Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 17 027
This funding opportunity, RFA-RM-17-027, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (U54) under the Department of Health and Human Services. It sits in the health research category (CFDA 93.310) and is explicitly marked as "Clinical Trials Not Allowed," meaning applicants are expected to focus on research activities that do not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial (for example, creating reference maps from biospecimens rather than testing an intervention in people).
The main goal of the announcement is to stand up a small set of cutting-edge Tissue Mapping Centers (TMCs) that can build detailed, high-resolution maps of normal (non-diseased) human organs and organ systems. The emphasis is on generating multi-parameter tissue maps, which typically implies collecting and aligning many layers of information from the same tissues (for instance, molecular profiles, cellular composition, and spatial organization). The program vision is to help create a foundational atlas of the human body, with the FOA highlighting the ambition of achieving micron-scale resolution, which is fine enough to resolve individual cells and their local microenvironments in many contexts.
A key feature of the opportunity is its end-to-end, pipeline mindset. Funded centers are expected to integrate and optimize the full workflow required to produce these atlas-quality datasets. That starts with tissue collection and preservation (obtaining appropriate specimens and handling them in ways that protect molecular and structural integrity), continues through data generation (using state-of-the-art measurement and imaging approaches), and extends into data integration, analysis, and interpretation (bringing different data types together into coherent, usable maps and extracting biological meaning). In other words, the centers are not just expected to run a single assay or produce isolated datasets; they are expected to operate as comprehensive mapping hubs that can consistently produce high-quality, interoperable outputs.
Another major expectation is strong collaboration across the broader Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP). The FOA makes it clear that TMCs are not meant to work in isolation; they are expected to coordinate closely with other funded projects so that the program as a whole can accelerate progress toward a shared framework for mapping the human body. Because this is a cooperative agreement mechanism, that collaborative posture is typically paired with substantial NIH program involvement in steering, coordination, and milestone-focused progress, rather than the more hands-off posture common in standard research project grants.
In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations: federal-recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, for-profit entities (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and other applicants as described in the FOA's additional eligibility text. This wide eligibility reflects the infrastructure-heavy nature of atlas mapping, where successful teams often combine academic expertise, clinical or procurement capabilities, technology development, and data science capacity.
Operationally, the opportunity was created on December 18, 2017, with an original closing date of March 2, 2018, and it projected around five awards. The listing does not specify a fixed award ceiling ("0" is shown), which often indicates that budgets are to be justified based on the proposed scope and negotiated within program expectations rather than capped at a single posted maximum. Overall, the announcement is best understood as an effort to build a coordinated set of specialized centers capable of producing standardized, high-resolution reference maps of healthy human tissues, while also contributing actively to shared methods, standards, and integration approaches across the HuBMAP consortium.Apply for RFA RM 17 027
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tissue Mapping Centers for the Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (U54 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 18, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 02, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 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) - NIH RFA-RM-17-027 (U54 Tissue Mapping Centers)
What is the funding opportunity number and sponsor?
The opportunity is RFA-RM-17-027. It is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
What type of funding mechanism is this?
This is a cooperative agreement using the U54 mechanism. A cooperative agreement typically includes substantial NIH program involvement in coordination, steering, and milestone-focused progress.
What program or initiative is this associated with?
The opportunity is part of the Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP). Funded Tissue Mapping Centers (TMCs) are expected to work as part of a broader consortium rather than as stand-alone projects.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA aims to establish a small set of cutting-edge Tissue Mapping Centers (TMCs) to create detailed, high-resolution maps of normal (non-diseased) human organs and organ systems. The overall intent is to contribute to a foundational atlas of the healthy human body.
What does "Tissue Mapping Center (TMC)" mean in this context?
In this FOA, a TMC is a comprehensive mapping hub responsible for producing atlas-quality datasets. The expectation goes beyond running a single assay: a TMC is meant to integrate tissue acquisition and preservation, data generation, and multi-modal data integration and interpretation into a consistent end-to-end pipeline.
Are clinical trials allowed under this funding opportunity?
No. The FOA is explicitly marked "Clinical Trials Not Allowed." Applicants are expected to propose research activities that do not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial.
If clinical trials are not allowed, what kinds of activities fit the FOA?
The FOA is focused on building reference maps from biospecimens of normal human tissues, generating multi-parameter tissue maps, and integrating different data types into coherent spatial maps. The emphasis is on mapping and atlas construction rather than testing an intervention in people.
What kinds of tissues or biological targets are the focus?
The focus is on normal (non-diseased) human organs and organ systems. The intent is to build reference maps of healthy tissues.
What does "high-resolution" mean in the FOA?
The FOA highlights an ambition of achieving micron-scale resolution, which is fine enough in many contexts to resolve individual cells and their local microenvironments.
What are "multi-parameter tissue maps" in practical terms?
Multi-parameter tissue maps generally imply collecting and aligning multiple layers of information from the same tissues. Examples mentioned in the FOA description include molecular profiles, cellular composition, and spatial organization, integrated into a coherent map.
What is meant by an "end-to-end" or "pipeline" approach?
The FOA expects centers to integrate and optimize the full workflow required to produce atlas-quality datasets. This includes tissue collection and preservation, data generation using state-of-the-art measurement and imaging approaches, and data integration, analysis, and interpretation so outputs are coherent, usable, and biologically meaningful.
Does the FOA expect applicants to provide only data generation, or also analysis?
Both. The FOA emphasizes data generation and also requires data integration, analysis, and interpretation, including bringing different data types together into coherent maps and extracting biological meaning.
Is collaboration required, or can a center operate independently?
Collaboration is a major expectation. The FOA states that Tissue Mapping Centers are not meant to work in isolation and should coordinate closely with other funded projects across HuBMAP to accelerate progress toward a shared mapping framework.
How does NIH involvement typically differ in a cooperative agreement (U54) versus a standard research grant?
In a cooperative agreement, NIH program staff typically play a more active role in coordination, steering, and ensuring milestone-focused progress, compared to the more hands-off approach common with many standard research project grants.
What is the CFDA number and research category?
The listing is in the health research category and includes CFDA 93.310.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; state and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; for-profit entities (including those other than small businesses); small businesses; and other applicants as described in the FOA's additional eligibility text.
Can for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit entities (including those other than small businesses), as well as small businesses.
Can tribal governments and tribal organizations apply?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are included in the eligible applicant types.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity projected around five awards.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
It was created on December 18, 2017, with an original closing date of March 2, 2018.
Is there a stated maximum award amount (ceiling)?
The listing does not specify a fixed award ceiling (it shows "0"). This commonly indicates that budgets are expected to be justified based on the proposed scope and then negotiated within program expectations rather than capped at a single posted maximum.
What kind of outputs are TMCs expected to produce?
TMCs are expected to produce standardized, high-quality, interoperable tissue maps and atlas-quality datasets of normal human tissues, integrating multiple data types into coherent spatially informed reference maps.
What makes this opportunity "infrastructure-heavy" compared to some other research awards?
The FOA emphasizes operating comprehensive mapping hubs and building integrated pipelines that span tissue procurement and preservation, state-of-the-art data generation, and advanced integration and interpretation. The broad eligibility reflects that successful teams may combine academic expertise, specimen procurement capabilities, technology development, and data science capacity.
What is the overall vision of the program described in the FOA?
The overall vision is to build a coordinated set of specialized centers that can produce standardized, high-resolution reference maps of healthy human tissues and contribute actively to shared methods, standards, and integration approaches across the HuBMAP consortium.
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