Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 191
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Alcohol Impairment of Immune Function, Host Defense and Tissue Homeostasis (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 18-191; CFDA 93.273) supports research projects that examine how alcohol consumption alters immune function and related biological processes, with the practical aim of improving health outcomes for people who misuse or abuse alcohol. The announcement is designed to attract investigators from a wide range of scientific backgrounds, reflecting the fact that alcohol affects immunity through multiple pathways and across many organ systems. Because this is an R01 mechanism, the program is geared toward substantial, hypothesis-driven research programs that can generate robust mechanistic insight, clinically relevant findings, or both.
The scientific focus is on the consequences of alcohol exposure for immune competence, host defense, and tissue homeostasis. In plain terms, the FOA is interested in how alcohol changes the way the immune system works, how well the body can prevent or fight infections, and how tissues maintain stability and recover from injury. These themes often intersect in alcohol-related disease, where immune dysregulation can contribute to higher infection risk, impaired wound healing, exaggerated inflammation, organ damage, and complications during recovery from illness or trauma. The broad framing leaves room for studies spanning innate and adaptive immunity, inflammatory signaling, immune cell development and function, barriers such as the gut and lung epithelium, interactions with the microbiome, and organ-specific immune environments (for example, liver, lung, brain, or skin). The overall expectation is that funded work will clarify biological mechanisms and point toward interventions, prevention strategies, or clinical management approaches that reduce alcohol-related immune dysfunction and its downstream harms.
A key administrative feature is that the mechanism is an NIH R01 research grant, and clinical trials are optional under this FOA. That means applicants may propose purely basic or preclinical studies, human observational or mechanistic studies, or clinical trial work, as long as the project aligns with the FOA scope and meets NIH requirements for the chosen study type. In practice, "clinical trial optional" typically accommodates a spectrum of human research designs, from small interventional studies testing an immune-modulating strategy in alcohol-affected populations to controlled experiments that measure immune responses under defined alcohol exposure conditions, provided ethical and regulatory standards are met. Applicants proposing human studies would generally be expected to justify relevance to alcohol use patterns and to define outcomes tied to immune function, infection susceptibility, inflammation, or tissue repair processes.
Eligibility is intentionally broad. In addition to standard applicants such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, the FOA lists multiple government and community-based entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. It also includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), as well as Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized. The FOA explicitly welcomes applications from serving institutions and historically underrepresented organizations, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs). Faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies may apply, and the announcement also permits non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility signals an interest in diverse research settings, community-linked approaches, and international perspectives where alcohol-related immune consequences are a major health concern.
From an operational standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the grant funding instrument type within the health activity category. The record provided notes an original closing date of May 7, 2018, and a creation date of November 1, 2017. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the supplied source data, which is common in some NIH listings because budgets and award counts often depend on application volume, scientific merit, and available appropriations rather than a fixed cap. Applicants typically need to align their proposed budgets and project periods with NIH R01 norms and provide a clear research plan, milestones or endpoints (especially if clinical work is involved), and a rationale for how the findings could improve outcomes for individuals affected by alcohol misuse.
Overall, this FOA supports research aimed at answering a straightforward but clinically important question: how does alcohol compromise immune defenses and disrupt normal tissue stability, and what can be done about it? The program encourages cross-disciplinary work that can connect molecular and cellular immunology to real-world clinical complications seen in patients who drink heavily, ultimately moving toward strategies that reduce infection burden, inflammation-driven tissue damage, and poor recovery outcomes in this population.Apply for PA 18 191
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alcohol Impairment of Immune Function, Host Defense and Tissue Homeostasis (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Alcohol Impairment of Immune Function, Host Defense and Tissue Homeostasis (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PA-18-191, and the CFDA number listed is 93.273.
What is the main purpose of this opportunity?
This opportunity supports research projects that examine how alcohol consumption alters immune function and related biological processes, with the practical aim of improving health outcomes for people who misuse or abuse alcohol.
What grant mechanism does this FOA use?
This FOA uses the NIH R01 research grant mechanism, which is generally intended for substantial, hypothesis-driven research programs capable of producing robust mechanistic insight, clinically relevant findings, or both.
