Investigator-Initiated Genomic Medicine Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 736

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 736

The Investigator-Initiated Genomic Medicine Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (PAR 18-736) is a discretionary National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant program designed to support early-stage, investigator-driven projects that move genomic medicine forward in real clinical settings. The central purpose is to advance both the scientific understanding and the practical implementation of using a person s genomic information to guide clinical care, while also examining what happens to patient health outcomes when that genomic information is actually used in decision-making. In other words, the program is not only interested in discovering or validating genomic insights, but also in learning how to integrate those insights into healthcare delivery in ways that are feasible, effective, and measurable.

This announcement uses the R21 mechanism, which is typically meant for exploratory or developmental research. That generally implies projects that are innovative, proof-of-concept, or aimed at generating key preliminary data that can support a larger, later-stage study. The notice explicitly states "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose studies that include a clinical trial component, but they are not required to do so. This flexibility makes the opportunity relevant to a wide range of genomic medicine research designs, including implementation-focused projects, workflow and decision support studies, outcomes research, and other approaches that test how genomic information can be responsibly and usefully brought into patient care.

The activity category is Health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.172, placing it squarely within NIH s biomedical and health research portfolio. While the short description provided emphasizes genomic information in clinical care, the scope implied by that language is broad: it can include research on how genomic results are returned and interpreted, how clinicians act on genomic findings, how patients and families respond, what barriers exist in different healthcare systems, and what measurable improvements (or unintended consequences) appear in health outcomes when genomic medicine is applied. Because the opportunity highlights implementation and outcomes, it tends to align well with projects that bridge the gap between genomic discovery and routine care delivery, rather than purely basic genomics work with no clinical pathway.

Eligibility is wide and includes most common applicant types for NIH grants. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and an "Others" category that typically captures additional eligible entities. Beyond those standard groups, the announcement specifically calls out additional eligible applicants, including 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), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized ones, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). Practically, this means the program is open to a diverse set of institutions and community or regional partners, which can be important for genomic medicine studies that depend on population diversity, real-world healthcare delivery settings, and equitable implementation.

Key administrative details included in the source data identify NIH as the sponsoring agency and classify the funding instrument as a grant. The original closing date listed is 2020-07-02, and the opportunity record was created on 2018-04-02. The listed award ceiling is 200,000, which is best interpreted as a cap on allowable direct costs or total award level as presented in the summary data; exact budget rules for R21s can vary depending on NIH institute policies and the specific terms of the announcement, but the presence of a ceiling signals that applicants should plan a tightly scoped project with a realistic, focused set of aims. The entry does not specify the expected number of awards in the provided field, so applicants would typically look to the full NIH announcement for more complete program expectations, including budget structure, project period, review criteria, and any institute-specific priorities.

Overall, this funding opportunity is aimed at projects that help make genomic medicine work in practice: taking genomic information about individuals, figuring out how to use it to guide clinical decisions, and producing evidence about the impact of that use on health outcomes. It is broadly accessible to universities, health systems, nonprofits, governments, tribal entities, community-based organizations, and even foreign organizations, reflecting the reality that successful genomic medicine implementation often requires partnerships across clinical, research, and community settings.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Investigator-Initiated Genomic Medicine Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.172.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-04-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-07-02. (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 $200,000.00 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.

Apply for PAR 18 736

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