Collaborative Cross (CC) Mouse Model Generation and Discovery of Immunoregulatory Mechanisms (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PAR 18 781

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 781

This NIH grant opportunity (PAR-18-781) is an R21 exploratory/developmental funding announcement focused on using Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse lines to deepen understanding of how host genetics shapes immune regulation and immune function, while also encouraging work that improves or expands CC-based mouse resources so they better mirror human immune responses. The central idea is to leverage the genetic diversity and reproducibility of CC lines to identify genetic drivers of immune traits, uncover mechanisms that regulate immune responses, and build or refine models that are more predictive of human biology. Clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, keeping the emphasis on preclinical, mechanistic, and model-development research.

The scientific scope is broad across immunology, but it is anchored in questions where genetic background strongly influences outcomes. Supported areas include studies on immune system development and maturation, how immune responses are initiated and controlled, and the genetic and molecular mechanisms that govern responses to infectious pathogens. The FOA also explicitly supports research on vaccines and vaccine adjuvants, including how host genetics affects vaccine responsiveness, durability of protection, and adverse or atypical immune reactions. Another key area is host susceptibility and the mechanisms behind pathogen-induced immunopathology, meaning projects can look not only at whether an animal is resistant or susceptible, but also at why infection triggers damaging inflammation or tissue injury in certain genetic contexts. In addition, the FOA prioritizes immune mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of immune-mediated diseases, including allergy and asthma, autoimmunity, primary immunodeficiency, inflammatory disorders, and immune processes related to transplantation such as rejection, tolerance, and immune regulation across cell, organ, or tissue grafts.

From a practical funding standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the health category administered by the National Institutes of Health (CFDA 93.855). The mechanism is an R21, which typically supports early-stage, high-impact ideas and pilot work that can generate strong preliminary data for larger future projects. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. The original closing date shown in the source data is 2020-09-09, and the FOA was created on 2018-05-11, indicating it was part of a defined submission window schedule during that period.

Eligibility is intentionally expansive across U.S.-based research and public-service organizations. 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 and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other organizations as permitted. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies. However, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. At the same time, the announcement allows foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S. applicant can include certain well-justified foreign elements of the research when permitted by NIH policy, even though the applicant organization itself must be domestic.

Overall, the opportunity is designed for investigators who want to use the Collaborative Cross platform to connect genotype to immune phenotype in rigorous, reproducible ways, produce mechanistic insight into immune regulation in health and disease, and strengthen the translational relevance of mouse immunology by developing CC lines or CC-based approaches that more closely recapitulate human immune responses.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Cross (CC) Mouse Model Generation and Discovery of Immunoregulatory Mechanisms (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-05-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-09. (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 PAR 18 781

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