Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HG 18 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HG 18 002

The Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development FOA (RFA-HG-18-002) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R21 funding opportunity focused on pushing nucleic acid sequencing beyond the current state of the art. Its core purpose is to support early-stage, exploratory research that can deliver a truly substantial leap in capability, specifically defined as an improvement of no less than an order of magnitude in DNA sequencing performance. In parallel, the FOA also places strong emphasis on creating practical methods for direct RNA sequencing, reflecting a major unmet need in being able to read RNA molecules directly (rather than relying on indirect approaches that convert RNA to cDNA).

The scientific scope is intentionally broad, but the bar for impact is high. Applicants can propose entirely new, end-to-end sequencing platforms, or they can focus on solving the toughest bottlenecks that prevent new systems from working (for example, a novel sensor, chemistry, nanopore, polymerase, surface, labeling strategy, sample handling method, signal processing pipeline, or other critical subsystem). The FOA also allows proposals that improve existing sequencing systems, but only if the proposed changes are expected to produce at least a tenfold gain compared to current performance. The announcement explicitly encourages applicants to explore sequencing approaches that are different from those dominating the field at the time, signaling that unconventional ideas and alternative physical or biochemical readout strategies are welcome.

This opportunity is structured as an R21, which generally aligns with high-risk, high-reward projects where strong preliminary data may be limited but the conceptual payoff could be transformative. The FOA reinforces that point by stating that high-risk/high-payoff applications are appropriate, essentially inviting proposals that might be too speculative for more conservative mechanisms. Importantly, clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, so applications should remain in the technology development and preclinical validation space rather than moving into testing interventions in human participants.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the health funding category, under CFDA 93.172, administered by NIH (and programmatically aligned with genomics and sequencing technology development). The listed award ceiling is $200,000, indicating a relatively modest budget consistent with the R21 mechanism and its role in seeding bold, early-stage concepts. The original closing date shown is September 10, 2020, with a creation date of April 18, 2018, which places it in a specific historical context for applicants who may be looking for related or successor announcements.

Eligibility is broad and spans a wide range of organization types. Eligible applicants include federal, state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; and Native American tribal governments and organizations (including federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations). The FOA also includes public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. It further highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as 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 are also included, and the FOA indicates that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions may apply, underscoring NIH interest in pulling in the best ideas regardless of geography or institutional type.

Taken together, this FOA is best understood as a targeted push to catalyze breakthrough sequencing technologies rather than incremental optimization. Competitive projects would be expected to articulate a credible path to at least a tenfold improvement in key sequencing metrics (such as accuracy, throughput, read length, cost, speed, input requirements, or other performance drivers), or to produce practical, direct RNA sequencing methods that can work reliably outside of narrowly controlled demonstrations. The announcement’s repeated emphasis on novelty, alternative approaches, and high-risk/high-payoff work makes it especially relevant for teams proposing fundamentally new measurement physics, new molecular strategies, or novel integrated systems that could reset what is considered feasible in DNA and RNA sequencing.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R21 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): 93.172.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-04-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-10. (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 $200,000.00 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 HG 18 002

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: