Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) Program: Data Mining and Functional Validation (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DA 26 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 26 002

The Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) Program: Data Mining and Functional Validation (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding opportunity (RFA-DA-26-002) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant that supports early-stage, exploratory research aimed at clarifying how HIV infection and/or antiretroviral therapy (ART) intersect with substance use disorder (SUD)-relevant biology at single-cell resolution. The central idea is to take advantage of existing or newly generated single-cell datasets (for example, single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic data) to pinpoint specific cell types and molecular features that appear to drive or reflect HIV/ART-related and opioid/SUD-related responses, and then to follow up with lab-based functional validation to test whether those computational signals represent real biological mechanisms.

The NOFO focuses on two tightly connected types of work. First, it supports data mining of single-cell datasets to identify candidate cell populations, transcripts, enhancers, or broader transcriptional networks that are implicated in molecular responses relevant to HIV/ART and SUD. This includes efforts to discover which specific cells respond to opioids or other SUD-relevant exposures in the context of HIV or ART, and what gene regulatory elements or gene expression programs are involved. Second, it supports functional validation studies designed to confirm or refute the biological role of those candidates. Examples explicitly mentioned include epigenomic or transcriptomic manipulation and high-throughput secondary screening, which could involve perturbing candidate regulatory elements or genes and measuring downstream effects to establish causality rather than simple correlation.

The award mechanism is an NIH R21, meaning it is intended for exploratory, proof-of-concept projects that can open up a new direction or rapidly test a promising idea rather than support a large, long-term research program. Clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, so projects must be non-clinical-trial in nature (for instance, computational analyses, mechanistic studies in model systems, cell-based assays, organoids, or other experimental validation approaches that do not meet NIH’s definition of a clinical trial).

Key administrative details include an application closing date of March 19, 2026, and an award ceiling listed at $275,000. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the grant funding instrument. It falls under CFDA number 93.279 (NIH research and development programs).

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and governments, such as state, county, and local governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories, 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, U.S. territories or possessions, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility signals an interest in drawing expertise from diverse institutional settings and encouraging participation from organizations that serve underrepresented communities or have specialized regional or population knowledge.

In practical terms, a competitive project under this NOFO would typically (1) leverage single-cell data to generate specific, testable hypotheses about HIV/ART and opioid or SUD-related molecular pathways in particular cell types, then (2) use appropriately designed experimental validation to determine whether the implicated genes, enhancers, or regulatory networks actually control relevant responses. The overall goal is to move from large, complex single-cell datasets to validated mechanistic insights that can better explain how HIV/ART biology and opioid/SUD biology interact at the level of individual cells and gene regulation.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) Program: Data Mining and Functional Validation (R21 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): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-19. (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 $275,000.00 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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