Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 18 001
The Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54) opportunity (RFA-NS-18-001) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement program aimed at speeding up and strengthening research on how specific human genetic variants contribute to epilepsy. The central idea is to support multidisciplinary, highly collaborative teams that can take gene variants identified in people with different epilepsy syndromes and rapidly determine what those variants actually do biologically. Rather than focusing only on gene discovery, this program emphasizes functional interpretation: translating a DNA change into clear evidence about its effects on proteins, neurons, neural circuits, and ultimately seizure-related outcomes in whole organisms. The "Centers Without Walls" framing signals that these efforts are expected to operate as a coordinated center-style collaboration even if investigators are distributed across institutions, with shared goals, integrated workflows, and active cooperation.
Scientifically, the FOA targets a full chain of evidence, from molecular function to clinical relevance. Projects are expected to evaluate the functional consequences of epilepsy-associated variants, including how variants alter gene or protein function, how they affect neuronal excitability and synaptic function, how they reshape neuronal networks, and how they influence whole-animal phenotypes relevant to seizures and epilepsy comorbidities. A major component is pharmacology: determining how variants change responses to existing anti-seizure medications or other compounds, and using those findings to highlight potential therapeutic targets or strategies. In parallel, the FOA calls for work that helps establish diagnostic criteria tied to variant function, which speaks to a translational goal: improving how variants are interpreted for patients, supporting more accurate classification of pathogenicity, and moving toward precision approaches where treatment decisions can be informed by mechanism rather than only symptoms.
From a program structure standpoint, the funding mechanism is a U54 cooperative agreement. That means the NIH is not simply providing funds and stepping back; instead, the award is designed for substantial NIH involvement in coordination, oversight, and facilitation. In practical terms, applicants should expect expectations around active collaboration, harmonized methods, shared resources, data and reagent sharing where appropriate, and center-like governance that enables multiple projects or cores to work together efficiently. The intended outcome is accelerated progress through coordination: aligning variant selection, experimental platforms, model systems, and analytical pipelines so that results are comparable and can be integrated into a stronger body of evidence than isolated single-lab studies typically produce.
The announcement was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health, and it falls under the health research activity category (CFDA 93.853). It listed an award ceiling of $1,500,000 and anticipated making about two awards, indicating a relatively selective, high-investment program intended to support a small number of robust, well-organized centers. The FOA was created on September 7, 2017, with an original application closing date of November 15, 2017.
Eligibility was broad and included many organization types that can support biomedical research at scale. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, as well as a wide range of government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts, and independent school districts). Tribal governments and tribal organizations, along with public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, were also eligible, plus other categories as described in the FOA text. This broad eligibility aligns with the multidisciplinary intent of the program, since the work may require combining expertise and infrastructure from academic laboratories, clinical centers, computational groups, specialized model-system facilities, and in some cases industry partners capable of advancing pharmacological testing or platform development.
Overall, this grant opportunity is designed to close the gap between genetic findings in epilepsy patients and actionable biological and clinical understanding. It prioritizes integrated, collaborative research that can move from variant discovery to functional validation, identify mechanisms that explain seizure phenotypes, clarify variant interpretation for diagnosis, and point toward interventions or drug targets that could ultimately improve outcomes for people living with epilepsy.Apply for RFA NS 18 001
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.853.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 07, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 15, 2017. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54)" opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement program (U54) that supports coordinated, center-style collaborations focused on functionally evaluating human genetic variants associated with epilepsy. It is described as a "Centers Without Walls" effort, meaning teams may be distributed across multiple institutions but are expected to operate as an integrated center with shared goals, coordinated workflows, and active cooperation.
What is the FOA number and title for this opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is titled "The Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54)" and is associated with RFA-NS-18-001.
Which federal agency issued this announcement?
The announcement was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the primary goal of this program?
The central goal is to speed up and strengthen research that determines how specific human genetic variants contribute to epilepsy by rapidly establishing what those variants do biologically. The program emphasizes functional interpretation of variants rather than focusing only on identifying new genes or variants.
What does "functional evaluation" mean in the context of this program?
Functional evaluation refers to translating a DNA variant into evidence about its biological effects. The program targets a chain of evidence that can include impacts on gene or protein function, effects on neurons and synapses, changes to neural circuits and networks, and whole-organism outcomes relevant to seizures and epilepsy-related traits.
How is this opportunity different from gene discovery-focused funding?
Rather than prioritizing the discovery of new epilepsy genes, this program prioritizes interpreting and validating what already-identified epilepsy-associated variants actually do, and how those effects connect to seizure-relevant biology and clinical interpretation.
