Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 507
The NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) grant opportunity titled "Effects of In Utero Alcohol Exposure on Adult Health and Disease" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-18-507) supports R01 research projects that explore how alcohol exposure during pregnancy can shape health risks much later in life. The scientific premise is rooted in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework, which argues that conditions in the womb can trigger fetal adaptations that may be helpful for short-term survival but increase susceptibility to disease in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood. In practical terms, this FOA is looking for studies that treat prenatal alcohol exposure not only as a cause of early developmental problems, but also as a potential contributor to chronic diseases and long-term health conditions that may not emerge until decades later.
The FOA emphasizes three main research directions. First, it encourages researchers to use and extend existing prospective birth cohorts to better define how maternal alcohol consumption fits into the DOHaD process. This means taking advantage of cohorts that already have prenatal exposure data, biospecimens, and follow-up health information across the lifespan, and then analyzing whether and how prenatal alcohol exposure predicts later outcomes. Second, it calls for mechanistic research that digs into the biological, cellular, and molecular pathways by which gestational alcohol exposure might alter long-term physiology. This could include work on metabolic programming, cardiovascular function, immune and inflammatory regulation, endocrine signaling, neurodevelopmental trajectories tied to later disease vulnerability, epigenetic modifications, organ development, or other durable changes that connect prenatal exposure to adult pathology. Third, the FOA seeks biomarker discovery and validation studies aimed at identifying measurable indicators of alcohol exposure during gestation that could help predict disease susceptibility later in life among exposed offspring. The underlying idea is to move toward earlier detection and risk stratification, potentially enabling prevention or targeted monitoring long before chronic disease becomes clinically obvious.
Because the mechanism is an R01, the program is geared toward substantial, hypothesis-driven projects that can generate high-impact, generalizable findings. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose clinical trials if appropriate, but they are not required to do so; both observational human studies and mechanistic biomedical studies can fit, as long as the central focus is on prenatal alcohol exposure and later-life health and disease risk. Overall, NIAAA is signaling interest in work that connects prenatal exposure to real-world adult outcomes, clarifies causal and biological pathways, and produces tools (like biomarkers) that could eventually support screening, prevention, or intervention strategies.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants listed for the opportunity include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also 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 and community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities.
Administrative details provided in the posting indicate it is a discretionary grant in the health funding area (CFDA 93.273) administered under the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity was created on December 18, 2017, and the original closing date listed is January 7, 2021. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided summary, which is common for some NIH FOAs where funding decisions depend on application volume, merit, and available appropriations. The main takeaway is that this FOA is designed to spur rigorous, forward-looking research that links prenatal alcohol exposure to adult chronic disease risk, using a mix of cohort-based human research, mechanistic science, and biomarker development to strengthen the evidence base for a fetal origin contribution to later-life health outcomes influenced by maternal alcohol use.Apply for PA 18 507
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Effects of In Utero Alcohol Exposure on Adult Health and Disease (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)" 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 2017-12-18.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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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FAQs: NIH/NIAAA R01 - Effects of In Utero Alcohol Exposure on Adult Health and Disease (PA-18-507)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) grant opportunity titled "Effects of In Utero Alcohol Exposure on Adult Health and Disease." The Funding Opportunity Number is PA-18-507, and it supports R01 research projects.
What is the main goal of the FOA?
The FOA aims to support research that examines how alcohol exposure during pregnancy can influence health and disease risk much later in life, including outcomes that may not appear until adolescence or adulthood. It specifically encourages work that connects prenatal alcohol exposure to chronic diseases and long-term health conditions.
What scientific framework is this FOA based on?
The FOA is grounded in the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) framework. DOHaD proposes that conditions in the womb can trigger fetal adaptations that may help short-term survival but increase susceptibility to disease later in life.
What kinds of research are encouraged under this FOA?
The FOA highlights three major directions: (1) cohort-based research leveraging prospective birth cohorts to understand long-term outcomes; (2) mechanistic research into biological pathways that link gestational alcohol exposure to later disease; and (3) biomarker discovery and validation related to gestational alcohol exposure and later disease susceptibility.
