Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) Methods and Analysis for Populations of Diverse Ancestry Centers (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HG 20 001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is NIH RFA HG 20 001 trying to fund?

NIH RFA HG 20 001 supports the creation of research Centers focused on improving Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) methods for people from diverse ancestral backgrounds. The program is designed to build a coordinated set of Centers that develop better methods and produce more reliable, broadly applicable PRS across multiple ancestries and a wide range of health-related outcomes.

What problem is this opportunity meant to address?

A major limitation in the PRS field is that many existing scores were developed primarily using data from people of European ancestry. That can reduce accuracy and usefulness when those scores are applied to other populations. This initiative is intended to directly address that gap by leveraging genetic diversity and improving the methods used to build and evaluate PRS so they work better across ancestries.

What is a Polygenic Risk Score (PRS), as described in this announcement?

A PRS is a statistical tool that combines information from many genetic variants to estimate an individual's inherited risk for complex diseases and traits.

What types of outcomes or conditions can the work cover?

The work can span many health measures and complex diseases and traits. The opportunity notes broad relevance to common conditions such as cardiometabolic disease, cancer risk, psychiatric traits, and other multifactorial outcomes.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?

This opportunity uses a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, which means NIH expects to have substantial scientific and programmatic involvement in shaping and coordinating the work. The funded Centers are not operating completely independently; they are expected to coordinate closely with NIH and with other awardees as part of a broader Consortium.

Will the funded Centers work alone or as part of a larger group?

Centers are expected to work as part of a larger Consortium. In addition to the research Centers funded under this announcement, the Consortium also includes a separate Coordinating Center funded through a different funding opportunity announcement (FOA). The combined structure is intended to align efforts, support collaboration, and enable shared standards for analysis and data dissemination.

What is the role of the Coordinating Center?

Based on the description provided, the Coordinating Center helps align efforts across the Consortium, supports collaboration, and enables shared standards for analysis and data dissemination. It is funded through a different FOA than the one described here.

What are the main scientific themes or goals of the program?

The program emphasizes two core themes: (1) leveraging genetic diversity to improve PRS performance across populations, and (2) optimizing the integration of large-scale genomic and phenotype data. Together, these themes focus on improving both the methods used to create PRS and the shared resources and approaches needed to combine and compare analyses across studies.

What kinds of ancestry-related issues is the program trying to account for in PRS methods?

The Centers are expected to develop and test methods that account for differences in ancestry, linkage disequilibrium patterns, allele frequencies, and environmental or clinical context that can affect how well a PRS "transports" from one group to another.

Is the goal only to create new polygenic risk scores?

No. The intent is not just to produce scores, but also to refine the underlying statistical and computational approaches so PRS can be applied more equitably and effectively in research and, eventually, in settings that influence healthcare decisions.

Will this program primarily fund brand-new data collection?

No. Rather than funding brand-new data collection as the main emphasis, the Centers are expected to integrate and analyze existing datasets that already contain genomic information linked to phenotype data for complex diseases and traits.

What types of datasets are Centers expected to use?

Centers are expected to integrate and analyze existing datasets that include genomic information linked to phenotype data for complex diseases and traits. The opportunity also emphasizes harmonizing datasets and improving approaches for combining information across studies.

What does "optimizing the integration of large-scale genomic and phenotype data" involve?

In the description provided, this includes harmonizing datasets, improving approaches to combining information across studies, and creating shared resources. The aim is to make it easier for researchers to run collaborative analyses, compare PRS methods fairly, and disseminate PRS-related outputs for broader use.

What deliverables are Centers expected to produce?

The opportunity describes deliverables intended to move the field forward, including validated PRS in diverse cohorts, improved analytical pipelines, benchmarking results across methods, and resources that enable reproducibility and reuse.

What does "benchmarking" mean in the context of this program?

Based on the announcement summary, benchmarking refers to generating results that allow PRS methods to be compared fairly across approaches, including how they perform across diverse cohorts and multiple ancestries.

Why is diversity and equity a central focus of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is explicitly aimed at improving PRS for people from diverse ancestral backgrounds, responding to the field-wide limitation that many PRS were developed primarily in European-ancestry datasets. The eligibility language also emphasizes broad participation, including institutions and communities often underrepresented in large-scale genomics.

Is this funding opportunity open to clinical trials?

No. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which signals that funded activities should not include clinical trial research as defined by NIH. The emphasis described is on methods, analysis, and resource development rather than interventional testing in human participants.

What is the CFDA number and category for this opportunity?

Administratively, it is categorized as a discretionary health funding opportunity under CFDA 93.172.

What was the original application closing date listed in the announcement?

The original application closing date listed for this announcement was July 7, 2020.

What is the award ceiling shown for this opportunity?

The award ceiling shown is $1,000,000.

Does the announcement indicate how many awards NIH expects to make?

The announcement indicates NIH anticipated making multiple awards, but the provided text does not specify a number.

What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other entities.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?

Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes non-domestic (foreign) entities.

Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?

Yes. The announcement highlights eligibility for U.S. territories or possessions.

Are minority-serving institutions specifically encouraged or included as eligible?

Yes. The opportunity highlights additional eligible applicant categories 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), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations among highlighted eligible categories.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses.

How does the Consortium structure help achieve the program goals?

The structure is intended to combine complementary expertise, data resources, and methodological advances across Centers, while the Coordinating Center helps align efforts, supports collaboration, and promotes shared standards for analysis and data dissemination. This arrangement is meant to accelerate progress toward PRS methods and outputs that are reliable across multiple ancestries and outcomes.

What is the long-term impact NIH is aiming for?

In practical terms, the program is meant to build infrastructure and shared scientific capacity so PRS tools do not remain optimized only for a narrow slice of the population. By pushing methodological innovation, supporting harmonized multi-study analyses, and requiring close collaboration through a Consortium, NIH aims to produce PRS that are more accurate across ancestries and more trustworthy as a foundation for future translational research, risk prediction, and population health applications.