Exploiting In Vivo Precision Pharmacology Techniques to Understand Opioid Receptor Signaling in Specific Circuits, Cell Types, and Subcellular Compartments (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DA 20 019

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 20 019

The NIH grant opportunity "Exploiting In Vivo Precision Pharmacology Techniques to Understand Opioid Receptor Signaling in Specific Circuits, Cell Types, and Subcellular Compartments" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-20-019) is a discretionary grant program focused on advancing research tools and strategies that can precisely control or probe signaling from endogenous opioid receptors inside living organisms. The central goal is not simply to study opioid receptors in general, but to enable experiments that can manipulate or measure opioid receptor signaling with high spatial and biological specificity, meaning within particular neural circuits, specific cell types, or even distinct locations inside cells (subcellular compartments). This emphasis reflects the idea that opioid receptor function can vary dramatically depending on where signaling occurs, which cells are involved, and what intracellular context shapes downstream effects.

The scientific scope is aimed at the development and application of novel pharmacological approaches that work in vivo, rather than approaches limited to isolated cells or simplified model systems. In practice, this kind of program typically encourages approaches that can disentangle complex opioid biology by allowing researchers to turn receptor signaling on or off, bias signaling pathways, or read out signaling events in targeted regions with minimal off-target effects. The opportunity explicitly highlights endogenous opioid receptors, pointing to a preference for methods that interface with receptors as they naturally exist in the organism, rather than relying entirely on overexpression systems that may alter receptor abundance, localization, or signaling dynamics. Overall, the funding seeks to push beyond conventional systemic drug dosing, which affects many tissues and circuits at once, and instead enable mechanistic clarity about how opioid receptor signaling in a defined biological context drives particular physiological or behavioral outcomes.

The mechanism is an R61/R33, which is commonly used for projects that start with a milestone-driven, early-stage development phase followed by a second phase that supports expanded application once feasibility and performance are demonstrated. In other words, the structure is designed to support tool creation or optimization first, then transition into using those tools to answer specific biological questions about opioid receptor signaling once the approach has been validated. The announcement is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means the supported work must remain in the non-clinical research space and cannot involve clinical trial activities as defined by NIH, even if the broader topic is relevant to human health and substance use outcomes.

Administratively, the opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health and falls under the Education and Health activity category, with CFDA number 93.279. The original closing date listed is October 17, 2019, and the creation date is May 30, 2019. While the award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, the presence of an R61/R33 structure signals an intent to fund projects that are both innovative and technically rigorous, with clear go/no-go criteria appropriate for technology development and subsequent biological deployment.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of government entities and research-performing organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as stated); 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 (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). Taken together, this indicates a deliberate attempt to make the program accessible across many institutional settings, including minority-serving institutions, community-connected organizations, and international partners where appropriate.

In plain terms, this funding opportunity is about building and using next-generation in vivo pharmacology methods that can precisely interrogate opioid receptor signaling in the places and contexts that matter most for understanding function. The expected outcome is a set of validated, deployable approaches that let researchers move from broad, system-wide observations to circuit-, cell-, and compartment-level causal understanding of opioid receptor biology, while remaining firmly in the non-clinical trial research domain.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploiting In Vivo Precision Pharmacology Techniques to Understand Opioid Receptor Signaling in Specific Circuits, Cell Types, and Subcellular Compartments (R61/R33 - 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): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-05-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-10-17. (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 RFA DA 20 019

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: