New funding opportunities to join the fight against COVID-19



Kenneth SANTORA,

Director, DEA, NIA,

Division of Extramural Activities (DEA). Director, DEA, NIA,Division of Extramural Activities (DEA).

As Dr. Hodes discussed in his post last week, the coronavirus pandemic has changed “business as usual” for scientists overnight. But it has not changed our mission, and with older adults among the most vulnerable to COVID-19, NIA is working to roll out new funding opportunities for research on the virus as rapidly as possible.

A brief bit of introduction: I am the new director of NIA’s Division of Extramural Activities (DEA). I started earlier this year, and it’s been a thrill to see firsthand the amazing energy and expertise that serves our research community behind the scenes. I am honored to follow in the footsteps of my predecessor, Dr. Robin Barr, who was a linchpin of this blog and DEA.

While I never thought that I would be running the division from home, this is our new reality, and I can assure the extramural community that NIA will continue to serve to best of our abilities. In DEA, our grants management, scientific review and small business offices are all fully functional and will remain so during these emergency conditions.

I had hoped my first authored blog post here would be a more informal or traditional piece, but as the world confronts the pandemic, we must postpone such niceties for now and prioritize uniting and mobilizing the aging research community to learn more about this new virus. I know many of you are eager to help during this crisis, in hopes of finding better ways to protect everyone, especially healthcare workers and first responders on the frontlines as well as older adults and their caregivers who are vulnerable, isolated and worried.

An all-hands-on-deck opportunity

With that in mind, I am pleased to announce a new Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) NOT-AG-20-022: NIA Availability of Administrative Supplements and Revision Supplements on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Through this NOSI, NIA aims to address the urgent public health need to better understand COVID-19, particularly to improve prevention of disease transmission among older adults and mitigation of disease severity and mortality in older adults with the virus.

This NOSI includes a broad array of scientific interests selected by NIA’s four research divisions: Aging Biology, Behavioral and Social Research, Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology, and Neuroscience. Applications can be Administrative Supplements or Competitive Revisions to active grants.

Apply now to tackle this scourge together

The application period is now open, and submissions will be accepted through May 1, 2021. Researchers who want to apply are strongly encouraged to contact and discuss their proposed approach with the appropriate NIA program staff listed in the NOSI. Also, don’t forget to keep looking at the NIH Funding Opportunities Specific to COVID-19 for other opportunities to conduct research on COVID-19. Pay close attention to other ICs’ FOAs, as NIA may be signed on to their initiatives.

All of us here at NIA are eager to receive your applications, learn more about your innovative ideas and get started supporting your work to take on COVID-19. Please comment below if you have questions. Best wishes for health and safety to all as we undertake this fight together!