Discovery and Biological Signatures of Diet Derived Microbial Metabolites (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA AT 18 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AT 18 003

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Discovery and Biological Signatures of Diet Derived Microbial Metabolites (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AT-18-003; CFDA 93.213) supports research focused on small, low molecular weight compounds that are created when the human microbiome metabolizes dietary constituents, especially dietary phytochemicals and other natural products. The basic premise behind the initiative is that a growing body of evidence from animal models suggests these microbially derived metabolites can have meaningful biological activity, and that understanding what these compounds are, where they come from, and how they act could open up new ways to connect diet, the microbiome, and health-related outcomes.

The scientific goals of the program center on three connected priorities. First, it aims to discover and chemically characterize the metabolites that result from microbial metabolism of diet-derived compounds, with an emphasis on mapping and defining the relevant low molecular weight products rather than treating the microbiome as a black box. Second, it seeks to identify which commensal (normal, non-pathogenic) bacteria are responsible for producing specific metabolites, which implies work that links metabolite profiles to particular microbial taxa, strains, genes, or functional pathways. Third, it encourages applicants to establish "biological signatures" that describe how these metabolites interact with a biological system, meaning measurable indicators of activity such as molecular, cellular, physiological, or other system-level responses that can be used to define or track the metabolite-host interaction. Taken together, the initiative is designed to move beyond simply correlating diet and microbiome composition by pinpointing the actual chemical intermediates and the biological readouts that explain mechanism.

This is an R01 research grant mechanism under the NIH, and it is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," indicating that an application may include a clinical trial if appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required to be responsive. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the standard NIH grant funding instrument. The listed award ceiling is $250,000, and the original closing date for the competition was March 19, 2018, with a creation date of December 15, 2017.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common U.S. applicant organizations: state, county, and local 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 and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional entities categorized as "other." The opportunity also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign eligibility is handled in a nuanced way. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are stated as not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant organization can include certain allowable foreign collaborations or work performed outside the U.S. when it meets NIH policy requirements and is properly justified and described in the application.

Overall, this funding opportunity is aimed at clarifying the chemistry and biology at the intersection of diet and the microbiome: identifying specific microbially generated metabolites from phytochemicals and related dietary compounds, linking those metabolites to the commensal organisms that produce them, and defining measurable biological signatures that capture their effects on biological systems. The intended outcome is a more mechanistic, molecule-level understanding of how diet-microbiome interactions translate into biological activity, which can support future nutrition, microbiome, and health research directions.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Discovery and Biological Signatures of Diet Derived Microbial Metabolites (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-03-19. (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 $250,000.00 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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