Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA NS 19 019

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 19 019

This National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity, titled "Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-NS-19-019; CFDA 93.853), supports large, highly collaborative research centers designed to work across institutional and disciplinary boundaries. The main goal is to speed up progress in understanding what epilepsy-related genetic variants actually do in biological systems, moving beyond the initial discovery of variants in patients to careful functional studies that clarify how those variants affect cells, brain circuits, and whole organisms. The program emphasizes team science and coordinated work plans, using the U54 cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally means NIH expects substantial ongoing involvement and coordination with awardees compared to a standard research grant.

Scientifically, the focus is on determining the functional, pharmacological, neuronal network, and whole-animal consequences of human genetic variants found in people with different forms of epilepsy. In practical terms, projects supported under this FOA are expected to connect genetics to mechanism: for example, evaluating how specific variants alter protein function, how they change neuronal excitability or synaptic signaling, how they disrupt network-level activity that can contribute to seizures, and how these changes manifest in animal models. Alongside mechanistic work, the FOA also highlights development of strategies to establish diagnostic criteria tied to genetic findings and to identify potential targets for intervention. That can include work aimed at improving the interpretation of variants (such as distinguishing pathogenic from benign effects), refining genotype-phenotype correlations, and prioritizing actionable pathways or molecular targets that could guide future therapeutic development, even though the FOA itself is not for conducting clinical trials.

The "Centers Without Walls" concept signals an expectation that applicants will form multidisciplinary, multi-investigator groups that function like a center even if they are distributed across different departments or institutions. The intent is to build a coordinated effort where complementary expertise (for example, human genetics, electrophysiology, molecular pharmacology, systems neuroscience, computational analysis, and animal modeling) is integrated into a unified research program rather than a set of loosely connected individual projects. This structure is meant to accelerate throughput and impact, so that newly discovered epilepsy variants can be rapidly evaluated in robust experimental pipelines and translated into clearer diagnostic and biological insights.

In terms of eligibility, the opportunity is broadly open to many types of U.S.-based applicants, including 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; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories such as 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), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant organization can include certain qualified international collaborations or subcomponents when justified within NIH policy.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding program within the health category, using the cooperative agreement funding instrument (U54). The award ceiling listed is $1,500,000, indicating the maximum funding level per award under the terms described in the source data. The original closing date shown is August 27, 2019, and the creation date is May 13, 2019. The announcement also specifies "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means applications should be structured around preclinical, translational, or other non-trial research activities rather than prospective studies in human participants that meet NIH’s definition of a clinical trial. Overall, the FOA is aimed at building coordinated center-like teams that can rapidly convert human epilepsy genetics discoveries into experimentally validated functional understanding and clearer paths toward diagnosis and future intervention strategies.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Centers Without Walls for Collaborative Research in the Epilepsies: Functional Evaluation of Human Genetic Variants (U54 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): 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-05-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-08-27. (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 $1,500,000.00 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 NS 19 019

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