Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 17 021
The Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa): Ethical, Legal, and Societal Issues (ELSI) Research Program (U01) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity that supports research focused on the ethical, legal, and societal questions raised by human genomics research involving African populations. The announcement is designed to strengthen evidence-based approaches to bioethics and governance in genomics by encouraging projects that examine how genomic research is conducted, understood, regulated, and experienced in African contexts. A central priority is work that takes on new or emerging ELSI challenges, meaning studies that move beyond established debates and instead analyze evolving issues created by rapidly changing technologies, expanding data sharing, large-scale biobanking, cross-border collaborations, and shifting legal and cultural landscapes.
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01), which typically means the funded project is expected to involve substantial scientific or programmatic engagement with NIH compared with a standard research grant. The activity area is health (CFDA 93.310), reflecting NIH interest in ELSI research as an essential part of responsible health-related genomics. The FOA emphasizes focused bioethical, legal, and social science analyses. In practical terms, that can include empirical studies (such as interviews, surveys, ethnography, deliberative forums, or comparative policy analysis), conceptual or normative bioethics work grounded in real-world genomic practice, and interdisciplinary projects that connect social science findings to actionable guidance for researchers, ethics committees, and policymakers.
Eligibility is broad for academic institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with additional applicant categories allowed as described in the FOA. A notable feature is the explicit allowance for non-U.S. organizations and non-U.S. institutions to apply directly, making this particularly relevant for African universities, research institutes, and ethics centers. At the same time, the FOA clarifies that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicants, while foreign components are allowed under NIH policy definitions. In other words, a U.S. institution cannot apply through a separate, non-U.S. sub-entity as the applicant, but the award can include foreign components consistent with NIH Grants Policy Statement rules. This structure is meant to support strong international collaboration while keeping applicant eligibility aligned with NIH policy.
Key administrative details provided include the opportunity number RFA-RM-17-021, an original closing date of December 6, 2017, and an award ceiling listed at $100,000. The announcement was created on September 19, 2017. The number of expected awards is not specified in the supplied data. Overall, the program is positioned to fund research that helps ensure human genomics studies in Africa are conducted ethically and fairly, with careful attention to consent and community engagement, privacy and data governance, benefit sharing, return of results, stigma and discrimination risks, ownership and control of samples and data, and the legal and regulatory frameworks that shape international genomic research partnerships.Apply for RFA RM 17 021
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa): Ethical, Legal, and Societal Issues (ELSI) Research Program (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-09-19.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-12-06. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the H3Africa ELSI Research Program (U01)?
The Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa): Ethical, Legal, and Societal Issues (ELSI) Research Program (U01) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity that supports research on the ethical, legal, and societal questions raised by human genomics research involving African populations.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is designed to strengthen evidence-based approaches to bioethics and governance in genomics by encouraging projects that examine how genomic research is conducted, understood, regulated, and experienced in African contexts.
What kinds of research topics does the program prioritize?
A central priority is research that addresses new or emerging ELSI challenges. This includes studying evolving issues created by rapidly changing technologies, expanding data sharing, large-scale biobanking, cross-border collaborations, and shifting legal and cultural landscapes.
What does "ELSI" mean in this context?
ELSI refers to ethical, legal, and societal issues. In this program, it focuses on the real-world ethical and governance questions that arise when human genomics research involves African populations and institutions.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01), which typically means there is substantial scientific or programmatic engagement with NIH compared with a standard research grant.
How is a U01 cooperative agreement different from a standard NIH research grant?
Based on the information provided, a U01 generally involves more NIH involvement in the project’s scientific or programmatic direction than would be expected under a standard research grant mechanism.
What is the CFDA number and activity area for this opportunity?
The activity area is health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.310.
What types of methods or approaches are encouraged?
The FOA emphasizes focused bioethical, legal, and social science analyses. Examples of approaches mentioned include:
- Empirical studies (interviews, surveys, ethnography, deliberative forums)
- Comparative policy analysis
- Conceptual or normative bioethics work grounded in real-world genomic practice
- Interdisciplinary projects connecting social science findings to actionable guidance for researchers, ethics committees, and policymakers
Does the opportunity support only empirical social science, or also conceptual bioethics work?
It supports both. In addition to empirical studies, it allows conceptual or normative bioethics work as long as it is grounded in real-world genomic practice.
What kinds of practical outputs does NIH appear to be seeking?
The opportunity highlights interdisciplinary work that connects findings to actionable guidance for researchers, ethics committees, and policymakers, indicating an interest in outputs that can inform governance and ethical practice in genomics.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad for academic institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with additional applicant categories allowed as described in the FOA.
Are non-U.S. organizations allowed to apply directly?
Yes. A notable feature is the explicit allowance for non-U.S. organizations and non-U.S. institutions to apply directly, making the opportunity particularly relevant for African universities, research institutes, and ethics centers.
Can a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization apply as the applicant?
No. The FOA clarifies that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicants.
Are foreign components allowed if the applicant is a U.S. institution?
Yes. The award can include foreign components consistent with NIH policy definitions and the NIH Grants Policy Statement rules, even though a non-U.S. sub-entity of a U.S. institution cannot serve as the applicant.
How does this structure support international collaboration?
It is described as supporting strong international collaboration while keeping applicant eligibility aligned with NIH policy, by allowing foreign components under NIH rules but restricting who can serve as the primary applicant entity.
What is the opportunity number for this announcement?
The opportunity number is RFA-RM-17-021.
When was the announcement created?
The announcement was created on September 19, 2017.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed is December 6, 2017.
What is the award ceiling listed in the provided information?
The award ceiling is listed at $100,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The number of expected awards is not specified in the supplied data.
What ELSI issues are specifically mentioned as relevant to this program?
The provided description highlights several issues that the program is positioned to support, including:
- Consent and community engagement
- Privacy and data governance
- Benefit sharing
- Return of results
- Stigma and discrimination risks
- Ownership and control of samples and data
- Legal and regulatory frameworks shaping international genomic research partnerships
Is the program focused specifically on African contexts?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes genomics research involving African populations and encourages analyses of how genomics is conducted and governed in African contexts, including legal and cultural landscapes.
Does the FOA encourage studies that move beyond established debates?
Yes. A central priority is research that tackles new or emerging ELSI challenges rather than focusing only on established debates, especially in light of fast-changing technology and governance conditions.
What kinds of genomic research changes are driving "emerging" ELSI challenges in this program?
The description points to rapidly changing technologies, expanding data sharing, large-scale biobanking, cross-border collaborations, and shifting legal and cultural landscapes as key drivers of emerging ELSI issues.
Is this opportunity limited to legal studies, or does it include ethics and social science?
It includes ethics, legal, and social science work. The FOA emphasizes focused bioethical, legal, and social science analyses and encourages interdisciplinary projects.
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