BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Specialized Collaboratory on Human and Non-Human Primate Brain Cell Atlases (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA MH 19 149

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the funding opportunity RFA-MH-19-149?

RFA-MH-19-149 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Specialized Collaboratory on Human and Non-Human Primate Brain Cell Atlases (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." It supports coordinated projects that advance comprehensive reference atlases of brain cell types in humans and/or non-human primates as part of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN).

What is the main purpose of this FOA?

The central goal is to push forward the creation of widely usable, standardized, high-quality, and accessible reference resources sometimes described as a "brain cell census." These resources are intended to help the broader research community study brain organization, function, and disease without needing to recreate foundational mapping work from scratch.

What does NIH mean by a "brain cell census" resource?

In this context, a brain cell census resource is a standardized and broadly usable reference framework that catalogs brain cell types and states, supported by high-quality data and consistent reference maps. The emphasis is on community utility, consistency, and accessibility rather than one-off datasets.

What type of award mechanism is used (U01), and why does it matter?

This FOA uses a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism. That signals that projects are expected to involve substantial coordination with NIH program staff and operate as part of a larger, networked effort rather than as isolated, single-lab projects.

What is meant by "Specialized Collaboratories" in this FOA?

The FOA supports "Specialized Collaboratories" that can adopt scalable technology platforms and streamlined workflows. In practical terms, NIH is looking for teams able to generate atlas-ready data in a production-like, repeatable way across many samples, brain regions, and individuals.

What kinds of outcomes is NIH aiming for?

NIH is aiming for comprehensive molecular and anatomical reference resources. This includes molecular profiles that define cell types and states (for example, transcriptomic and other molecular signatures) together with anatomical context that places those cell types within brain structures and circuits.

Does this FOA support work on human brains, non-human primate brains, or both?

Both are explicitly included. The scientific scope supports human brain atlases and non-human primate brain atlases, recognizing that primate data can provide important comparative insight while human data is essential for species-relevant reference maps.

Why include non-human primates in a brain cell atlas effort?

Non-human primates can serve as crucial comparative models for understanding features of brain organization that may be difficult to study experimentally in humans. Including both human and non-human primate atlases supports comparative neuroscience and strengthens the reference value of the resulting resources.

Is this opportunity intended to fund individual lab projects or coordinated network efforts?

It is intended as a coordinated, network-oriented effort. The cooperative agreement structure and the emphasis on standardized, interoperable outputs indicate that funded groups are expected to align methods and deliverables with the broader BICCN initiative.

What does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean for applicants?

It means applications should not propose clinical trials. The intended work centers on resource-building, technology/platform deployment, and atlas generation rather than interventional studies in human participants designed to evaluate clinical outcomes.

What kinds of work are emphasized by the FOA?

The FOA emphasizes scalable technology platforms and streamlined workflows that are repeatable, efficient, and robust across samples and sites. The expectation is to produce consistent, atlas-quality molecular and anatomical reference outputs at scale.

What makes this FOA different from a typical research grant focused on discovery?

The described emphasis is on generating enduring community resources: standardized datasets and reference atlas frameworks that many researchers can reuse and build upon. The focus is less on isolated discoveries and more on foundational infrastructure for neuroscience.

Is this considered discretionary funding?

Yes. The FOA is categorized as discretionary funding.

Which broad activity category is listed for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed under Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services.

What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the FOA: 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867.

When was this opportunity created, and what was the closing date?

The opportunity was created on 2018-09-21, and the original closing date was 2020-01-24.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes 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; other Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and an "Others" category that typically covers additional organizations NIH deems eligible under its general policies.

Are tribal organizations and tribal governments eligible?

Yes. The FOA includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations, including tribal governments other than federally recognized.

Are institutions that serve specific communities (for example, HBCUs or HSIs) explicitly encouraged or listed as eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights eligibility for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among eligible applicant types.

Are federal agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA notes eligibility for eligible federal agencies.

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

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

Are regional organizations eligible?

Yes. Regional organizations are included among eligible applicant types.

Can foreign (non-U.S.) organizations apply?

Yes. The FOA notes eligibility for non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, described as foreign organizations.

Does NIH appear to be seeking diversity of institutional participation?

Yes. The stated eligibility and highlighted institution types reflect an intent to draw on diverse organizational strengths, broaden participation, and support collaborations that may cross institutional and national boundaries when scientifically justified.

What is the practical implication of the FOA's emphasis on scalability and standardized workflows?

The emphasis suggests NIH is prioritizing teams that can run repeatable, efficient pipelines capable of consistent characterization across many samples and sites. The goal is production-scale atlas generation and interoperable outputs, not isolated datasets generated with unique, hard-to-reproduce methods.

What is the expected long-term value of the funded work?

The long-term value is the creation of authoritative, enduring community resources: well-characterized datasets and atlas frameworks that other researchers can use, compare, and build upon across basic neuroscience and research related to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

How does this FOA relate to the BRAIN Initiative and BICCN?

This FOA is part of the BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) effort. It supports collaboratories whose outputs are meant to align with broader BICCN goals so the resulting cell census resources are consistent, interoperable, and maximally useful to the field.