Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 22 009
This NIH funding opportunity (RFA-ES-22-009) supports exploratory research that digs into the biological mechanisms linking environmental exposures to increased risk for psychiatric disorders that typically emerge in late childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. The central goal is to move beyond broad associations and clarify how specific exposures can change brain biology and behavior in ways that contribute to the development of mental illness. The program is especially interested in work that can explain mechanism: what changes at the molecular, cellular, circuit, or systems level occur after an exposure, when those changes happen during development, and how they plausibly connect to psychiatric-relevant outcomes.
The award uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed for early-stage, high-risk, high-reward projects or projects using novel tools and ideas that could open up a new research direction. In practice, that means applicants do not need to present a fully mature, long-term research program; instead, the emphasis is on feasibility, innovation, and the potential for strong impact if the approach works. Because the FOA is positioned as mechanistic and foundational, it is explicitly "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," signaling that the work should not be structured as an interventional clinical study in humans. The intent is to enable rapid, hypothesis-driven exploration that can later inform larger studies, including potential prevention or therapeutic strategies.
A major scientific priority is basic and pre-clinical research that clarifies neurobiological pathways connecting environmental chemicals or other relevant exposures to psychiatric-like phenotypes. The FOA encourages a wide range of experimental systems, from in vitro models (for example, cell culture systems that allow precise exposure control and molecular readouts) to whole-organism models that can capture complex brain-behavior relationships. Proposed studies can focus on how exposures influence neurodevelopment, synaptic function, neuroimmune signaling, endocrine pathways, epigenetic regulation, neurotransmitter systems, or other biological processes relevant to behavior and psychiatric vulnerability. The emphasis is on credible biological causal pathways rather than purely descriptive findings.
Another highlighted area is psychiatric conditions where the environmental link is less established. In other words, the program is not only looking for "well-known" exposure-disorder pairings; it also welcomes applications that push into under-studied disorders or less obvious exposure pathways, as long as the proposed mechanism is compelling and the approach is rigorous. In addition, the FOA welcomes studies examining gene-by-environment contributions to risk, recognizing that environmental factors often interact with genetic susceptibility rather than acting in isolation. Projects that integrate genetic models, genomic tools, or approaches that can test interaction effects are within scope when they help explain how exposure-related risk is biologically mediated.
The expected payoff from this portfolio is actionable knowledge about mechanisms that could eventually guide better intervention, prevention, or treatment strategies. Mechanistic clarity can help identify biomarkers of exposure effects, sensitive developmental windows, modifiable pathways, and potential targets for therapeutic development or risk reduction. This R21 FOA runs in parallel with a related R01 opportunity (RFA-ES-22-008), with the R21 serving as the exploratory on-ramp for ideas that may later scale to a more extensive R01 project.
Administratively, the opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health under an environmental health focus (CFDA 93.113) and is categorized as a discretionary grant. The posted award ceiling is $275,000. The original closing date listed is 2023-02-22. Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based public and private entities: state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and certain tribal governments not federally recognized.
Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as NIH defines them in its Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant organization can include certain well-justified international elements as part of the project while remaining a U.S.-led application.Apply for RFA ES 22 009
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders (R21 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): 93.113.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-02-22. (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 $275,000.00 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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FAQs: NIH RFA-ES-22-009 (R21) Mechanisms Linking Environmental Exposures to Psychiatric Risk
What is the focus of this funding opportunity?
This NIH funding opportunity (RFA-ES-22-009) supports exploratory research aimed at uncovering the biological mechanisms that connect environmental exposures to increased risk for psychiatric disorders that often emerge in late childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood.
What is the main goal of the research supported by this FOA?
The central goal is to move beyond broad exposure-disease associations and clarify how specific environmental exposures can change brain biology and behavior in ways that plausibly contribute to the development of mental illness.
What does NIH mean by “mechanistic” research in this FOA?
Mechanistic research here means studies that identify credible causal pathways: what changes occur at the molecular, cellular, circuit, or systems level after an exposure; when those changes happen during development; and how those changes connect to psychiatric-relevant outcomes.
What kinds of environmental exposures are in scope?
The FOA is interested in environmental chemicals and other relevant exposures that can be linked to psychiatric-like phenotypes through plausible neurobiological pathways, with an emphasis on causal and biologically grounded explanations rather than descriptive associations.
Which psychiatric disorders are of interest?
The opportunity targets psychiatric disorders that typically emerge in late childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood, and it also highlights interest in disorders where links to environmental exposures are less established.
Is the program only interested in “well-known” exposure-disorder links?
