Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 23 214

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 214

The Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD funding opportunity (PAR-23-214) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant program that supports mechanistic research aimed at understanding how COVID-19 influences Alzheimer disease (AD) and Alzheimer disease-related dementias (ADRD). The central purpose is to move beyond broad clinical observations and instead pinpoint biological mechanisms that explain how SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19-related inflammation, or downstream consequences of infection may interact with AD/ADRD-relevant brain changes and cognitive outcomes. The work supported under this announcement is explicitly non-clinical-trial focused, meaning applicants should propose basic and translational experiments rather than interventional studies in humans.

The announcement is built around studies using animal models, cell culture systems, and/or human tissue-based models to test how COVID-19 interacts with AD/ADRD biology. A key requirement is that the proposed model system or the study readouts must incorporate established AD/ADRD risk factors, hallmark pathologies, or relevant comorbidities. In practice, that means projects should not study generic viral effects on the nervous system in isolation; they need to connect COVID-19 biology to features that are directly meaningful for AD/ADRD, such as amyloid or tau-related changes, neuroinflammation, vascular contributions to cognitive impairment, synaptic dysfunction, or other recognized pathways and risk modifiers that shape dementia vulnerability.

Scientifically, the FOA highlights three broad, acceptable directions for mechanistic work. First, applicants can investigate what happens when COVID-19 occurs in the context of existing AD/ADRD pathology, focusing on how infection modifies central nervous system pathology and cognitive outcomes when the brain is already in a disease state. Second, projects may address prodromal or early-stage scenarios, asking whether COVID-19 can accelerate disease processes and cognitive deficits when pathology is just beginning or is still pre-symptomatic. Third, applicants can explore whether COVID-19 increases susceptibility to future AD/ADRD by interacting with known comorbidities or risk factors, emphasizing cellular and molecular mechanisms that plausibly elevate longer-term dementia risk even after the acute infection has resolved. Across these themes, the emphasis is on causal, mechanistic explanations rather than descriptive correlations.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity using the R01 mechanism, which is typically intended for mature, hypothesis-driven research programs with well-developed aims. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $500,000 and references CFDA numbers 93.853 and 93.866, indicating alignment with NIH research assistance programs that include neuroscience and aging-related portfolios. The original closing date provided is October 4, 2023, and the opportunity record indicates it was created on June 6, 2023.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations such as state, county, city, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where applicable); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic entities (foreign organizations), as well as regional organizations and certain tribal governments that are not federally recognized. Overall, the program is designed to draw applications from a wide range of research environments while keeping the scientific target tightly focused on mechanistic links between COVID-19 and AD/ADRD-relevant neuropathology and cognitive outcomes.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Neuropathological Interactions Between COVID-19 and ADRD (R01 - 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): 93.853, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-10-04. (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 $500,000.00 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.

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