OARS funding Aging

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) invites applications for basic research to better characterize the affective, cognitive, social, and motivational parameters of impaired and intact decision making in both normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Research is sought that will characterize the extent to which basic behavioral and neural processes involved in decision-making are differentially impacted in normal aging and AD, investigate the influence of social factors on decision-making, and investigate the decision-making factors that render older adults (with or without cognitive impairment) vulnerable to financial exploitation and other forms of mistreatment and abuse. The FOA also invites applications to apply basic research on the processes involved in decision-making to the design of decision-supportive interventions for midlife and older adults with and without AD. Specific opportunities include the development of decision-supportive interventions to leverage cognitive, emotional and motivational strengths of these populations; tools to assess decisional capacity; strategies for simplifying choices and offering better defaults; and the promotion of timely adoption of optimal delegation practices (e.g., power of attorney, living wells, etc.).

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) invites applications for basic research to better characterize the affective, cognitive, social, and motivational parameters of impaired and intact decision making in both normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Research is sought that will characterize the extent to which basic behavioral and neural processes involved in decision-making are differentially impacted in normal aging and AD, investigate the influence of social factors on decision-making, and investigate the decision-making factors that render older adults (with or without cognitive impairment) vulnerable to financial exploitation and other forms of mistreatment and abuse. The FOA also invites applications to apply basic research on the processes involved in decision-making to the design of decision-supportive interventions for midlife and older adults with and without AD. Specific opportunities include the development of decision-supportive interventions to leverage cognitive, emotional and motivational strengths of these populations; tools to assess decisional capacity; strategies for simplifying choices and offering better defaults; and the promotion of timely adoption of optimal delegation practices (e.g., power of attorney, living wells, etc.). 

This FOA seeks applications that propose innovative research strategies aimed at increasing the understanding of the changes in cellular architecture that occur during the aging process. Studies on cytoskeleton structure and function, the impact of the cytoskeleton on intracellular organelle interactions, and signaling or regulatory molecules controlling cellular architecture will be considered. There is interest in studying the role of the cytoskeleton in nuclear-cytoplasmic communications, and in spatio-temporal relationships during the aging process and in age-related diseases.

This FOA seeks applications that propose innovative research strategies aimed at increasing the understanding of the changes in cellular architecture that occur during the aging process. Studies on cytoskeleton structure and function, the impact of the cytoskeleton on intracellular organelle interactions, and signaling or regulatory molecules controlling cellular architecture will be considered. There is interest in studying the role of the cytoskeleton in nuclear-cytoplasmic communications, and in spatio-temporal relationships during the aging process and in age-related diseases. 

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications to develop short-term tests that provide a comprehensive measure of resilience in animal models used in aging studies. Resilience is defined here as the ability of an organism to respond to physical challenges or stresses and return to homeostasis. Increased resilience is believed to correlate with longevity and a longer health-span, but appropriate methodology to test this comprehensibly in animal models is currently lacking. The purpose of this FOA is to develop appropriate tests to measure resilience to physical, molecular and cellular stresses, as a prelude to being able to predict, using a panel of standardized short-term tests in young or middle-aged animals, whether interventions might lead to improved future health outcomes and longevity.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications to develop short-term tests that provide a comprehensive measure of resilience in animal models used in aging studies. Resilience is defined here as the ability of an organism to respond to physical challenges or stresses and return to homeostasis. Increased resilience is believed to correlate with longevity and a longer health-span, but appropriate methodology to test this comprehensibly in animal models is currently lacking. The purpose of this FOA is to develop appropriate tests to measure resilience to physical, molecular and cellular stresses, as a prelude to being able to predict, using a panel of standardized short-term tests in young or middle-aged animals, whether interventions might lead to improved future health outcomes and longevity.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages research grant applications focused on palliative care in geriatric populations. This FOA emphasizes studies in a variety of settings including ambulatory care, hospitals (and specific sites within hospitals including specialty wards, intensive care units and emergency departments), assisted living facilities, and short- and long-term care facilities; however, hospice and end-of-life settings are not included within the scope of this FOA, as they are the subject of other NIH programs. Rather, this FOA highlights research on palliative care in settings and at time points earlier in geriatric patients' disease or disability trajectories. Types of studies may include observational, quasi-experimental, or interventional studies using primary data collection and/or secondary analyses. Leveraging on-going cohorts, intervention studies, networks, data and specimen repositories, and other existing resources and infrastructure are encouraged.

This FOA is soliciting research projects that would advance biomedical research on the role of peripheral proteostasis on brain structure and function during aging and in Alzheimer's disease, facilitating the identification of molecular and cellular markers of normal brain aging and brain aging during pathological conditions.

The National Institute on Aging is seeking applications to develop systems biology approaches to understand the basic biology underpinning neurodegeneration which might ultimately contribute to Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, using non-mammalian laboratory animal models. It is expected that research carried under the auspices of this FOA will lead to discovery of new mechanisms that provoke neurodegeneration and to new molecular pathways that might be involved in causing, amplifying or protecting against neurodegeneration. Applications should propose to use established non-mammalian laboratory animals which have a history of contributions to our understanding of neurobiology or aging biology.  

