Research Projects

Number	Title	Description
R01	Traditional Research Projects	To support a discrete, specified circumscribed project.
R03	Small Research Grants	To support research specifically limited in time, amount, and by program area interests.
R15	Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA)	To enhance the research environment of educational institutions not traditional recipients of NIH research funds.
R21	Exploratory/Developmental Grants	To provide support for planning, feasibility, or pilot work for large clinical studies.
R37	Method To Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Awards	To support established, experienced investigators.
R41 & R42	Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grants	To support cooperative research and development projects between small business concerns and research institutions to establish the technical merit and feasibility of ideas that have potential for commercialization.
R43 & R44	Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) Grants	To establish the technical merit and feasibility of research and development ideas that may lead to commercial products or services.
P01	Research Program Project Grants	To support a broadly based, multidisciplinary program which has a specified major objective or a basic theme.
U01	Cooperative Agreement Awards	To support discrete research involving extramural investigators in which Institute staff play a substantial role; clinical trials are sometimes supported through cooperative agreements.

R01: Traditional Research Projects

Traditional Research Projects (R01) support a principal investigator's work on a discrete research project. The R01 is the traditional mechanism through which much of NIA's and NIH's extramural research is supported.

For more information:

NIA provides support for several R01s in most areas of research relevant to the mission of the Institute. See Funding Opportunities for more information and to view NIA's primary or secondary sponsor announcements.

New announcements for R01s are published weekly in the NIH Guide under both Program Announcements (PAs) and Request for Applications (RFAs). Researchers need to consult the "Mechanism of Support" section of each PA or RFA to ensure the R01 mechanism applies.

R03: Small Research Grants

Small Research Grants (R03): (1) stimulate and facilitate the entry of promising new investigators into aging research, and (2) encourage established investigators to enter new areas of research on aging. These grants are funded in all NIA-supported program areas.

R03s provide support for pilot research that is likely to lead to a subsequent individual R01 focused on aging and/or a significant advancement of aging research. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact NIA staff to discuss their research ideas and eligibility for the program. Applicants should follow instructions in the NIH R03 PA: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-108.html.

NIA Program Areas:

Biology of Aging (BAP)

For more information about scientific/research issues with primary emphasis on the biology of aging, contact:

Dr. David B. Finkelstein
Biology of Aging Program
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
Suite 2C231, MSC 9205
7201 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Phone: 301-496-6402
Fax: 301-402-0010
BAPQuery@nia.nih.gov

Behavioral and Social Research on Aging (BSR)

For more information about scientific/research issues with primary emphasis on behavioral and social research on aging, contact:

Ms. Angie Chon-Lee
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
Suite 5C533, MSC 9205
7201 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Phone: 301-594-5943
Fax: 301-402-0051
BSRQuery@nia.nih.gov

Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging (NNA)

For more information about scientific/research issues with primary emphasis on the neuroscience and neuropsychology of aging, contact:

Dr. Judy Finkelstein
Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
Suite 350, MSC 9205
7201 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Phone: 301-496-9350
Fax: 301-496-1494
FinkelsJ@nia.nih.gov

Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology (GCG)

For more information about scientific/research issues with primary emphasis on geriatric and clinical gerontological research, contact:

Mr. Michael Bone
Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology Program
National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
Suite 480, MSC 9205
7201 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20892-9205
Phone: 301-496-6913
Fax: 301-402-1784
bonem@nia.nih.gov

NIA also is accepting applications for R03 grants in Data Analysis and Archiving in Demography, Economics, and Behavioral Research on Aging. Prospective applicants should consult the following PA for additional information: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/pa-01-082.html

See Funding Opportunities for more information and to view NIA's primary or secondary sponsor announcements.

R15: Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA)

AREAs (R15) support individual research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences conducted by faculty and who involve their undergraduate students located in health professional schools and other academic components that have not been major recipients of NIH research grant funds.

