Aging Mammalian Tissues In Vitro

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the Department of Health and Human Services, intends to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “Aging Mammalian Tissues In Vitro.” This forthcoming opportunity is part of NIH’s broader commitment to advancing health research, with a specific focus on the biological mechanisms of aging. The initiative falls under the discretionary category of funding and aims to promote early-stage exploratory research. This NOFO will solicit interdisciplinary proposals centered on developing complex three-dimensional (3D) in vitro microphysiological systems (MPS) using mammalian cells to model aging processes. The focus will primarily be on systems derived from human cells, such as tissue chips, organ-on-chips, and tissue organoids. However, nonhuman mammalian cell systems may also be utilized for benchmarking or system validation, provided they can demonstrate relevance to human aging biology. The ultimate goal is to advance the use of MPS in aging biology and support the development of human-relevant tools for drug discovery. Applicants are encouraged to form collaborative, multidisciplinary teams encompassing expertise in aging biology, stem cell research, organ physiology, microfluidics, bioengineering, computational biology, pharmacology, and biostatistics. The NOFO supports research that is at the conceptual or early exploratory stage; therefore, preliminary data is not required for submission. This notice is released in advance to provide potential applicants adequate time to prepare competitive proposals. Eligible applicants include a wide array of entities such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, Indian and public housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations and governments, independent school districts, private institutions of higher education, state and county governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses), and special district governments. The estimated posting date for the full NOFO is August 15, 2025, with applications due by October 15, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be announced on July 15, 2026, and funded projects are expected to commence on the same date. No cost sharing or matching is required. The estimated total program funding, award ceiling, and award floor amounts are not yet specified. For further information, interested parties can contact Tiziana Cogliati, Ph.D., at the National Institute on Aging. She can be reached via email at tiziana.cogliati@mail.nih.gov or by phone at 240-397-4596.

The notice emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and indicates that preliminary data is not required.