The goal of this FOA is to support research that will lead to a greater understanding of complex mechanisms by which the brain glymphatic system and meningeal and peripheral lymphatic systems change in normal and pathological brains. This knowledge is critical to determine whether a functional impairment or disruption of these systems may be involved in neurological disorders that are associated with immune system dysfunction, such as Alzheimer's disease.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to provide dissertation awards in all areas of research within NIA's strategic priorities to increase diversity of the scientific research workforce engaged in research on aging and aging-related health conditions.

This FOA invites applications on descriptive, basic and translational studies of APOE2 to delineate the functional effects of ApoE2 on healthy aging of the brain and other tissues. The primary focus is on the "APOE2-Aging-AD" relationship and the mechanistic effects of the protective variant on aging and potential interaction/cross talk between tissues in the aging process and AD. These studies are expected to generate new mechanistic insights that involve brain and/or other organs and assist in the identification of potential prognostic and diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for AD and other age-related cognitive disorders. Eventually, the findings from these studies could lead to translational research opportunities not only to prevent or delay the onset of AD, but also to protect against multiple age-related conditions.  

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites innovative research focused on understanding the role of exosome biogenesis and secretion in modulating and propagation of early pathogenesis in sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, this FOA encourages collaborative approaches designed to identify and characterize the regulation of molecular machines that are responsible for exosome biogenesis and the secretion of exosomal cargo molecules in AD.

This funding opportunity invites applications that integrate the use of computational approaches to identify individual drugs currently used for other conditions with potential to be efficacious in AD or AD-related dementias (as single drugs or as drug combinations) with proof-of-concept efficacy studies in cell-based models, animal models and/or humans. 

This FOA encourages innovative experimental approaches to explore the molecular and cellular bases for age-related change in metabolism that impact the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

This FOA invites applications that apply a cross-disciplinary, team science approach to gain comprehensive, mechanistic understanding of the impact of sex differences on the trajectories of brain aging and phenotypes of AD risk and on the responsiveness to pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.  

This FOA invites exploratory comparative biology research projects assessing how different animal species respond to challenges and damage to cellular physiology pathways that might influence the onset of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases as well as resilience to them, such as adaptation to stress, macromolecular damage, proteostasis and stem cell function and regeneration.    

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications that focus on clarifying the relationship between delirium and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Specifically sought is research focusing on understanding why persons with ADRD are at increased risk to develop delirium, often with a worse prognosis compared to those without antecedent ADRD, and why patients who experience delirium are at higher risk to develop subsequent short- and/or long-term mild cognitive impairment or ADRD, often with an accelerated rate of cognitive decline compared to those without preceding delirium. Relevant research projects may focus on, but are not limited to, those that A) provide insight into possible common, sequential, causative, contributory and/or synergistic pathways underlying both ADRD and delirium, B) elucidate mechanisms that lead to the development of delirium against the background of aging and/or neurodegeneration, with particular emphasis on use of appropriate animal models, C) identify risk factors for the onset and/or progression of delirium in those with ADRD and vice versa, D) diagnose and assess one condition in the setting of the other, E) identify putative phenotypes of patients with co-existing ADRD and delirium, or F) test pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic strategies to prevent, treat, or reduce the impact of delirium in patients with ADRD and vice versa. Research supported by this FOA is intended to provide mechanistic insight to improve risk assessment, diagnosis, phenotyping, prevention, and management approaches for both delirium and ADRD.

The purpose of this FOA is to support an initial series of activities over a 3-year period to build the foundation for enhanced collaborations across NIA's 6 centers programs. These collaborations are intended to leverage NIA's substantial investments by fostering the development of novel interdisciplinary efforts in aging research. This opportunity will provide resources to build additional infrastructure and establish specific collaborative activities that could include, but are not limited to, information and data exchange, meetings and conferences, pilot studies, research opportunities for beginning investigators, visiting scholar programs, dissemination, and other collaborative efforts. The successful awardee will involve all 6 centers programs.

The "Mechanisms of cellular death in NeuroDegeneration" (MCDN) funding program's overall goal is to discover and understand the mechanisms and pathophysiological processes by which brain cell loss is mediated in disease and thereby seek insights and potential targets for therapeutic interventions that would sustain healthy brain function.

The objective of the NIA Academic Leadership Career Award (K07) is to provide support for senior investigators who have the expertise and leadership skills to enhance aging and geriatric research capacity within their academic institution.

Studies have found that older adults who participate in what they see as meaningful activities, like volunteering in their community, reported feeling healthier and happier. Other studies have found that older adults who have a full social network and participate in many social activities tend to have less cognitive decline and a decreased risk of dementia than those who are not socially engaged do. The Administration on Aging is interested in increasing ACL and the Aging Network’s understanding of what constitutes good practice for promoting and supporting social engagement among older adult and expanding the reach of the Aging Network to more effectively serve older adults by providing tools and resources necessary for aging organizations to assist older adults to remain socially engaged and active.

The purpose of the ADI-SSS program is to provide grants to community-based organizations that are working within existing, dementia-capable, long term services and supports systems and are committed to serving populations with the most need and living with or at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia and their caregivers. Successful applicants will propose services designed to address the needs of three out of four identified service gaps identified in the Funding Opportunity Announcement. The grantees benefit from targeted technical assistance provided by the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center which is funded through a contract awarded under the Alzheimer’s Disease Supportive Services Program (ADSSP).