For more information:

See: NIH AREA Grants and Academic Research Enhancement Award.

Release Date: January 9, 2003
PA Number: PA-03-053

R21: Exploratory/Developmental Grants

Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) are supported by NIA in its four extramural programs. Topics currently being solicited through this mechanism are available from the individual program Web sites as listed below. Interested applicants should follow instructions in the NIH R21 PA: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-03-107.html.

BAP accepts applications in areas providing new avenues of research on the molecular, cellular, physiological, and genetic mechanisms of aging within the mission of the program. See: Biology of Aging (BAP).
GCG accepts R21 applications involving research on health and disease in the aged and research on aging during the human lifespan and its relationships to health outcomes, consistent with the mission of the program. See: Behavioral and Social Research on Aging (BSR).
NNA accepts R21 applications in all areas of NNA’s mission focusing on research to understand the aging process in the structure and functioning of the nervous system and the brain-behavior relationship. An important component of this program is the support of basic, clinical, and epidemiological studies of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias of aging. Of special interest are innovative and high-impact studies focused on identifying, preventing, and treating neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive declines associated with aging. See: Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging (NNA).
BSR accepts R21 applications in its areas of emphasis, including:

Health Disparities
Aging Minds
Increasing Health Expectancy
Health, Work, and Retirement
Interventions and Behavior Change
Genetics, Behavior, and the Social Environment
The Burden of Illness and the Efficiency of Health Systems

See: Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology (GCG).

R37: Method To Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Awards

MERIT Awards (R73) provide long-term support to outstanding, experienced investigators. MERIT awards are initiated by NIA and by the National Advisory Council on Aging.

For more information:

Because NIA and the National Advisory Council on Aging initiate and approve MERIT awards, these cannot be applied for directly. Investigators interested in the program may contact OEAQuery@EXMUR.NIA.NIH.GOV for recent MERIT awardees.

R41 and R42: Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grants

STTR Grants (R41 and R42) support cooperative research and development projects limited in time and amount between small business concerns and research institutions to establish the technical merit and feasibility of ideas that have potential for commercialization. Contact NIA directly for more information on STTR awards.

For more information:

See: Small Business Funding Opportunities and Innovations in Biomedical Information Science and Technology: SBIR/STTR Initiative (R41 and R42)

Release Date: June 29, 2000
PA Number: PA-00-118

R43 and R44: Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) Grants

SBIR Grants (R43 and R44) support projects to establish the technical merit and feasibility of research and development ideas that may ultimately lead to commercial products or services. Contact NIA directly for more information on SBIR awards.

For more information:

See: Small Business Funding Opportunities and Innovations in Biomedical Information Science and Technology: SBIR/STTR Initiative (R43 and R44)

Release Date: June 29, 2000
PA Number: PA-00-118

P01: Research Program Project Grants

Research Program Project Grants (P01) support broadly based, often multidisciplinary, long-term research programs involving groups of investigators working on research projects that contribute to the overall program objectives. Similar to R01s, the Institute supports P01s in most areas of research relevant to the mission of the Institute.

For more information:

See Funding Opportunities for more information and to view NIA's primary or secondary sponsor announcements.

New PAs and RFAs for P01s are occasionally published in the NIH Guide. Researchers need to consult the "Mechanism of Support" section of each PA or RFA to ensure the P01 mechanism applies. Researchers also may contact program staff to determine whether NIA has interest in supporting program project applications on particular topics.

P01s are complex and costly mechanisms offered by NIA. The Institute has developed several policies specific to P01s that seek to maintain consistent and fair review and control overall costs. For more information, see “NIA Policies Related to Research Program Projects (P01)” in Research Support for more information.

U01: Cooperative Agreement Awards

Cooperative Agreement Awards (U01) support a discrete, specified, circumscribed research project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in cooperation with NIA staff.

For more information:

See Funding Opportunities to view NIA's primary or secondary sponsor announcements.