Single Source: Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program (LungMAP) Phase 3 - Human Tissue Core (U01- Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HL 24 015

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 24 015

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Single Source: Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program (LungMAP) Phase 3 - Human Tissue Core (U01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HL-24-015. This funding is part of the LungMAP program, a long-running NIH effort focused on building an in-depth, publicly accessible reference atlas of the human lung. The central goal is to generate a comprehensive molecular and cellular map that researchers can use to better understand normal lung biology as well as the mechanisms that drive lung diseases, ultimately helping to pinpoint key cell types, molecular pathways, and potential therapeutic targets.

In practical terms, LungMAP is designed as an open-access, high-resolution resource that integrates information across multiple scales. The program aims to define lung cell populations not just by a single data type, but through a more complete profile that can include gene expression patterns, cellular or physiological states, three-dimensional spatial localization within lung structures, and how these features change across development and disease-related trajectories. The emphasis on "multi-scale" and "high-content" data signals that the program is intended to support modern atlas-building approaches that combine molecular profiling with spatial and structural context, so the resulting atlas functions as a reference platform that many different investigators can reuse and build upon.

This specific Phase 3 component is focused on a "Human Tissue Core," meaning the funded activity is expected to serve as a centralized resource that supports the broader LungMAP consortium by providing human lung tissue-related capabilities. While the provided summary does not list detailed tasks, a tissue core in an NIH consortium context typically implies standardized acquisition, handling, processing, quality control, annotation, and distribution or coordination of biospecimens and associated metadata, so that downstream consortium projects can generate consistent, comparable datasets. Because LungMAP is explicitly framed as an open-access resource, the tissue core function also generally aligns with the expectation that resulting materials, data, and accompanying documentation support broad reuse by the research community, consistent with NIH policies and program norms.

The award mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, which is distinct from a standard research grant in that NIH staff generally have substantial scientific and/or programmatic involvement during the project period. In other words, awardees should anticipate active coordination with NIH and other LungMAP components, shared milestones, and participation in consortium governance, data standards, and harmonized operating procedures. The opportunity is also labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means the proposed work must not include a clinical trial as defined by NIH, even if it involves human biospecimens or human-derived data.

Key administrative details from the listing include an original application closing date of October 27, 2023, an award ceiling of $300,000, and classification within the NIH health activity category with CFDA number 93.838. The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding and uses the cooperative agreement funding instrument type. The "Expected Awards" field in the provided source data appears incomplete, so the number of awards should be confirmed in the full notice if needed.

Eligibility notes indicate that small businesses are included among eligible applicants in the provided source data. The opportunity also includes important restrictions and allowances related to foreign involvement: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as applicants, but non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. In practice, that typically means a U.S.-based applicant organization may include certain project elements or collaborations that occur outside the United States, provided they are structured and justified as allowable foreign components and comply with NIH policy. For definitive interpretations and any additional eligibility categories beyond what is shown in the excerpt, applicants would need to rely on the full Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Overall, this funding opportunity supports the infrastructure and coordinated work needed to strengthen LungMAP Phase 3 by enabling high-quality human lung tissue resources that feed into an integrated atlas of lung development and biology. The program is positioned to accelerate discovery by standardizing inputs, enabling cross-project comparability, and producing reference-quality, openly accessible molecular and spatial maps that can be used to study both healthy lung function and disease processes.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Single Source: Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program (LungMAP) Phase 3 - Human Tissue Core (U01- 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): 93.838.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-09-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-10-27. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

Apply for RFA HL 24 015

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