Advanced-Stage Development and Utilization of Research Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies (R33 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Institute on Aging (NIA), invites applications for the Advanced-Stage Development and Utilization of Research Infrastructure for Interdisciplinary Aging Studies grant under the R33 mechanism. This opportunity aims to support the advanced development and use of research infrastructure that enables interdisciplinary collaborations to address complex aging-related scientific questions. It targets applicants with pre-existing infrastructure developed under prior NIH or non-NIH support and intends to promote sustainability and maturity of research frameworks that benefit broader scientific communities, not just individual investigators. The grant seeks to foster progress in aging science by providing resources for the continued growth of interdisciplinary partnerships. Supported projects should develop novel tools, knowledge, or infrastructure that facilitate aging research across disciplines such as biology, social science, clinical gerontology, and neuroscience. The scope of the program extends to infrastructure supporting machine learning applications, dementia research, health disparities in aging, and the development of models and platforms for longitudinal studies and intervention trials. NIA's four research divisions, along with the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH), contribute to defining the scientific scope, ensuring a broad inclusion of health, behavioral, and translational domains relevant to aging. Eligible uses of the grant include meetings to define priorities, secondary data analysis, data harmonization, pilot testing of interventions, repository development, and dissemination of findings. Infrastructure must be designed to promote data sharing, collaboration, and integration across research areas, with preference for projects that support diverse and underserved populations, include considerations of sex as a biological variable, and facilitate knowledge translation into real-world settings. Applicants must submit via one of the NIH-supported platforms—ASSIST, institutional system-to-system portals, or Grants.gov Workspace—and conform to the NIH Application Guide. There is no letter of intent requirement, but applications must follow NIH’s structured instructions and include sections such as milestones, data sharing plans, and a strategy for sustainability. Proposals may include optional pilot studies and clinical trials with appropriate regulatory compliance and data safety monitoring plans. The funding allows for up to $500,000 in annual direct costs for a project period not exceeding five years. NIH anticipates making multiple awards contingent on the number and quality of applications and available appropriations. Deadlines are July 2, 2025, and November 3, 2025, with advisory reviews in January and May 2026 respectively. The earliest award start dates are April and July 2026. This program has an annual recurring schedule, and the next expected cycle is in July 2026. For scientific inquiries, applicants may contact Dr. Jean Yuan (NIA) at [email protected] or Chyren Hunter (ORWH) at [email protected]. Grants management queries can be directed to E.C. Melvin at [email protected]. Peer review questions should go to Ramesh Vemuri at [email protected]. Full details and requirements are available in the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (PAR-25-219).

Emphasize infrastructure benefits to the broader research community; define clear milestones; demonstrate interdisciplinary integration and long-term sustainability.