "get under the skin" to influence neurodevelopment and behavior, particularly during the life stages when many psychiatric disorders begin to appear.Apply for RFA ES 22 008
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (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): 93.113.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-02-22. (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 $400,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and identifier of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) identifier is RFA-ES-22-008.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
This FOA supports research aimed at explaining how environmental exposures, especially environmental chemicals, can change brain biology and behavior in ways that increase the risk for psychiatric disorders that commonly emerge in late childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. A key emphasis is moving beyond exposure-outcome associations to identify the biological mechanisms that connect exposure to neurodevelopmental and behavioral changes relevant to psychiatric risk.
What kinds of research questions is NIH looking for under this announcement?
NIH is seeking mechanistic, hypothesis-driven studies that can clarify causal pathways and biological processes linking environmental exposures to altered neurodevelopment, brain function, neural circuitry, and behavior related to psychiatric-relevant phenotypes and risk.
Is this FOA focused on basic science, clinical research, or both?
The announcement emphasizes basic and pre-clinical mechanistic science. While the work is intended to inform future translational efforts, the FOA itself does not support clinical trials.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The FOA is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning clinical trials are not supported under this R01 opportunity.
What types of environmental exposures are of interest?
The FOA particularly highlights environmental chemicals as a central focus. It is designed to support studies that explain how such exposures can influence brain biology and behavior in ways relevant to psychiatric disorder risk.
What model systems and approaches does NIH encourage?
NIH explicitly encourages approaches that can directly test causal pathways and biological processes, including in vitro systems (such as cell culture, organoids, or other controlled laboratory platforms) and whole-organism models that can measure changes in neural circuits, behavior, and developmental trajectories.
Does this FOA require that applicants demonstrate causality rather than correlation?
The central intent is to go beyond showing associations between exposure and mental health outcomes and instead pin down underlying biological mechanisms. The FOA emphasizes designs that can directly test causal pathways and processes.
What does "pathogenesis of psychiatric abnormalities" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, it refers to the biological and developmental processes that lead to the emergence of psychiatric-relevant phenotypes. Projects should clarify how exposure-related biological changes might contribute to those processes.
Are gene-by-environment (GxE) questions within scope?
Yes. While centered on environmental chemicals, the FOA welcomes studies that deepen understanding of how genes and environment work together, including gene-by-environment mechanisms that may explain vulnerability or resilience to the same exposure.
Which life stages are especially relevant to this funding opportunity?
The FOA highlights late childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood as key developmental periods because many psychiatric disorders typically begin to appear during these life stages.
What outcomes or deliverables does NIH expect this research to enable?
NIH expects mechanistic insights that can build a stronger foundation for future prevention, intervention, or treatment strategies. Examples mentioned include identifying disrupted biological pathways, defining sensitive developmental windows, discovering biomarkers that track exposure-related neurobiological changes, and uncovering targets that could be addressed later through behavioral, environmental, or pharmacologic interventions.
Even though clinical trials are not allowed, is the research intended to be translational?
Yes, in the sense that mechanistic findings are expected to be informative for eventual translational efforts that improve mental health outcomes. However, the work funded under this FOA itself is positioned as basic/pre-clinical mechanistic research rather than clinical trial testing.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
The award mechanism is the NIH Research Project Grant (R01), which is typically used for more mature, hypothesis-driven projects with a well-developed research plan.
Is there a companion funding opportunity for more exploratory projects?
Yes. A companion opportunity is referenced: RFA-ES-22-009, which uses the R21 mechanism and is generally aimed at earlier-stage, exploratory, or higher-risk projects.
How should an applicant decide between the R01 (this FOA) and the companion R21?
Based on the information provided, applicants would typically consider the maturity of their preliminary data and whether their work is best framed as a full-scale R01 project with a well-developed plan versus a shorter, more exploratory R21.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district, independent school districts, and federally recognized tribal governments). The FOA also highlights additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, and Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA states that non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are eligible.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicants.
Can faith-based or community-based organizations apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly allows faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA notes that eligible federal agencies are allowed applicants.
Does the FOA mention specific categories of minority-serving institutions as eligible?
Yes. It highlights eligibility for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
What is the assistance listing / CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.113.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity record notes an award ceiling of $400,000.
When was this FOA created?
The FOA was created on October 3, 2022.
What is the original closing date listed in the opportunity record?
The original closing date listed is February 22, 2023.
What general topic area does NIH categorize this opportunity under?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity from NIH in the environment and health area.
What is NIH hoping to gain scientifically from funding projects under this FOA?
NIH is prioritizing strong experimental rigor to understand how environmental exposures biologically affect neurodevelopment and behavior in ways that increase psychiatric disorder risk, especially around the developmental stages when many psychiatric disorders begin to appear.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 009 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Utilizing Telomere Status to Reveal Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Susceptibility and Resiliency in Response to Environmental Exposures (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 007 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 22 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Accelerating Data and Metadata Standards in the Environmental Health Sciences (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Maintaining and Enriching Environmental Epidemiology Cohorts to Support Scientific and Workforce Diversity (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strategies for Responsibly Reporting Back Environmental Health and Non-Genomic Research Results (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 23 006 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CCRP Initiative: Chemical Threat Agent Exposure Resource and Coordination Core (ExRC) (U2C Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 009 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Undergraduate Research Education Program (UP) to Enhance Diversity in the Environmental Health Sciences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 012 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HAZMAT Training at DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex (UH4 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CCRP Initiative: Chemical Threat Agent-induced Pulmonary and Ocular Pathophysiological Mechanisms (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 24 004 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Epitranscriptomics Crosstalks and Toxicants (EPCOT) (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 25 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 25 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Program (P30 Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for RFA ES 25 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 25 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Coordination Center for Interoception Research (BPCCIR) (U24, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA AT 25 004 Funding Number: RFA AT 25 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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