The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is offering a funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: CCRP Initiative: Promoting a Basic Understanding of Chemical Threats to Skin" (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to advance basic research on skin injuries caused by toxic chemicals that have been identified as public health threats. The program encourages investigation into the common pathways and mechanisms of such injuries, particularly focusing on vesicants and other toxic industrial chemicals, to identify shared therapeutic targets and develop medical countermeasures (MCMs).

This NOFO is specifically designed for researchers who have not previously been involved in the Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) and are new to the field of chemical-induced skin injury. It provides support for initial planning stages to help researchers acquire necessary skills, establish collaborations with facilities certified to handle toxic chemicals, and generate preliminary data. The research should target at least two Chemicals of Concern (CoCs), one of which must be a vesicant, such as sulfur mustard or Lewisite. The study should explore the underlying mechanisms of skin injuries from these chemicals, including wound development, healing, and potential systemic effects, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets in pathways related to signal transduction and inflammation.

Funding for this opportunity will support up to five awards, with an annual budget limit of $225,000 in direct costs and a total of $450,000 over a three-year project period. The NIH will allocate approximately $1.25 million for these awards in fiscal year 2025, and future year amounts will depend on budget appropriations. The R34 Planning Grant mechanism is chosen to encourage researchers to build foundational knowledge and capacity, rather than require established preliminary data.

Eligible applicants include U.S.-based higher education institutions, nonprofits, government entities, and certain for-profit organizations. Foreign institutions are not eligible, though foreign components as part of U.S. institutions are allowed. Applicants should have prior experience in wound healing research and a foundational understanding of skin injury but do not need previous work in chemical MCMs. Each application must adhere to specific registration requirements, including SAM.gov and eRA Commons, which can take several weeks to complete, so early preparation is advised.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through February, June, and October deadlines annually until January 2028. Submission must be completed via Grants.gov, with NIH strongly advising early application to address any potential submission issues. Application requirements include a detailed research plan, a data management and sharing plan, and budget justifications, among other elements. Non-compliant or incomplete applications will not proceed to review. This opportunity does not support clinical trials.

Evaluation will consider factors such as scientific significance, innovation, approach rigor, and feasibility, along with investigator expertise and the research environment. Reviewers will assess if the proposed research has the potential to yield robust, reproducible findings and aligns with the NIH’s goals of understanding chemical threat-induced skin injuries. For applications under consideration for funding, NIH may request additional information as part of the Just-in-Time procedures, and applicants will be notified of decisions post-review via eRA Commons.

Awardees must comply with federal data sharing policies, and the NIH’s Office of Extramural Research provides ongoing guidance and support.