4DN Organization and Function in Human Health and Disease (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA RM 20 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 20 005

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "4DN Organization and Function in Human Health and Disease (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-RM-20-005; CFDA 93.310) is a discretionary grant program that uses the cooperative agreement mechanism (U01). Its core purpose is to support research projects that develop, refine, or apply new and existing technologies to monitor and/or manipulate the "4D nucleome" in ways that illuminate human health and disease. In plain terms, the opportunity is centered on understanding how the genome is organized in three-dimensional space inside the nucleus and how that organization changes over time (the fourth dimension), and then leveraging that knowledge to explain or influence biological function and disease processes.

The scientific scope is intentionally broad and mission-driven. Applicants may propose work on essentially any human disease area or fundamental biological process that aligns with NIH priorities. The announcement explicitly welcomes studies that examine how genome organization and nuclear architecture respond to environmental exposures such as addictive substances, toxins, and psychosocial stress. It also highlights research across development and the full lifespan, signaling interest in dynamic genome organization not only in disease states but also during normal transitions like aging, maturation, and other developmental windows. Beyond long-term time scales, the opportunity encourages projects that examine shorter and repeating biological timeframes where nuclear organization may shift in patterned ways, including circadian rhythms, fasting and feeding cycles, reproductive cycles, and sleep/wake cycles. This emphasis makes clear that the NIH is looking for proposals that treat genome organization as a dynamic system rather than a static snapshot, ideally linking structural changes to measurable functional outcomes.

Because the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, awardees should generally expect substantial NIH program involvement compared with a typical investigator-initiated grant. U01 projects often involve coordination, shared milestones, and active collaboration or oversight to help ensure that the resulting tools, datasets, or biological insights integrate well with broader program goals. The "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" designation means the proposed work must not include clinical trial activities as defined by NIH, so projects should be designed as basic, translational, or preclinical studies rather than interventional trials in human participants.

From an applicant eligibility standpoint, the opportunity is open to a wide range of organizations. Standard eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township 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; public housing authorities and 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, among others. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicant categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); eligible federal agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; regional organizations; tribal governments that are not federally recognized; U.S. territories or possessions; and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, meaning foreign organizations can apply as well.

Key administrative details provided in the source include an original closing date of March 2, 2020, a maximum award ceiling listed as $400,000, and an expected awards field that is not specified in the provided data. The opportunity was created on November 25, 2019, and it falls under the broad activity category of health. Overall, this announcement is aimed at pushing forward the technology and biology needed to understand how the genome's spatial and temporal organization affects gene regulation and cellular function, and how those mechanisms can be tracked or perturbed to better explain human health and disease.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "4DN Organization and Function in Human Health and Disease (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): 93.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-11-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-03-02. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• 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 RM 20 005

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