Drug Screening with Biofabricated 3-D Skin Disease Tissue Models (U18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA TR 19 020

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA TR 19 020

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), released this funding opportunity to push forward practical drug screening methods that use biofabricated, three-dimensional (3-D) human skin disease tissue models. The overall goal is to move beyond traditional flat (2-D) cell culture systems by using more physiologically relevant skin tissues that better mimic real human disease biology. This announcement specifically builds on progress made under an earlier NCATS effort focused on collaborative drug discovery using bioprinted skin tissue, and it is aimed at taking the next step: putting validated 3-D disease skin tissues into multi-well screening formats that can support systematic testing of drug candidates.

The scientific focus is on demonstrating that these 3-D skin disease tissue models can work reliably in drug screening platforms, especially in standardized multi-well plates where many compounds can be tested in parallel. The key idea is not just to create impressive tissues, but to show evidence that the models are reproducible, biologically meaningful, and useful for screening, such as by generating consistent readouts, capturing disease-relevant responses, and supporting comparisons across compounds and conditions. The intended outcome is proof-of-concept and practical evidence that 3-D biofabricated skin models can serve as effective tools for translational drug discovery and preclinical evaluation, potentially improving how therapies are prioritized before more costly downstream studies.

The mechanism is a U18 cooperative agreement, which means awardees should expect substantial scientific involvement from the funding agency compared to a typical research grant. The FOA emphasizes intramural-extramural collaboration, meaning NIH intramural researchers and external organizations are expected to work together to implement the platform and demonstrate successful use. Because it is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," projects must remain in the preclinical or technology development space and cannot include clinical trial activities or clinical intervention studies.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. governmental entities and academic organizations, along with nonprofits and for-profit organizations (including small businesses). Eligible applicants span state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; and for-profit entities other than small businesses as well as small businesses. The opportunity also explicitly calls out additional eligible groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the health funding activity category, with CFDA number 93.350. The funding opportunity number is RFA-TR-19-020, and the original application closing date was July 31, 2019. The listed award ceiling is $400,000. The FOA was created on May 21, 2019. While the summary information provided does not specify the exact number of expected awards, the structure and budget ceiling suggest the program is designed to fund a limited number of collaborative projects that can convincingly demonstrate a working 3-D skin disease screening platform rather than many small exploratory efforts.

Taken together, this FOA is essentially a translational technology-and-platform push: it aims to show that biofabricated 3-D skin disease tissues can be used in standardized, scalable screening systems, and that these systems produce credible, repeatable results that support drug discovery decisions. The emphasis is on validated models, practical multi-well implementation, and clear evidence that the approach works as a screening tool in real-world research settings, all carried out through close collaboration with NIH intramural scientists under the cooperative agreement framework.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Drug Screening with Biofabricated 3-D Skin Disease Tissue Models (U18 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): 93.350.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-05-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-07-31. (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 $400,000.00 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 TR 19 020

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