Are clinical trials required under this FOA?
No. Clinical trials are optional under this FOA ("Clinical Trial Optional"). Applications may propose studies that do not include a clinical trial, as well as applications that do include clinical trial work, as long as the project aligns with the scope and meets NIH requirements for the chosen study type.
What kinds of study types are allowed or anticipated?
The FOA accommodates a spectrum of study types, including:
- Basic or preclinical studies focused on mechanisms of alcohol-related immune effects
- Human observational or mechanistic studies related to immune function and alcohol exposure
- Clinical trial work (optional), including small interventional studies or controlled experiments measuring immune responses under defined alcohol exposure conditions, subject to ethical and regulatory standards
What scientific topics are within the scope of the FOA?
The scientific focus is on the consequences of alcohol exposure for:
- Immune competence (how well the immune system functions)
- Host defense (how well the body prevents or fights infections)
- Tissue homeostasis (how tissues maintain stability and recover from injury)
What kinds of health problems or outcomes does the FOA aim to address?
The FOA highlights real-world complications where alcohol-related immune dysregulation may play a role, such as:
- Higher infection risk
- Impaired wound healing
- Exaggerated or dysregulated inflammation
- Organ damage
- Complications during recovery from illness or trauma
Which immune system areas or biological systems may be included?
The FOA is broadly framed and leaves room for studies spanning multiple immune and biological areas, including:
- Innate and adaptive immunity
- Inflammatory signaling
- Immune cell development and function
- Barrier tissues such as gut and lung epithelium
- Interactions with the microbiome
- Organ-specific immune environments (for example, liver, lung, brain, or skin)
What is meant by "tissue homeostasis" in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, tissue homeostasis refers to how tissues maintain stability and normal function, and how they recover from injury or stress. The FOA is interested in how alcohol disrupts these processes, including through immune dysregulation that may worsen inflammation, delay repair, or contribute to organ damage.
Does the FOA encourage cross-disciplinary research?
Yes. The announcement is designed to attract investigators from a wide range of scientific backgrounds, reflecting that alcohol can affect immunity through multiple pathways and across many organ systems. The program encourages research that connects molecular and cellular immunology to clinically relevant complications in people who drink heavily.
If proposing human research, what kinds of justifications or outcomes are implied?
For human studies, the FOA indicates applicants would generally be expected to justify relevance to alcohol use patterns and define outcomes tied to immune function, infection susceptibility, inflammation, or tissue repair processes.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is intentionally broad. Eligible applicants include (as listed in the provided information):
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
- Tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Eligible federal agencies
- Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations)
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
Does the FOA explicitly welcome applications from specific institution types?
Yes. The FOA explicitly welcomes applications from serving institutions and historically underrepresented organizations, including:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-serving Institutions
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs)
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The FOA permits non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), as well as regional organizations and U.S. territories or possessions.
What type of funding is this categorized as?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the grant funding instrument type within the health activity category.
Is the award ceiling specified? Is the expected number of awards specified?
No. Based on the provided information, the award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the supplied source data.
What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The record provided notes:
- Creation date: November 1, 2017
- Original closing date: May 7, 2018
What is the practical impact NIH is looking for from funded projects?
The overall expectation is that funded work will clarify biological mechanisms and point toward interventions, prevention strategies, or clinical management approaches that reduce alcohol-related immune dysfunction and downstream harms, such as infection burden, inflammation-driven tissue damage, and poor recovery outcomes.
How broad is the scope in terms of organ systems?
The FOA emphasizes that alcohol affects immune function through multiple pathways and across many organ systems. Examples of organ-specific immune environments mentioned include the liver, lung, brain, and skin, and it also references barrier tissues like gut and lung epithelium.
Does this FOA require a particular research approach (mechanistic vs. clinical)?
The FOA is open to projects that generate robust mechanistic insight, clinically relevant findings, or both, as long as they fit the central theme: how alcohol compromises immune defenses and disrupts tissue stability and recovery.
What does the FOA suggest about budgets and project periods?
While no specific award ceiling is provided in the supplied information, the description indicates applicants typically need to align proposed budgets and project periods with NIH R01 norms and provide a clear research plan (and milestones or endpoints, especially for clinical work).
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