Alcoholic Hepatitis Clinical and Translational Network Basic and Pre-Clinical Research (UH2/UH3) | RFA AA 18 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AA 18 006

The Alcoholic Hepatitis Clinical and Translational Network Basic and Pre-Clinical Research (UH2/UH3) opportunity (RFA-AA-18-006) is a National Institutes of Health program run by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to push alcoholic hepatitis (AH) research toward real-world clinical impact. The core purpose is to speed up the discovery and validation of better diagnostics and more effective treatments for patients with AH by continuing and strengthening a previously funded translational research effort. Instead of supporting isolated projects, NIAAA is organizing a coordinated Alcoholic Hepatitis Clinical and Translational Network (the "AH Network") designed to align basic science, pre-clinical development, and clinical needs so that promising findings can move more efficiently along the pipeline.

This specific funding announcement focuses on the network's basic and pre-clinical component. Applications are expected to propose high-impact laboratory and pre-clinical studies that directly support the broader network mission: generating mechanistic insight, identifying or validating therapeutic targets, developing and testing candidate interventions, and improving tools that could translate into clinical diagnostics or therapies. In practical terms, the basic and pre-clinical arm is meant to be the engine that produces well-supported candidates and biological rationale that the rest of the network can carry forward, rather than producing knowledge that remains disconnected from patient-facing progress.

The initiative is being implemented through a set of five related funding opportunity announcements that together build a consolidated AH Network with four major parts: (1) a clinical component, (2) a data coordinating center, (3) a translational component, and (4) the basic and pre-clinical component covered by this FOA. The network structure signals that awardees will not be working in a vacuum; the intention is for projects to integrate with shared goals, shared data practices, and coordinated decision-making across the network. The mechanism used is a Cooperative Agreement, which typically means NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement during the project, such as coordination, milestone tracking, and collaboration requirements that go beyond a standard investigator-initiated grant.

Funding is offered through the UH2/UH3 Phase Innovation Awards structure. This is a two-stage design commonly used to support milestone-driven work: an initial phase (UH2) that supports early-stage, feasibility, or development activities, followed by a second phase (UH3) that supports expanded implementation once defined milestones are met. In a network setting, this kind of staged award is often used to make sure projects can demonstrate readiness, reproducibility, and translational relevance before moving into more resource-intensive work, though the exact transition criteria are defined in the FOA and award terms.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common U.S. applicant types: state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the FOA draws a clear line on foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components may be allowed as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means certain internationally based collaborations can be included under specific rules even though the applicant organization itself must be eligible and U.S.-based.

Administratively, this is a discretionary health-related funding opportunity (CFDA 93.273) under NIH. The original posting indicates an expected three awards, with an original closing date of October 23, 2017, and a creation date of August 23, 2017. While the notice does not list an award ceiling amount in the provided text, the intent is clearly to support a small number of coordinated projects that will meaningfully contribute to the network's overall translational agenda in alcoholic hepatitis.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alcoholic Hepatitis Clinical and Translational Network Basic and Pre-Clinical Research (UH2/UH3)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-08-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-10-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 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.

Apply for RFA AA 18 006

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