Integrative Research to Understand the Impact of Sex Differences on the Molecular Determinants of AD Risk and Responsiveness to Treatment (R01) | PAR 17 033

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 033

The funding opportunity titled "Integrative Research to Understand the Impact of Sex Differences on the Molecular Determinants of AD Risk and Responsiveness to Treatment (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-17-033) is a discretionary NIH research grant focused on Alzheimer disease (AD) and brain aging. Its central purpose is to support research that digs into the biological and molecular reasons sex differences matter in Alzheimer risk, how the brain ages over time, and why responses to treatments can differ between females and males. The announcement emphasizes integrative, mechanistic work, meaning applicants are expected to go beyond describing differences and instead explain how and why those differences arise, and what they imply for AD risk trajectories and treatment outcomes.

A key theme of this FOA is cross-disciplinary, team science. In practice, that means NIH is looking for projects that combine expertise and methods from multiple fields to build a more complete picture of sex-related biology in AD. Competitive applications would typically weave together approaches such as molecular and cellular biology, genetics and genomics, biomarker science, neuroscience, pharmacology, epidemiology, computational biology, and clinical or translational research. The goal is a comprehensive understanding of how sex differences influence the molecular determinants of AD risk, how those determinants change across the aging process, and how they shape the effectiveness of both pharmacologic interventions (drugs and biologics) and non-pharmacologic interventions (for example, behavioral, lifestyle, cognitive, or other non-drug strategies).

The activity category is health research, listed under CFDA number 93.866, and the funding instrument is an NIH R01, which generally supports substantial, hypothesis-driven research programs. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $750,000, indicating the maximum award amount allowed under the announcement. The source data also notes an original closing date of 2020-05-07 and a creation date of 2016-10-25, which situates it as a published NIH opportunity with a defined submission timeline in the original posting.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant types across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and 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 and tribal governments that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. In addition, the FOA explicitly highlights other eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), 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, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), and U.S. territories or possessions. This broad eligibility signals an interest in attracting diverse institutions and collaborative teams, including international or regional partners where appropriate.

In plain terms, this grant opportunity is aimed at accelerating Alzheimer research that treats sex as a core biological variable affecting disease mechanisms and treatment response, rather than a demographic detail. NIH is encouraging applicants to build integrated research programs that can connect molecular mechanisms to observable AD risk phenotypes and intervention outcomes, ultimately helping the field move toward more precise, evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies that account for sex differences across the brain aging and Alzheimer disease continuum.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrative Research to Understand the Impact of Sex Differences on the Molecular Determinants of AD Risk and Responsiveness to Treatment (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-10-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-07. (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 $750,000.00 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.

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