The Impact of Microenvironment on Lung Progenitor Cell Function (R01) | RFA HL 18 022

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 18 022

The Impact of Microenvironment on Lung Progenitor Cell Function (R01) (RFA-HL-18-022) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that supports basic, hypothesis-driven research aimed at understanding how the lung progenitor (stem and progenitor) cell microenvironment shapes cell behavior. The central idea of the announcement is that lung progenitor cells do not act in isolation: their ability to develop properly, maintain normal lung tissue, and respond to injury depends heavily on signals and physical cues from the surrounding niche. The FOA is designed to accelerate progress in an area described as understudied but essential for moving lung stem cell biology forward and, ultimately, informing better approaches to repair and regeneration after lung damage.

A major focus of the announcement is the lung progenitor cell niche, broadly defined to include cellular components (neighboring cell types that interact with progenitors), extracellular matrix features (the structural and biochemical scaffold around cells), and soluble factors (diffusible signals such as growth factors, cytokines, and morphogens). Applicants are encouraged to design studies that clarify how these niche elements influence progenitor cell phenotype and function across multiple biological contexts, including lung development, day-to-day homeostasis, and the processes of repair and regeneration following injury. In practical terms, this could include work that identifies which niche cell populations provide supportive or inhibitory signals, how matrix composition or stiffness changes progenitor fate decisions, or how soluble signaling gradients guide proliferation, differentiation, or migration during regeneration.

The announcement explicitly encourages multidisciplinary projects, reflecting the fact that answering these questions often requires combining expertise across stem cell biology, developmental biology, pulmonary biology, bioengineering, biomaterials, imaging, and computational approaches. The goal is to promote innovative collaborations that can produce clear mechanistic insights, rather than purely descriptive findings. Projects are expected to be grounded in testable hypotheses and to use rigorous experimental strategies to connect microenvironmental cues to measurable changes in progenitor cell behavior.

In addition to biological discovery, the FOA supports the development of advanced experimental platforms, particularly novel three-dimensional, multi-component models that better capture the complexity of the lung stem cell niche than traditional two-dimensional culture systems. These models might include engineered 3D matrices, co-culture systems that incorporate multiple niche cell types, organoid-based approaches, or other multi-parameter platforms that allow investigators to manipulate extracellular matrix properties and soluble signals while tracking progenitor responses. The emphasis on multi-component 3D systems reflects the recognition that lung progenitor cell function is strongly shaped by architecture, mechanical forces, and spatial organization, all of which are difficult to reproduce in simple culture conditions.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity uses the NIH R01 grant mechanism, categorized as a discretionary grant in the health research area, with CFDA number 93.838. The listed award ceiling is $350,000, with an expected total of four awards. The FOA was created on June 14, 2017, and the original closing date was January 16, 2018. Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and various government and tribal entities, among others. Overall, the opportunity is structured to bring together diverse research teams to dissect how microenvironmental signals control lung progenitor cell behavior and to build better model systems that can more faithfully interrogate lung stem cell niches.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Impact of Microenvironment on Lung Progenitor Cell Function (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.838.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 14, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 16, 2018. (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 $350,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for RFA HL 18 022

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