HEAL Initiative: Tissue Chips to Model Nociception, Addiction, and Overdose (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA TR 19 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA TR 19 003

The NIH funding opportunity "HEAL Initiative: Tissue Chips to Model Nociception, Addiction, and Overdose (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (RFA-TR-19-003) supports the development and testing of human tissue-based "tissue chips," also called microphysiological systems (MPS), aimed at improving how researchers study pain-related signaling (nociception), addiction biology, opioid use disorders (OUDs), and overdose-relevant effects. The core idea is to create in vitro platforms that behave more like real human physiology than traditional cell culture models, allowing investigators to model both normal and disease states and observe realistic responses to stressors, treatments, and other experimental perturbations. By funding these engineered human-relevant systems, the program is trying to speed up the discovery and evaluation of better interventions for pain and opioid-related harms.

This opportunity sits under the broader NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, which is a cross-NIH effort responding to the opioid public health crisis. In practical terms, HEAL is oriented around two large goals: improving treatments for opioid misuse and addiction, and advancing pain management in ways that are safer and more effective. Within that context, tissue chip platforms are positioned as a promising screening and mechanistic research tool because they can be designed to reproduce key aspects of human organ-level function and multi-tissue interactions that are often missing in simpler models. The expectation is that these systems can help clarify underlying mechanisms (for example, pain pathway signaling or drug-induced toxicity), and can also serve as more predictive preclinical testbeds for candidate therapeutics or other interventions.

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement using the UG3/UH3 phased structure, meaning projects are typically expected to start with a milestone-driven early stage (UG3) focused on development and feasibility, and then transition to a later stage (UH3) focused on further validation, testing, and demonstration of performance once predefined milestones are met. The announcement explicitly states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," so the supported work is intended to remain in the preclinical and technology development space rather than enrolling human participants in clinical trials. NIH involvement is also generally more hands-on in cooperative agreements than in standard grants, reflecting an emphasis on active programmatic stewardship and milestone accountability.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other types of entities as allowed under NIH rules. The opportunity also highlights additional categories of eligible applicants such as 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the solicitation draws a clear boundary around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not permitted. That constraint signals that the funded research and development activities must be conducted within allowable U.S.-based organizational structures and project components.

Administratively, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the funding instrument is categorized as a discretionary cooperative agreement. The source listing includes an award ceiling of $500,000 and references CFDA numbers 93.121, 93.279, 93.286, 93.350, 93.846, 93.853, and 93.865, reflecting the multi-institute nature of HEAL-related funding streams. The original closing date in the provided record is February 28, 2019, and the funding opportunity record was created on December 10, 2018.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HEAL Initiative: Tissue Chips to Model Nociception, Addiction, and Overdose (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.279, 93.286, 93.350, 93.846, 93.853, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-12-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-28. (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 $500,000.00 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 RFA TR 19 003

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