Alcohol-Induced Effects on Tissue Injury and Repair (R01) | PA 17 297

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 17 297

Alcohol-Induced Effects on Tissue Injury and Repair (R01) is an NIH funding opportunity (FOA number PA-17-297; CFDA 93.273) issued through the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to support R01 research projects focused on how alcohol use influences tissue injury and the body s ability to repair and recover. The central emphasis is on uncovering molecular and cellular mechanisms in humans that explain why alcohol exposure can worsen damage, slow healing, or alter repair processes after injury, disease, or trauma. While excessive alcohol consumption is a major concern, the FOA also explicitly welcomes work that examines the molecular and cellular actions of moderate alcohol consumption, recognizing that different exposure patterns may produce distinct biological effects.

The scientific motivation behind the announcement is that alcohol can negatively affect many organ systems, and those effects often interact with injury and recovery in complicated ways. The FOA highlights a wide range of tissues and systems where alcohol-related harm is observed, including the liver, brain, heart, pancreas, lungs, kidneys, endocrine and immune systems, as well as bone and skeletal muscle. It also points to accumulating evidence that long term alcohol use is linked to a reduced capacity to recover after trauma, suggesting that alcohol may interfere with normal wound healing, regeneration, immune responses, and other coordinated repair programs. Despite the clinical relevance, NIAAA notes that the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood, which creates a clear need for studies that move beyond describing damage and instead map the causal pathways that connect alcohol exposure to impaired or altered repair.

A key priority area in this FOA is integrative research that explains alcohol s effects on complex injury and repair mechanisms in ways that can be compared across organ systems. That includes identifying biological processes that may be shared across tissues (for example, inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress responses, fibrosis, vascular changes, mitochondrial dysfunction, or immune dysregulation) as well as mechanisms that are unique to specific organs (such as liver-specific fibrogenesis pathways or brain-specific neuroinflammatory responses). The intent is to encourage projects that do not treat organs in isolation when broader, system-level processes may be driving outcomes, while still leaving room for focused organ-specific work when warranted by the biology.

The FOA also encourages proposals that examine alcohol s impact on stem cells, embryonic development, and regeneration. This reflects interest in how alcohol may affect progenitor cell function, tissue homeostasis, developmental pathways, and regenerative capacity, all of which are central to repairing damage after injury. In practical terms, this can include research on how alcohol exposure changes stem cell survival, differentiation, signaling environments (niches), or the ability of tissues to rebuild and remodel, as well as how developmental exposures might set the stage for later vulnerability to injury or impaired healing.

From a translational standpoint, the announcement frames this mechanistic work as a foundation for better clinical tools and interventions. By clarifying how alcohol contributes to organ damage and disrupts recovery, funded studies are expected to open new avenues for improved prognosis (predicting who will heal poorly), diagnosis (detecting alcohol-related injury pathways or biomarkers), and intervention or treatment (targeting the specific molecular pathways that drive damage, inflammation, scarring, or failed regeneration). The overall message is that understanding mechanisms is not just an academic exercise; it is meant to support more effective and novel approaches to preventing or treating alcohol-induced organ injury and improving recovery outcomes.

In terms of who can apply, the opportunity uses the standard NIH R01 grant mechanism and is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health area. Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations, such as state, county, and local governments; public and state-controlled universities and colleges; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities; and a wide range of nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status. It also allows applications from for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, reflecting NIH s openness to academic, clinical, and industry-aligned research teams when the science is strong.

The FOA additionally calls out a variety of other eligible applicant categories to encourage broad participation, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility aligns with the public health scope of alcohol-related harm and the value of diverse research settings and populations in understanding injury and repair. The source data lists an original closing date of 2020-09-07 and does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided fields.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alcohol-Induced Effects on Tissue Injury and Repair (R01)" 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 2017-05-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-07. (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.

Apply for PA 17 297

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: