Novel Synthetic Nucleic Acid Technology Development (R01 Clinical Trial not allowed) | RFA HG 20 014

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HG 20 014

The Novel Synthetic Nucleic Acid Technology Development funding opportunity (RFA HG 20 014) is an NIH/NHGRI R01 grant solicitation focused on pushing nucleic acid synthesis technology forward in a genuinely step-change way. The central requirement is that proposed work should aim for at least a one order of magnitude improvement (roughly 10x) in some meaningful aspect of synthetic nucleic acids or synthetic constructs. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for technology development that materially improves what can be synthesized, how well it can be synthesized, and how efficiently it can be delivered to users, rather than incremental tuning of existing methods. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed under this announcement.

The purpose of the FOA is to enable major advances in the quality, capability, and efficiency of nucleic acid synthesis and the production of synthetic constructs. Examples of the kinds of improvements the announcement highlights include the ability to synthesize longer oligonucleotides or longer assembled constructs, faster turnaround times from design to delivered material, higher accuracy and fidelity (for instance, fewer synthesis errors or better control over sequence composition), improved incorporation of modified bases or other chemical modifications, and higher-throughput approaches that can scale to many sequences or designs in parallel. A consistent theme is that these gains should be achieved at reasonable and ideally reduced costs, so the resulting technologies can have broad utility rather than remaining expensive niche solutions.

NHGRI frames this as a technology-enabling program for genomics, meaning the expected payoff is not just a better synthesis method in isolation, but new capabilities that would ripple through genomic research and related NIH mission areas. If successful, these advances could unlock experiments and applications that are currently limited by synthesis constraints, such as constructing longer or more complex DNA/RNA molecules, producing libraries with better uniformity, making modified oligos more accessible, or accelerating design-build-test cycles. The announcement also notes that progress here would contribute to NHGRI technology development goals more broadly, signaling that proposals should be positioned as platform or enabling technologies with clear potential to impact multiple downstream genomic uses.

The funding mechanism is an R01 research project grant in the health research area (CFDA 93.172) under the NIH. The opportunity category is discretionary, and the activity is structured for research and development rather than service provision. While the source data lists an award ceiling of $700,000, the key takeaway is that applicants are expected to propose a well-scoped R01-level development effort that can credibly deliver transformative performance improvements, not just proof-of-concept demonstrations without a path to robust adoption.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types across government, academia, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and foreign (non-U.S.) entities. This breadth is consistent with technology development goals that can arise from academic labs, specialized engineering groups, startups, established companies, consortia, and mission-driven organizations.

In terms of timing and administration, the FOA was created on 2020-03-19, and the original closing date listed is 2022-02-04. It is administered by the National Institutes of Health, with NHGRI as the institute/center associated with this genomics-focused topic. The overall message of the opportunity is that NHGRI is seeking ambitious, enabling synthesis technologies that can deliver a clear 10x-type improvement in performance or capability and, by doing so, remove major bottlenecks that currently limit genomics research and related biomedical science.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Novel Synthetic Nucleic Acid Technology Development (R01 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): 93.172.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-03-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-02-04. (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 $700,000.00 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.

Apply for RFA HG 20 014

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