Leveraging Electronic Medical Records for Psychiatric Genetic Research (R01 (Collab) Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 18 905

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 905

The National Institutes of Health funding opportunity titled "Leveraging Electronic Medical Records for Psychiatric Genetic Research (R01 (Collab) Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 18 905; CFDA 93.242) supports collaborative, multi-site research projects that use electronic medical records (EMRs) and other large-scale health data resources to strengthen psychiatric genetic research. The central aim is to better explain how genetic liability, including both broad polygenic risk and specific risk variants or loci, works together with environmental and other non-genetic factors to influence the development and course of serious mental disorders. By clarifying these intertwined causes in real-world human populations, the long-term goal is to improve how mental disorders are understood, diagnosed, and eventually treated.

This announcement is specifically structured for a linked set of collaborative R01 applications. In practical terms, that means multiple research sites submit connected R01 proposals, and each participating site names its own Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s). The program design emphasizes built-in cross-site coordination and regular communication so teams can align methods, harmonize data elements, and integrate findings across settings. The collaborative format is intended for research questions that are too large, complex, or multidisciplinary for a single institution to tackle alone, especially when projects require complementary expertise such as psychiatric genetics, epidemiology, informatics, biostatistics, molecular biology, and health system data science.

The scientific approach encouraged by the FOA is molecular epidemiology carried out efficiently and creatively within existing resources rather than building entirely new cohorts from scratch. Applicants are expected to leverage established, population-based cohorts, registries, and/or health systems where EMR data can be linked to genetic information at the individual level. The genetic components can include polygenic scores, specific genetic variants, risk loci, and biologically meaningful networks, with the expectation that analyses will use these data to test hypotheses about etiology, risk pathways, and gene-environment interplay. The emphasis is on analyses that can move the field forward by using scale, diversity of data, and real-world clinical information captured through routine care.

A key boundary condition is that clinical trials are not allowed under this FOA, so proposed studies should focus on observational research, secondary analyses, methodological development for EMR-linked genetic studies, and related non-interventional designs. The intent is to draw stronger causal and mechanistic inferences from existing data sources and linked datasets, rather than to test treatments or interventions prospectively in a trial framework. The announcement also notes that applicants who want to submit non-collaborative, single-project R01 applications should use a companion FOA rather than this collaborative mechanism.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations: state, county, and local governments; 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 (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISISs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), reflecting an interest in inclusive participation and, where appropriate, broader population representation.

Operationally, this is a discretionary grant mechanism under the NIH R01 activity code, tailored to multi-site collaboration. The original posting indicates a creation date of August 16, 2018, and lists an original closing date of September 7, 2021. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source excerpt, which typically means budgets and award counts depend on NIH institute priorities, available appropriations, and the scientific merit and feasibility of applications received.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at teams that can combine large-scale EMR or registry data with individual-level genetic information and rigorous analytic methods to produce insights into why severe mental illnesses occur and vary across people and environments. The program’s collaborative structure is meant to ensure that these efforts can operate at a scale and level of methodological consistency that produces findings with broader validity and utility for psychiatric research.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Leveraging Electronic Medical Records for Psychiatric Genetic Research (R01 (Collab) 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): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-08-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 18 905

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