No. A highlighted priority is research on psychiatric conditions where the environmental link is less established. Applications can propose less obvious exposure pathways or under-studied disorders as long as the mechanism is compelling and the approach is rigorous.
What funding mechanism does this opportunity use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory, early-stage, high-risk/high-reward projects and projects using novel tools or ideas that could open up new research directions.
Do applicants need to propose a fully developed long-term research program?
No. Because this is an R21, the emphasis is on feasibility, innovation, and the potential for strong impact if the approach works, rather than a fully mature long-term research program.
Are clinical trials allowed under this FOA?
No. The FOA is explicitly labeled “Clinical Trial Not Allowed,” meaning the work should not be structured as an interventional clinical study in humans.
If clinical trials are not allowed, what types of studies are encouraged?
The FOA emphasizes basic and pre-clinical research designed to clarify neurobiological pathways linking exposures to psychiatric-like outcomes, using experimental designs capable of testing biological mechanisms.
What experimental systems or model types are encouraged?
The FOA encourages a wide range of experimental systems, including in vitro models (such as cell culture systems that allow precise exposure control and molecular readouts) and whole-organism models that can capture complex brain-behavior relationships.
What biological processes or pathways can be studied?
Examples of relevant areas include neurodevelopment, synaptic function, neuroimmune signaling, endocrine pathways, epigenetic regulation, neurotransmitter systems, and other biological processes relevant to behavior and psychiatric vulnerability.
Does the FOA support gene-by-environment research?
Yes. The FOA welcomes studies that examine gene-by-environment contributions to risk, reflecting the view that environmental factors may interact with genetic susceptibility rather than acting alone.
Can projects integrate genetic models or genomic tools?
Yes. Projects that integrate genetic models, genomic tools, or approaches that can test interaction effects are within scope when they help explain how exposure-related risk is biologically mediated.
What kind of outcomes is NIH hoping to achieve through this portfolio?
The expected payoff is actionable mechanistic knowledge that could eventually guide better intervention, prevention, or treatment strategies, including identification of biomarkers, sensitive developmental windows, modifiable pathways, and potential therapeutic targets.
How does this R21 relate to other opportunities?
This R21 FOA runs in parallel with a related R01 opportunity (RFA-ES-22-008), with the R21 positioned as an exploratory on-ramp for ideas that may later scale into a more extensive R01 project.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under an environmental health focus.
What is the CFDA number associated with this grant?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 93.113.
How is this grant categorized?
It is categorized as a discretionary grant.
What is the maximum award amount listed?
The posted award ceiling is $275,000.
What is the listed closing date?
The original closing date listed is 2023-02-22.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based public and private entities, including state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses.
Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions, as well as certain tribal governments that are not federally recognized.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply directly?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Can a U.S. organization include international work in the project?
Potentially yes. While non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, foreign components (as NIH defines them in its Grants Policy Statement) are allowed when included as well-justified international elements within a U.S.-led application.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
What makes a project a good fit for this FOA?
A strong fit would be a hypothesis-driven, exploratory project that uses rigorous methods and appropriate model systems to explain how an environmental exposure alters biological processes in the brain (or related systems) across development in ways that plausibly lead to psychiatric-relevant outcomes.
Does this FOA prioritize descriptive association studies?
No. The emphasis is on credible biological causal pathways and mechanistic clarity rather than purely descriptive findings.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Utilizing Telomere Status to Reveal Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Susceptibility and Resiliency in Response to Environmental Exposures (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 22 007 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 22 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 22 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Accelerating Data and Metadata Standards in the Environmental Health Sciences (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Maintaining and Enriching Environmental Epidemiology Cohorts to Support Scientific and Workforce Diversity (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strategies for Responsibly Reporting Back Environmental Health and Non-Genomic Research Results (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 23 006 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CCRP Initiative: Chemical Threat Agent Exposure Resource and Coordination Core (ExRC) (U2C Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 009 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Undergraduate Research Education Program (UP) to Enhance Diversity in the Environmental Health Sciences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 23 012 Funding Number: RFA ES 23 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HAZMAT Training at DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex (UH4 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CCRP Initiative: Chemical Threat Agent-induced Pulmonary and Ocular Pathophysiological Mechanisms (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 24 005 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 24 004 Funding Number: RFA ES 24 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Epitranscriptomics Crosstalks and Toxicants (EPCOT) (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA ES 25 001 Funding Number: RFA ES 25 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Program (P30 Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for RFA ES 25 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 25 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Coordination Center for Interoception Research (BPCCIR) (U24, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA AT 25 004 Funding Number: RFA AT 25 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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