Telomeres in Wellness and Disease: A Biobehavioral Approach (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 19 074

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 19 074

Telomeres in Wellness and Disease: A Biobehavioral Approach (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PA 19 074; CFDA 93.361) that supports clinical research focused on how telomeres relate to both health and disease. The central aim is to move telomere science beyond basic associations and into practical, clinically relevant biobehavioral research programs, including work that connects biological aging markers with behavior, psychosocial factors, symptoms, and self-management. The FOA is intended to help the field better understand when and how telomere-related measures can be used to maintain wellness, lower disease risk and burden, and inform strategies that improve symptom management and patient self-care. As an R01 mechanism, it is oriented toward substantial, hypothesis-driven projects that can generate robust evidence and push a research area forward in meaningful ways.

The announcement highlights that telomeres have already been linked in prior studies to a range of health-related outcomes, which is why NIH is encouraging additional research to realize the full potential of telomere-guided approaches. In practice, this means the FOA is looking for studies that clarify the clinical relevance of telomere biology in real-world health contexts, especially where biobehavioral factors are important. “Biobehavioral” signals an emphasis on the interplay between biology and behavior, so competitive projects are likely to examine how lifestyle, stress, psychological states, social environment, or behavioral interventions relate to telomere dynamics and downstream health outcomes. The goal is not simply to measure telomeres, but to integrate telomere assessments into broader models of wellness and disease progression, and to determine how telomere-related information might strengthen prevention, symptom control, and long-term management.

The funding instrument is a discretionary grant using the R01 activity code, with clinical trials listed as optional. That means applicants may propose either (1) clinical studies that do not meet the definition of a clinical trial, such as observational or mechanistic clinical research involving human participants, or (2) studies that do meet the definition of a clinical trial, such as testing an intervention where outcomes could include telomere-related measures alongside clinical or behavioral endpoints. The “clinical trial optional” framing generally provides flexibility to propose the most appropriate design for the scientific question, whether that is longitudinal cohort work, intensive repeated-measures studies, mechanistic studies embedded in clinical settings, or intervention trials that evaluate whether changing behavior or symptom-management strategies influences telomere biology and health outcomes.

A wide range of organizations are eligible to apply. Beyond typical applicants such as state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), eligibility also includes for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses. The FOA explicitly encourages participation from diverse and community-connected institutions and organizations, including 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), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. It also allows applications from faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This broad eligibility is consistent with a goal of expanding telomere-focused biobehavioral research across different populations, settings, and health systems, which can be important for understanding variability in telomere dynamics and ensuring findings are relevant across communities.

Administratively, the opportunity was created on 2018-11-20 and lists an original closing date of 2022-01-07 in the provided source data. The announcement does not specify an award ceiling or an expected number of awards in the excerpt, so applicants would typically consult the full FOA text and NIH policy guidance for budget expectations, project period norms, and any institute- or program-specific priorities. Overall, this FOA is positioned for research teams who can rigorously connect telomere biology to clinically meaningful outcomes and biobehavioral mechanisms, with an emphasis on generating evidence that could eventually improve prevention, wellness maintenance, disease burden reduction, and patient-centered symptom and self-management approaches.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Telomeres in Wellness and Disease: A Biobehavioral Approach (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.361.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-11-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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