How does the FOA view prenatal alcohol exposure compared to traditional approaches?
Rather than focusing only on early developmental problems, the FOA emphasizes prenatal alcohol exposure as a potential contributor to chronic disease and long-term health conditions that may emerge decades after birth.
What does the FOA mean by using prospective birth cohorts?
It refers to using and extending existing prospective birth cohorts that already include prenatal exposure data, biospecimens, and long-term follow-up health information. The goal is to analyze whether and how prenatal alcohol exposure predicts later health outcomes across the lifespan.
What kinds of mechanistic topics fit this FOA?
The FOA calls for research on biological, cellular, and molecular pathways that could connect gestational alcohol exposure to long-term physiology and disease risk. Examples mentioned include metabolic programming, cardiovascular function, immune and inflammatory regulation, endocrine signaling, neurodevelopmental trajectories tied to later vulnerability, epigenetic modifications, and organ development, as well as other durable physiological changes.
What is meant by biomarker discovery and validation in this FOA?
Biomarker discovery and validation studies are intended to identify measurable indicators of alcohol exposure during gestation that may help predict later disease susceptibility among exposed offspring. The idea is to enable earlier detection and risk stratification long before chronic disease becomes clinically obvious.
What grant mechanism does this FOA use?
The FOA uses the R01 mechanism, which is typically suited for substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects designed to produce high-impact, generalizable findings.
Are clinical trials required?
No. The FOA is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose clinical trials if appropriate, but clinical trials are not required.
Do observational human studies fit this opportunity?
Yes. The FOA explicitly allows observational human studies as long as the central focus is on prenatal alcohol exposure and later-life health and disease risk.
Do mechanistic biomedical studies fit this opportunity?
Yes. Mechanistic biomedical studies are a major focus of the FOA, especially those that clarify biological pathways linking gestational alcohol exposure to adult health outcomes.
What kinds of long-term outcomes is NIAAA interested in?
Based on the summary, NIAAA is interested in later-life health and disease risk, including chronic diseases and long-term health conditions that may emerge in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, potentially decades after prenatal exposure.
What is the role of causal pathway clarification in this FOA?
A key theme is strengthening evidence that prenatal alcohol exposure contributes to later-life outcomes by clarifying causal and biological pathways, including durable changes in physiology that can connect fetal exposure to adult pathology.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S. and non-U.S. organization types. Eligible applicants listed include various government entities, institutions of higher education (public and private), tribal governments and tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes foreign (non-U.S.) entities among eligible applicant types.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed as eligible applicant categories.
Are specific institution types (like HBCUs or HSIs) called out as eligible?
Yes. The FOA highlights additional eligible 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, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based and community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based and community-based organizations are explicitly listed among additional eligible applicant categories.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA notes eligible federal agencies as an additional eligible applicant category.
What is the funding area and administering agency?
The opportunity is a discretionary grant in the health funding area and is administered under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with NIAAA as the institute identified in the summary.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The summary lists CFDA 93.273.
When was this opportunity created?
The posting indicates the opportunity was created on December 18, 2017.
What is the closing date listed in the summary?
The original closing date listed is January 7, 2021.
Is the award ceiling provided?
No. The provided summary does not specify an award ceiling.
Is the expected number of awards provided?
No. The provided summary does not specify the expected number of awards.
Why might award amounts or number of awards not be specified?
The summary notes this can be common for some NIH Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs), where funding decisions depend on application volume, scientific merit, and available appropriations.
What is the practical impact NIAAA is looking for from funded research?
The FOA signals interest in research that connects prenatal exposure to real-world adult outcomes, clarifies underlying mechanisms, and develops tools such as biomarkers that could support screening, prevention, or targeted monitoring earlier in life.
What is the central topic that applications must focus on to fit this FOA?
Projects should keep prenatal alcohol exposure as the central focus and link it directly to later-life health and disease risk, whether through cohort analyses, mechanistic studies, biomarker work, or combinations of these approaches.
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