Collaborative Science to Achieve Disruptive Innovations in Dental, Oral and Craniofacial (DOC) Research (RM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DE 24 003

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the funding opportunity RFA-DE-24-003?

RFA-DE-24-003 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity administered by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). It supports large, tightly coordinated research teams addressing high-impact problems in dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) science, with an emphasis on projects that could plausibly lead to disruptive innovations rather than incremental advances.

Which NIH institute is sponsoring this opportunity?

This opportunity is run through NIH’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).

What kinds of research does this NOFO prioritize?

The NOFO prioritizes ambitious DOC research that is complex enough to require sustained collaboration across multiple disciplines. It is aimed at projects that could produce disruptive innovations, meaning advances that could significantly shift current understanding, methods, or future directions in DOC research.

What does "disruptive innovations" mean in the context of this NOFO?

In this context, disruptive innovations are advances that could meaningfully change the field’s direction, methods, or core understanding in dental, oral, and craniofacial science, rather than producing smaller, incremental improvements.

What award mechanism is used for this program?

The award mechanism is RM1, a specialized NIH grant mechanism designed for multi-component, team-based research programs.

Is this opportunity intended for single-investigator projects?

No. The NOFO is built around the idea that certain DOC scientific questions are too complex for one or two investigators working independently. It expects a collaborative, integrated team organized around a single unified scientific goal.

What does NIDCR mean by a "collaborative, integrated team project"?

It means more than having multiple laboratories or investigators listed on an application. The work should be designed so different areas of expertise genuinely depend on each other, creating synergy through managed interactions, coordination, and integration of efforts toward one well-defined scientific goal.

Does the application need one central scientific goal?

Yes. The required structure is one unified and well-defined scientific goal that fits squarely within the NIDCR mission, supported by coordinated contributions from the collaborating team.

What makes a team approach "necessary" under this NOFO?

The NOFO signals that proposed research should genuinely require diverse technical and intellectual approaches at a depth and scale that a single PI or small group could not realistically execute. Examples include combining complementary specialties, technologies, or analytic frameworks in ways that are interdependent.

How should applicants think about "synergy" in their team design?

Synergy means the combined team can accomplish something meaningfully greater than the sum of individual contributions. The NOFO points to clear plans for managed interaction, coordination, and integration across disciplines, including how cross-team dependencies will be handled.

Are clinical trials allowed under this NOFO?

No. The NOFO title includes "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means the application cannot propose a study that meets the NIH definition of a clinical trial.

What does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean in practical terms?

It means the project must not include interventional studies where human participants are prospectively assigned to an intervention to measure health-related outcomes. The project can still be clinically relevant, but it must remain within NIH policy boundaries for a non-clinical-trial application.

Can the research involve humans, human-derived materials, or clinical relevance?

The NOFO indicates the project can still be clinically relevant and may be able to use human-derived materials or observational approaches depending on NIH rules. However, any human components must remain within what NIH permits for a non-clinical-trial application.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and local governments; 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 or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses.

Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. The NOFO explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply as the main applicant?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.

Are any international activities allowed at all?

Yes, the NOFO notes that "foreign components" (as defined by NIH in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This means a U.S.-based applicant may be able to include certain international elements if they meet NIH criteria and are appropriately justified and managed.

What is the funding category and assistance listing for this opportunity?

This is a discretionary grant in the health funding category with CFDA listing 93.121.

What is the maximum award amount listed for this opportunity?

The listing indicates an award ceiling of $750,000, which is the maximum amount shown in the provided source data for the opportunity.

What are the key dates shown for this opportunity?

The opportunity record creation date is August 29, 2023, and the original closing date shown is November 22, 2023.

What does the NOFO suggest about how a strong application should be written?

A competitive application would typically read like a single cohesive program rather than a bundle of loosely connected subprojects. The emphasis is on a compelling central problem, a clear rationale for why an RM1 team-based approach is necessary, strong integration across disciplines, and a credible plan for coordination and execution.

What kinds of management and coordination details are likely to matter?

The NOFO emphasizes managed interactions, coordination, and integration of efforts. Practical elements likely to matter include communication cadence, decision-making processes, data sharing practices, integration of methods across components, and how the team will manage cross-team dependencies to maintain progress toward the unified goal.

How should applicants align their budget and scope with the program?

Applicants would typically be expected to align budgets, scope, and team structure with the RM1 mechanism and NIH/NIDCR expectations for integrated, milestone-driven collaboration, while staying within the award ceiling shown in the opportunity listing.

What is the main review emphasis implied by the NOFO description?

The description suggests reviewers will likely focus on: the importance and ambition of the central DOC problem; whether the project plausibly enables disruptive innovation; whether the work truly requires a coordinated team approach; the strength of integration across disciplines; and whether the management plan makes effective collaboration and progress more likely than a traditional single-lab award.