NHLBI TOPMed: Omics Phenotypes of Heart, Lung, and Blood Disorders (X01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 19 048

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 048

The NHLBI TOPMed: Omics Phenotypes of Heart, Lung, and Blood Disorders opportunity (PAR-19-048) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) announcement designed to help researchers generate large-scale omics data to study common, complex diseases affecting the heart, lungs, and blood. The core purpose is to enable well-phenotyped cohorts to leverage NIH-supported omics infrastructure, such as whole genome sequencing and other high-throughput assays, to uncover genetic contributors and molecular signatures linked to these disorders. Rather than funding new laboratory capacity, the program focuses on using existing NIH-funded omics resources to produce standardized, high-quality datasets that can accelerate discovery across the broader research community.

A central expectation is that successful applicants will contribute biospecimens suitable for whole genome sequencing or other omics assays (for example, genomics and potentially other molecular profiling approaches, depending on what is supported through the NIH omics capacity being accessed). Applicants are expected to pair those biospecimens with strong, well-curated phenotype information relevant to heart, lung, and blood conditions, since the scientific value of omics data depends heavily on the quality and depth of the clinical and epidemiologic characterization. In other words, the emphasis is on connecting molecular measurements with clearly defined disease traits, outcomes, and related risk factors so that downstream analyses can identify variants, pathways, or biomarkers associated with disease presence, severity, progression, or subtypes.

This FOA is an X01 mechanism and explicitly provides no direct funding to applicants. Instead, the main benefit is access to NIH-funded omics capacity to perform the sequencing or other assays. That makes the award function more like a resource-access or services mechanism than a traditional grant that pays for personnel, supplies, and research operations. Applicants therefore need to be prepared to support the parts of the project not covered by the NIH-provided omics capacity, such as cohort management, sample collection and processing logistics, phenotype harmonization, regulatory compliance, and coordination needed to deliver high-quality samples and data.

Another defining feature is the strong commitment to data sharing. The resulting omics data and associated phenotypic information will be deposited into a public data repository such as dbGaP, making the dataset broadly available for secondary research. This structure is meant to maximize the return on investment by enabling many investigators to reuse the data for replication studies, meta-analyses, method development, and new hypothesis testing. Applicants should expect that consent, data governance, and data-use limitations must align with broad data sharing and NIH expectations, since public deposition is built into the program design.

The program is categorized as a discretionary grant opportunity under NIH, with health as the activity area, and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, and 93.839. The sponsoring agency is NIH (with NHLBI as the relevant institute). The original posting date in the source information is 2018-11-01, and the original closing date listed is 2019-10-18, indicating this specific announcement had a defined submission window in that period.

Eligibility is intentionally broad and includes many types of organizations that can assemble valuable cohorts and biospecimen resources. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; 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; and other organizations. The FOA also calls out additional eligible groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), 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). Taken together, this reflects a strong interest in reaching diverse populations and varied institutional settings, which is important for genetic and omics studies where ancestry diversity and broad representation can improve discovery, reduce bias, and strengthen generalizability.

Finally, the FOA is labeled “Clinical Trial Not Allowed,” meaning applications should not propose a clinical trial as part of the work under this mechanism. The scope is oriented toward generating omics and phenotype datasets for observational, genetic, and molecular association research rather than testing interventions in human participants.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NHLBI TOPMed: Omics Phenotypes of Heart, Lung, and Blood Disorders (X01 - 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): 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-10-18. (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 PAR 19 048

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