Genetic Architecture of Mental Disorders in Ancestrally Varied Populations II (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The Genetic Architecture of Mental Disorders in Ancestrally Varied Populations II grant, issued under PAR-24-240 by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports cooperative research agreements to accelerate gene discovery for psychiatric disorders in cohorts of non-European ancestry. This funding opportunity builds on the prior Ancestral Populations Network initiative (APN-1) to expand and deepen the scientific understanding of genetic diversity and its relation to mental illnesses, emphasizing the global imperative of equitable mental health research. This reissued grant opportunity aims to fill significant gaps in the inclusion of ancestrally diverse populations within genome-wide studies. Historically, such studies have been heavily biased toward European ancestry cohorts, which limits the ability to detect disease-relevant genetic variants in other populations. The updated program promotes expanded clinical, genomic, and geographic representation in psychiatric research. Applicants are encouraged to coordinate with existing efforts and infrastructures such as APN-1 and other NIH-supported consortia. Funded projects must employ cutting-edge genome-wide techniques and incorporate structured clinical interviews and phenotypic data relevant to psychiatric disorders. New participant recruitment and re-contacting existing subjects for biospecimen collection are allowed. There is a strong emphasis on data sharing with national repositories like the NIMH Repository and Genomics Resource and the NIMH Data Archive, subject to applicable regulations. Eligibility spans a wide range of applicants including domestic and foreign academic institutions, for-profit organizations, tribal and local governments, and nonprofit entities. All applications must include two required elements: a career development component and a community engagement strategy. The career development plan should foster inclusive mentorship and training, especially supporting early-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries. The community engagement plan should involve local stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, enhancing recruitment, relevance, and dissemination of findings. Applications are accepted on a recurring basis with three annual cycles. The next application due date is October 11, 2024, with a corresponding earliest start date of July 2025. Subsequent deadlines include June 13, 2025, and February 13, 2026. This funding opportunity expires on May 24, 2025. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or an institutional system. A letter of intent is encouraged by September 15, 2024, though not required. For application and scientific inquiries, contacts include Jonathan Pevsner, Ph.D. (jonathan.pevsner@nih.gov), Nicholas Gaiano, Ph.D. (nick.gaiano@nih.gov), and financial contact Heather Weiss (Weissh@mail.nih.gov). The grant allows for budget flexibility reflecting actual project needs over a maximum project period of five years.