What kinds of research activities are expected to be supported?
Projects are expected to evaluate functional consequences of epilepsy-associated variants across multiple biological levels. This may include molecular effects on proteins, cellular effects on neuronal excitability and synaptic function, network-level changes in neuronal circuits, and whole-animal phenotypes relevant to seizures and epilepsy comorbidities.
Does the program include pharmacology or treatment-related research?
Yes. A major component described is pharmacology, including determining how variants change responses to existing anti-seizure medications or other compounds. These findings are intended to help highlight potential therapeutic targets or strategies.
Is the program intended to support improvements in diagnosis or clinical interpretation?
Yes. The FOA calls for work that helps establish diagnostic criteria tied to variant function, with a translational goal of improving how variants are interpreted for patients, supporting more accurate classification of pathogenicity, and moving toward precision approaches informed by mechanism.
What does "Centers Without Walls" imply for how a funded project should operate?
It implies the effort should function like a coordinated center even if investigators are spread across institutions. The expectation is a highly collaborative structure with shared goals, integrated workflows, and active cooperation among teams.
What does it mean that this is a U54 cooperative agreement?
A U54 cooperative agreement indicates substantial NIH involvement in coordination, oversight, and facilitation. This is not a typical "fund-and-step-back" grant; it is structured for active coordination and center-like governance.
What kinds of collaboration and coordination expectations are described?
Applicants should expect expectations around active collaboration, harmonized methods, shared resources, and data and reagent sharing where appropriate. The overall aim is to align variant selection, experimental platforms, model systems, and analytical pipelines so results are comparable and can be integrated.
Why does the FOA emphasize harmonized methods and integrated workflows?
The intent is to accelerate progress through coordination and to produce results that are comparable across projects. Comparable, integrated outputs are expected to create a stronger combined body of evidence than isolated single-lab studies.
What is the intended scientific outcome of this coordinated approach?
The intended outcome is accelerated progress in translating epilepsy-associated genetic variants into actionable biological understanding, with integrated evidence connecting molecular mechanisms to seizure-relevant phenotypes and potential intervention strategies.
What is the activity category and CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The announcement falls under the health research activity category and lists CFDA 93.853.
What is the award ceiling mentioned in the announcement?
The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $1,500,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
About two awards were anticipated, indicating a selective program intended to support a small number of robust, well-organized centers.
When was this FOA created, and what was the original application closing date?
The FOA was created on September 7, 2017, and the original application closing date was November 15, 2017.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is described as broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and a wide range of government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts, and independent school districts). Tribal governments and tribal organizations are also eligible, as are public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, plus other categories described in the FOA text.
Are small businesses eligible?
Yes. Small businesses are listed among eligible applicants.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations are listed as eligible (other than small businesses), and small businesses are also listed separately as eligible.
Are nonprofit organizations required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?
No. Nonprofit organizations are listed as eligible with or without 501(c)(3) status.
Are government entities eligible, and if so, which types?
Yes. Eligible government entities include state, county, city/township, special districts, and independent school districts. Tribal governments are also listed as eligible, along with tribal organizations.
Why is eligibility so broad for this opportunity?
The program is designed for multidisciplinary research at scale, which may require combining expertise and infrastructure from academic labs, clinical centers, computational groups, specialized model-system facilities, and in some cases industry partners capable of pharmacological testing or platform development.
What types of scientific expertise or infrastructure does the FOA suggest may be needed?
Based on the described scope, teams may need expertise spanning molecular biology and protein function, neurophysiology and synaptic function, neural circuit and network analysis, whole-animal phenotype assessment relevant to seizures and comorbidities, and pharmacology focused on anti-seizure medication response and other compounds.
What is meant by closing the gap between genetic findings and actionable understanding?
It refers to moving from identifying variants in epilepsy patients to establishing clear biological mechanisms and clinical relevance, including improved variant interpretation for diagnosis and evidence that can inform precision approaches and therapeutic strategies.
Does the FOA focus on epilepsy syndromes specifically?
Yes. The program is described as taking gene variants identified in people with different epilepsy syndromes and rapidly determining what those variants do biologically.
What kinds of outcomes are considered relevant at the whole-organism level?
The FOA describes whole-animal phenotypes relevant to seizures and epilepsy comorbidities as an expected part of the chain of evidence.
What is the overarching theme tying the program elements together?
The overarching theme is integrated, collaborative research that translates epilepsy-associated genetic variants into functional evidence across biological scales, supports better diagnostic interpretation, and points toward mechanisms and interventions that could improve outcomes for people living with epilepsy.
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