Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Comprehensive Alcohol Research Centers (P60 Clinical trial Optional)

Key Dates

None

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism ( NIAAA) intends to reissue RFA-AA-23-002, “Comprehensive Alcohol Research Centers (P60 Clinical trial Optional)”, by publishing a NOFO to solicit applications for a broad-based Comprehensive Alcohol Research Centers program to foster and conduct interdisciplinary, collaborative research on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), alcohol misuse and alcohol-related  problems, and other health-related  consequences across the lifespan. 

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. 

The NOFO is expected to be published in Spring 2024 with an expected application due date in Fall 2024.

This NOFO will utilize the P60 activity code. Details of the planned NOFO are provided below.

This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights into the area of alcohol research to begin to consider applying for this NOFO.

The overarching goal of this forthcoming NIAAA-supported Request for Application (RFA) is to support an integrated, broad-based multidisciplinary, multi-investigator, long-term program of research and research support activities planned around a specific major research theme. In addition, a Comprehensive Alcohol Research Center (P60) is required to develop an interactive dissemination component to accelerate the use of research findings for the benefit of public health by various target audiences including diverse and historically underserved communities, to foster community feedback and ensure participation (Dissemination Core). Outreach activities could be pursued in collaboration with other Centers and use emerging virtual platforms to broaden and diversify the participation of communities in the alcohol research enterprise. Comprehensive Alcohol Research Centers are also expected to function as a regional and national resource in their particular area of expertise; to provide students, and early-stage  investigators opportunities to build research expertise, and  to develop research collaborations with outside investigators. Centers have the option of proposing pilot projects to support early-stage   investigators, attract new scientific perspectives and research sites to the center, and to expand research areas addressing novel hypotheses relevant to health disparities associated with AUD (e.g., social determinants of health, trauma, and adversity). The Alcohol Research Centers program is interrelated with, and complementary to, all other research support mechanisms and scientific activities that comprise NIAAA programs. Center grants help to provide a stable environment for investigators to engage in alcohol research in a coordinated, integrated, and synergistic effort.

Dissemination Core: Distribution of scientific knowledge through educational efforts is to be directed to one or more of the following:

• the public, patient populations, students, professionals, and paraprofessionals, including outreach to underserved communities;
• educational institutions, the media, and other appropriate organizations/groups;
• educational programs for specific, but not limited to, audiences, e.g., children, women, elderly,  and scientifically and medically underserved populations and communities;
• dissemination of scientific knowledge for the purpose of expanding the capacity of other institutions, including institutions from scientifically underserved communities, in developing alcohol research programs.
• dissemination of scientific knowledge for the purpose of reducing alcohol related health disparities among racial and ethnic minority and other health disparities populations.

The Alcohol Research Center grant provides a mechanism for fostering interdisciplinary cooperation within a group of established investigators conducting exceptional alcohol research. Therefore, existence of a strong research capability is fundamental to the establishment of a new Center or the continuation of an existing Center. A Center should be an identifiable organizational unit within an institutional or organizational structure such as a university, medical center, or a consortium of affiliated cooperating institutions. In addition to providing support for shared resources, this type of Center can support a full range of basic, developmental, clinical, and/or applied research components; allow for growth and development through pilot projects; and is intended to provide state-of-the-art leadership in the alcohol field. Unique scientific opportunities such as sharing of resources or expertise may warrant collaboration with investigators from other centers or from other institutions, domestic or foreign. The director of a component who proposes a collaborative activity with a foreign organization should be affiliated with a domestic institution.

Applications Not Responsive to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

The following type of studies are not responsive to this NOFO and will not be reviewed:

• Comprehensive Alcohol Research Center (P60) grant applications that include one or more components focusing on HIV/AIDS-related research studies.

Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP)

• This NOFO requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) as described in NOT-MH-21-310, submitted as Other Project Information as an attachment (see Section IV).
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO instructions carefully and view the available PEDP guidance material. The PEDP will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation, as well as considered among programmatic matters with respect to funding decisions.

Before preparing an application, prospective applicants are encouraged to read the NIAAA Strategic Plan and reach out to the scientific contacts listed in this NOFO.

Funding Information

Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education
Private Institution of Higher Education
Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)
Small Business
For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)
State Government
Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)
County governments
Independent school districts
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization (Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
U.S. Territory or Possession
Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)
Regional Organization
Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government

Applications are not being solicited at this time. 

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Philippe Marmillot, Ph.D.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-2861 (office)
Email: philippe.marmillot@nih.gov