Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 438
Assay development and screening for discovery of chemical probes or therapeutic agents (R01) is an NIH research grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 17-438) designed to push early-stage drug discovery forward by funding the creation and improvement of assays and the use of those assays to find new small-molecule compounds. The central goal is to stimulate research that identifies novel small molecules that can either serve as chemical probes (tools used to interrogate and understand biology) or as starting points for therapeutic development. NIH is specifically interested in projects that can produce molecules useful for studying diseases and disease-relevant biological processes that align with the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers, especially where the underlying targets or pathways are not yet fully validated as drug targets. In practical terms, this FOA supports work that helps convert promising biological ideas into experimentally testable hypotheses, using well-designed assays and systematic screening to uncover compounds that can modulate a target, pathway, or phenotype.
The scope of work emphasized by the announcement centers on assay development and screening as the key enabling steps. That typically includes building robust, reproducible assays (biochemical, biophysical, cell-based, or phenotypic) that are suitable for screening, optimizing them for sensitivity and specificity, and demonstrating that they perform well enough to support reliable discovery efforts. The screening component generally involves evaluating libraries of small molecules to identify initial "hits" that show desired biological activity, followed by confirmation and refinement steps that distinguish true positives from artifacts. While the announcement text highlights discovery and development of novel small molecules, the broader intent is also to generate new insight into disease biology. That means NIH is looking for projects where the resulting probes or early lead compounds are not just ends in themselves, but are tools that can clarify how a disease-relevant mechanism works, whether a target is worth pursuing, and what therapeutic angles may be realistic.
This opportunity uses the R01 mechanism, meaning it is structured as a standard NIH research project grant and is intended for mature, hypothesis-driven projects with a clear plan, strong preliminary rationale, and a feasible approach. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the overall opportunity category is listed as discretionary. The program is administered by the National Institutes of Health, and it is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.279, 93.395, 93.855, 93.856), reflecting the fact that multiple NIH components may participate and that funded projects can fall under different NIH program areas depending on disease focus or scientific topic.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of public, private, nonprofit, and governmental entities. 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; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); 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. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals NIH interest in drawing innovation from many sectors and communities, including institutions serving underrepresented populations and international research organizations where scientifically justified.
From the provided source details, the FOA was created on 2017-07-27, and the original closing date listed is 2020-07-20. No award ceiling or expected number of awards is specified in the supplied fields, which generally means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for any institute-specific limits, typical budget ranges, or expectations about project scale. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at supporting scientifically rigorous assay and screening work that can yield credible chemical tools or early therapeutic candidates, while also strengthening the evidence base around emerging disease targets and biological mechanisms that are not yet firmly established in the drug discovery pipeline.Apply for PAR 17 438
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assay development and screening for discovery of chemical probes or therapeutic agents (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.279, 93.395, 93.855, 93.856.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-07-20. (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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| The Interplay of Cell Death Pathways in Cancer Cell Survival and Resistance to Therapy (R21) Apply for PA 17 449 Funding Number: PA 17 449 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Collaborative Research Network for Fusion Oncoproteins in Childhood Cancers (U54) Apply for RFA CA 17 049 Funding Number: RFA CA 17 049 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Biospecimen Access (X01) Apply for PAR 17 458 Funding Number: PAR 17 458 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Biology of Lung, and Head and Neck Preneoplasias (R01) Apply for PA 17 459 Funding Number: PA 17 459 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Biology of Lung, and Head and Neck Preneoplasias (R21) Apply for PAR 17 460 Funding Number: PAR 17 460 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Symptom Cluster Characterization in Chronic Conditions (R01) Apply for PA 17 462 Funding Number: PA 17 462 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Symptom Cluster Characterization in Chronic Conditions (R21) Apply for PA 17 461 Funding Number: PA 17 461 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Biology of Lung, and Head and Neck Preneoplasias (R21) Apply for PA 17 460 Funding Number: PA 17 460 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) (R38) Apply for RFA HL 18 023 Funding Number: RFA HL 18 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $221,000 |
| Clinical and Epidemiological Research on Chronic Disease in the Caribbean (R01) Apply for PAR 17 470 Funding Number: PAR 17 470 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS): Population, Clinical and Applied Prevention Research (R21) Apply for PAR 17 472 Funding Number: PAR 17 472 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS): Population, Clinical and Applied Prevention Research (R01) Apply for PAR 17 473 Funding Number: PAR 17 473 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Approaches to Identify and Care for Individuals with Inherited Cancer Syndromes (U01) Apply for RFA CA 17 041 Funding Number: RFA CA 17 041 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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