Biology Of Aging Dental, Oral And Craniofacial Tissues (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DE 18 010

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DE 18 010

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offered this discretionary grant opportunity, titled "Biology Of Aging Dental, Oral And Craniofacial Tissues (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DE-18-010; CFDA 93.121), to push forward early-stage, collaborative research focused on how aging changes dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) tissues. The central idea behind the announcement is that the mouth and craniofacial complex do not age in isolation. Many of the same biological processes that drive aging in other organs and tissues also affect gums, bone, salivary glands, oral mucosa, and related craniofacial structures. By encouraging studies that directly connect DOC aging to broader, body-wide aging biology, the program aimed to close fundamental knowledge gaps that ultimately limit prevention and treatment strategies for older adults.

The FOA’s scientific emphasis was on three intersecting themes that are widely implicated in aging and age-related disease: inflammation, tissue healing and regeneration, and epigenetic regulation. In practice, this means the program was looking for projects that explain how chronic or dysregulated inflammatory signaling changes with age in oral and craniofacial tissues, how aging alters the ability of these tissues to repair themselves after injury or disease, and how epigenetic mechanisms (such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and related gene-expression controls) shift over time and contribute to functional decline. A key feature is the encouragement of cross-tissue or cross-organ comparisons, meaning applicants were expected to think about parallels between DOC tissues and other biological systems rather than treating oral aging as a siloed topic.

The long-term public health goal was improved oral health for older adults, but the FOA was positioned as basic and mechanistic rather than clinical. It sought foundational discoveries that could explain why age-associated changes increase susceptibility to disease, slow recovery, or worsen outcomes in DOC tissues. By targeting underlying biology, the program intended to set up future translational work that could inform better diagnostics, preventive strategies, and therapies for conditions that become more common or more severe with age, including impaired wound healing, chronic inflammatory states, and degeneration of supporting tissues.

This was an R21 mechanism, which is typically used to support exploratory or developmental research projects that are at an earlier stage, potentially higher-risk, and aimed at generating strong preliminary data or testing innovative concepts. The award ceiling listed is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, pilot-like scale commonly associated with R21 grants. Importantly, the announcement explicitly stated "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning applicants could not propose clinical trials as part of the work under this FOA. The intent was to keep projects focused on biological mechanisms and preclinical or non-trial human research approaches, rather than interventional studies that meet the definition of a clinical trial.

Eligibility was broad and included many types of organizations. In addition to standard applicants such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, the FOA also welcomed applications from a wide range of government and community entities. Eligible applicants included state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; federally recognized tribal governments; and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The announcement also highlighted additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals a clear interest in drawing expertise from many sectors and encouraging diverse research settings and collaborations.

From a timing and administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on 2017-09-19, with an original closing date of 2018-02-28. The funding instrument type was a grant, and the activity category was health. While the notice lists "ExpectedAwards" without a number, the overall structure is consistent with an NIH initiative designed to seed multiple exploratory projects rather than fund a single large program.

In summary, this FOA was designed to catalyze innovative, collaborative, non-clinical-trial research that explains how and why DOC tissues change with age, with special attention to inflammatory pathways, regenerative capacity, and epigenetic regulation. By strengthening the basic science foundation of oral and craniofacial aging and tying it to broader aging biology, the program aimed to build a clearer path toward improving health outcomes for older adults.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biology Of Aging Dental, Oral And Craniofacial Tissues (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): 93.121.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-09-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-02-28. (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 $200,000.00 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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