Large Scale Integrated Mapping and Molecular Profiling of Cell Ensembles and/or Cell-Types Mediating Opioid Action in the Rodent Brain (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DA 23 035

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NIH funding opportunity RFA-DA-23-035?

RFA-DA-23-035 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity for an R01 research grant focused on creating a detailed, large-scale, single-cell-resolution map of rodent brain cells and cell groups involved in opioid biology. The goal is to identify the specific cell types and cellular ensembles that produce opioids, respond to opioids, or become active across different stages of opioid exposure and use.

What grant mechanism is being used?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism.

Are clinical trials allowed under this FOA?

No. This is an R01 opportunity with clinical trials not allowed.

What is the main scientific purpose of this opportunity?

The purpose is to move beyond broad brain-region descriptions and identify the actual cell types and cell ensembles that drive opioid effects and opioid-related behaviors. Supported projects are expected to generate foundational knowledge about opioid-associated brain states that can later support more mechanistic work.

What organisms and biological systems are the focus?

The focus is on the rodent brain. The work centers on identifying and characterizing specific brain cells and cellular groupings relevant to opioid production, opioid response, and opioid-associated activity patterns.

Which phases of opioid exposure or use are in scope?

The FOA explicitly includes multiple phases and states, including acute exposure, chronic exposure, withdrawal, abstinence, and relapse.

What types of cells or cell groups are of interest?

Projects should target brain cells and cell ensembles that either (a) produce opioids, (b) respond to opioids, or (c) become active across the different phases of opioid exposure and use.

What does the FOA mean by moving beyond broad brain-region descriptions?

Instead of concluding that an opioid-related effect happens in a general brain area, the FOA is pushing investigators to pinpoint which specific cell types and which cellular ensembles within those areas are responsible, and to characterize them in detail.

What is meant by "integrated, multimodal mapping at single-cell resolution"?

It means generating data where individual cells are systematically identified and profiled at single-cell resolution using molecular information (such as gene expression) and, whenever possible, linking those molecular profiles to other modalities collected from the same cells.

What is the expected role of molecular profiling in proposed projects?

Molecular profiling is a central expectation. The FOA encourages approaches that capture gene expression and related molecular signatures in individual cells as part of building a detailed cell-level map relevant to opioid exposure and use states.

What additional data modalities are encouraged beyond molecular profiling?

The FOA encourages integrating molecular profiling with other measurements from the same cells, when possible, including:

• Neural activity measurements (neurophysiology)
• Connectivity information (circuit wiring and connections)
• Spatial localization (precise anatomical position within brain structures)

Does the FOA require that multiple modalities be measured in the same cells?

The FOA emphasizes integrating modalities and specifically highlights linking measurements cell-by-cell whenever possible, rather than relying on separate experiments that cannot be cleanly connected at the single-cell level.

What does "inventory and register" mean in the context of this FOA?

In this context, it refers to systematically identifying the relevant cells at scale and aligning them in a consistent framework so that cells can be compared and integrated across datasets and modalities.

What kinds of outputs or deliverables does NIH prioritize for this opportunity?

NIH prioritizes the generation and dissemination of high-value, community-facing reference datasets. The intended outputs function like shared atlases or reference maps that other researchers can use to test hypotheses, compare results across studies, and support a more unified framework for understanding opioid action and opioid-related brain states.

Is the focus primarily on a single lab's discovery, or on broader community resources?

The FOA emphasizes broader community value. While discovery is important, a key priority is creating reference-grade datasets meant to be widely used by the neuroscience and addiction research communities.

How does this FOA describe the long-term impact of the supported datasets?

The FOA frames the datasets as foundational infrastructure for the field, with the long-term payoff being clearer cellular and circuit-level targets for future mechanistic studies and eventual translational progress.

What NIH category or program area is associated with this opportunity?

Administratively, it is described as a discretionary grant under NIH and categorized under education and health, with CFDA 93.279.

What is the posted award ceiling?

The posted award ceiling is $700,000.

What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?

The original closing date listed is 2023-02-02.

Who is eligible to apply?

The eligible applicant pool is broad and includes:

• State and local governments
• Public and private institutions of higher education
• Independent school districts
• Special district governments
• Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations
• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
• Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status
• For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
• Small businesses

Are minority-serving and other special-designation institutions included as eligible applicants?

Yes. The FOA highlights eligibility for a range of institution types and groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, among others.

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed among eligible groups.

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included among the eligible groups.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA indicates that non-U.S. (foreign) organizations and regional organizations are eligible, signaling support for strong teams regardless of location if they can deliver the integrated, shareable science the program aims to accelerate.

What is distinctive about this FOA compared to studies that treat modalities separately?

The distinctive expectation is that datasets should link modalities within the same cells whenever possible, so that a given cell can be described simultaneously by molecular identity, spatial position, connectivity, and/or activity, rather than assembling insights from separate experiments that cannot be connected cell-by-cell.

What research community is expected to benefit from the results?

The FOA is designed to produce resources broadly useful to the neuroscience and addiction research communities, especially investigators working to understand opioid action and opioid-related brain states at cellular and circuit levels.