Development of Animal Models and Related Biological Materials for Down Syndrome Research (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PAR 23 067

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 067

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the INCLUDE (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE) Project, is offering an exploratory research grant opportunity focused on strengthening the research toolkit available for Down syndrome (DS). This funding opportunity, PAR-23-067, uses the R21 mechanism and is strictly preclinical in nature (clinical trials are not allowed). The core aim is to spur innovative, early-stage projects that either create new animal models, significantly improve existing DS-relevant models, or generate closely related biological materials that make DS research more informative, rigorous, and reproducible. A major emphasis is that the models and materials supported must be clearly useful for DS-focused basic science or targeted mechanistic studies in areas considered highly relevant to Down syndrome.

The opportunity is intentionally broad in the kinds of approaches it will consider, as long as they push the field forward in practical and shareable ways. Examples of encouraged directions include developing or refining a range of animal models and genetic resources that better represent DS biology, creating detailed atlases that map tissues or systems at single-cell or even subcellular resolution, and building or applying advanced informatics tools. NIH explicitly notes interest in modern computational approaches, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, especially where they help analyze complex datasets, integrate results across platforms, or improve how model-based findings are interpreted and reused. Another recurring theme is integration: projects that connect multiple model systems, multiple technologies, or complementary datasets in ways that improve confidence in preclinical conclusions and enable stronger cross-study comparisons are within scope.

In addition to building new resources, this announcement highlights improving access to information about animal models and their use in DS research. In practice, that can mean efforts that make model characteristics clearer, usage more standardized, or data more findable and interpretable to other researchers. The underlying goal is to reduce fragmentation in preclinical DS work by making models, associated biological materials, and the knowledge generated from them easier to evaluate, replicate, and build upon.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based and U.S.-affiliated organizations: state, county, city, township, and special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses. The announcement also calls out additional eligible applicants such as 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, regional organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it places clear limits on foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning certain types of international collaboration can be included when properly justified and structured under NIH policy.

Key administrative details include that this is a discretionary grant in the health-related funding area (CFDA numbers 93.351, 93.865, and 93.866). The opportunity was created on December 8, 2022, and lists an original closing date of January 7, 2026. The award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the R21 program’s role in supporting exploratory, high-impact ideas that may be earlier in development than a full-scale R01 project. Overall, the program is designed to accelerate DS research by expanding and improving the preclinical model ecosystem, increasing the usefulness and accessibility of related biological resources, and encouraging data-rich, technology-forward approaches that raise the quality and reproducibility of DS-related preclinical science.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of Animal Models and Related Biological Materials for Down Syndrome Research (R21 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.351, 93.865, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-12-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-07. (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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