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

FAQs: Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST) Funding Opportunity (RFA-AI-20-027)

What is the Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST) funding opportunity?

MIST (RFA-AI-20-027) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity that uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01) to build a coordinated research group focused on how the immune system works and is regulated at mucosal surfaces.

What is the main goal of the MIST program?

The central goal is to push the mucosal immunology field forward by breaking new ground in basic, mechanistic understanding of immune mechanisms and immune regulation at mucosal barrier tissues. The program emphasizes tackling difficult, longstanding questions using new ideas, creative experimental strategies, and enabling technologies rather than incremental advances.

Which mucosal sites are specifically targeted?

The opportunity targets the major mucosal sites where the body continually interfaces with the outside world: the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract.

Is the focus basic science or clinical intervention?

The emphasis is on fundamental, mechanistic mucosal immunology rather than clinical intervention studies.

Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?

No. The funding announcement explicitly indicates that clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity.

What kinds of scientific questions is NIH trying to encourage through MIST?

NIH is looking for research aimed at hard, longstanding problems in mucosal immunology that can deliver deeper insight into immune mechanisms and immune regulation at barrier tissues, including how immune responses balance protection from pathogens with tolerance to food antigens, commensal microbiota, and other non-threatening exposures.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?

A U01 cooperative agreement is designed for projects that operate as part of a coordinated team effort rather than as fully independent, stand-alone grants. It also typically involves substantial scientific or programmatic involvement by NIH staff compared with standard research project grants.

How collaborative is this program expected to be?

Funded projects are expected to function as part of an organized research group (the MIST consortium). The opportunity is structured to accelerate progress through collaboration, shared direction, and potentially shared resources or harmonized approaches across participating investigators.

Who can apply for this funding opportunity?

Eligibility is broad and includes applicants across government, academia, nonprofit organizations, and industry, including domestic and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), as described in the opportunity.

Which government entities are listed as eligible applicants?

Eligible government applicants include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations; tribal governments that are not federally recognized; and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories or possessions and regional organizations are also highlighted as eligible categories.

Are higher education institutions eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.

Are nonprofits eligible?

Yes. The eligible applicant list includes nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (with the exclusions noted in the opportunity description for institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories).

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. The opportunity lists for-profit organizations other than small businesses as eligible, and it also lists small businesses as eligible.

Are specific institution types (like HBCUs or HSIs) encouraged or eligible?

Yes. The opportunity highlights additional eligible applicant categories including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are listed among the additional eligible applicant categories.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are explicitly included among the eligible applicant categories.

What is the funding category and administering agency?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity in the health category administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided is 93.855.

What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The listed award ceiling is $350,000.

What was the original closing date for applications?

The original closing date listed is October 9, 2020.

What is the creation date listed for this opportunity?

The creation date listed is April 24, 2020.

In plain terms, what is NIH trying to build with MIST?

MIST is intended to function as an NIH-supported collaborative basic science program that catalyzes high-impact advances in mucosal immunology by assembling a cooperative research team and applying novel concepts and enabling technologies to key immunological challenges at mucosal barrier surfaces.