Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence, Clinical Research Program (UM1 Clinical Trial Required) | RFA AI 18 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 18 003

The Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence, Clinical Research Program (UM1 Clinical Trial Required) funding opportunity (RFA-AI-18-003) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) cooperative agreement meant to support participation in the Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence (ACE), a coordinated research network focused on improving the understanding, prevention, and treatment of autoimmune diseases. The overall idea behind ACE is that close, ongoing collaboration between basic scientists and clinical investigators speeds up progress by connecting mechanistic discoveries to well-designed studies in people. ACE is structured as linked Basic and Clinical research programs, and this particular announcement is specifically for the Clinical research program, with a companion FOA supporting the Basic research program.

Under this FOA, funded Clinical program teams are expected to conduct innovative, human-focused studies of autoimmunity through Clinical Projects and Collaborative Projects. A key feature is that this is a UM1 cooperative agreement, meaning the program is not simply investigator-driven grant funding; it is designed as a partnership with NIAID where the awardees and the agency work together toward shared network goals. The “Clinical Trial Required” designation signals that the proposed work must include a clinical trial component rather than being limited to observational or purely translational studies without an interventional trial. Within the ACE structure, clinical studies are intended not only to test interventions but also to generate deeper insight into autoimmune disease pathogenesis and to clarify mechanisms of action for immune-modulating agents being evaluated in ACE clinical trials. In practice, this means clinical trial activities are expected to be closely integrated with mechanistic and immunologic studies, and to be coordinated with other ACE sites so that findings can be compared, combined, or rapidly translated across the network.

The opportunity sits within the NIH health research funding category and is associated with CFDA number 93.855. The program emphasizes networked science: Clinical awardees are expected to work actively with both Clinical and Basic ACE investigators to design studies, share expertise and data as appropriate, and collectively advance the ACE mission. The ACE network concept also implies a level of harmonization across projects, such as aligned scientific priorities, collaborative planning, and coordinated execution of trials and accompanying laboratory studies, rather than isolated single-site efforts.

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign participation is explicitly restricted. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. In addition, foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In other words, the applicant organization and the proposed performance components must be domestic, keeping the funded infrastructure and research activities within the allowable U.S. framework.

Administratively, the announcement was created on March 8, 2018, with an original closing date of June 22, 2018. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source text, but the core intent is clear: to build and sustain a coordinated clinical research effort within the ACE network that runs rigorous clinical trials in autoimmunity and pairs those trials with collaborative mechanistic work to better understand disease biology and treatment effects.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence, Clinical Research Program (UM1 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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