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Pilot Projects Investigating Understudied Proteins Associated with Rare Diseases (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health · Opportunity PAR-25-122

Deadline November 16, 2027 433 days left
Award range Up to $100k
Total program funding
PostedOctober 28, 2024

Who can apply

Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.

About this opportunity

The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to solicit applications for pilot projects to elucidate a role for understudied proteins in rare disease. Awards will support generation of preliminary data and/or tools around eligible understudied protein(s). A list of eligible proteins is provided and are members of druggable protein families that have a known association with a rare disease. This NOFO is intended to jumpstart research on understudied proteins that are associated with rare diseases and provide applicants with sufficient funding to perform basic biochemical and/or biological work to further the characterization of understudied proteins within the context of rare disease.

Award history — this exact opportunity

NIH RePORTER lists 21 funded awards under PAR-25-122 across 18 organizations.

Awards by fiscal year 2026: 21
Award size (min / median / max) $147k / $160k / $184k

Total award obligations, not per-year amounts.

Recent awardees include: ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO, YALE UNIVERSITY.

Source: NIH RePORTER, matched on the exact opportunity number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.

Portfolio context — this listing covers more than this opportunity

This opportunity is funded under Assistance Listing 93.121 (“Oral Diseases and Disorders Research”), a broad federal program that made about 300 new awards per year over the last five fiscal years (median award $438k). Those figures describe that whole portfolio — not this specific solicitation, so we don't show them as if they were this opportunity's track record.

Applicant counts per solicitation are not published by any federal agency — no one can honestly sell you that number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.

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