Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST) (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). | RFA AI 20 027

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 20 027

The Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST) funding opportunity (RFA-AI-20-027) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (U01) designed to build a coordinated research group focused on how the immune system works and is regulated at mucosal surfaces. The program specifically targets the major mucosal sites where the body constantly interfaces with the outside world: the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract. The emphasis is on fundamental, mechanistic mucosal immunology rather than clinical intervention studies, and the announcement explicitly indicates that clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity.

The central goal of MIST is to push the field forward by breaking new ground in understanding basic mucosal immune mechanisms. In practical terms, NIH is looking for research that tackles hard, longstanding questions in mucosal immunology by bringing in genuinely new ideas, creative experimental approaches, and enabling technologies. The intent is not just to generate incremental findings, but to enable deeper insight into immune mechanisms and immune regulation at barrier tissues, where immune responses must balance protection from pathogens with tolerance to food antigens, commensal microbiota, and other non-threatening exposures.

Because the award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U01), funded projects are expected to operate as part of a coordinated team effort rather than as completely independent, stand-alone grants. Cooperative agreements typically involve substantial scientific or programmatic involvement by NIH staff compared with standard research project grants, which aligns with the stated aim of forming an organized research group (the MIST consortium) and accelerating progress through collaboration, shared direction, and potentially shared resources or harmonized approaches across participating investigators.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicants across government, academia, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations and tribal governments that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The opportunity also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility signals a strong interest in drawing expertise and innovation from a diverse range of institutions and communities.

From the source details provided, this is a discretionary funding opportunity in the health category (CFDA 93.855) administered by NIH. The listed award ceiling is $350,000, and the original closing date was October 9, 2020 (with a creation date of April 24, 2020). Overall, MIST is best understood as an NIH-supported collaborative basic science program intended to catalyze high-impact advances in mucosal immunology by assembling a cooperative research team that can apply novel concepts and technologies to the unique immunological challenges presented at mucosal barrier surfaces.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST) (U01 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): 93.855.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-04-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-10-09. (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 $350,000.00 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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