Research Resource Center to Build an Open-Access Repository and Database for Anatomical and Physiological Correlates of Acupoints (U24, Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA AT 23 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AT 23 005

This funding opportunity, issued by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seeks to support a single research resource center that will create and maintain an open-access repository and searchable database focused on the anatomical and physiological correlates of acupuncture points (acupoints). The core idea is to give the research community a centralized, high-quality resource that standardizes and organizes what is known about commonly used acupoints, including detailed anatomical specifications and other key parameters, and then links or integrates that information with related physiological datasets from other sources. The end product is intended to be a practical, research-ready platform that can host and harmonize human-subject data in a format that is accessible to the public, easy to search, and useful for rigorous scientific work on acupuncture-related interventions.

A major emphasis of the announcement is infrastructure: the award is meant to fund the development and ongoing maintenance of the repository and database, not just a one-time build. NCCIH wants a resource that can curate and select high-quality research data, rather than simply acting as a passive file dump. In other words, the center is expected to bring clear added value through careful data intake, documentation, and organization, helping the field move toward more consistent, reproducible, and comparable research outputs. By improving how acupoint-related anatomical and physiological information is captured and shared, the resource is expected to enable more rigorous studies of acupuncture mechanisms and outcomes. NCCIH also notes that these improvements in research infrastructure could translate into downstream benefits for evidence-based clinical practice and educational efforts, since clinicians and trainees often rely on clear, well-supported descriptions of acupoints and their correlates.

In addition to the human-focused database, the opportunity expresses a preference for a parallel repository and database for an appropriate animal model. This reflects the reality that mechanistic work on acupuncture frequently involves animal studies, and the agency is signaling interest in a resource that supports cross-species comparisons or at least provides a comparable framework for organizing animal acupoint-correlate data. The goal is not only to catalog points, but to connect them to measurable anatomical and physiological features that can be studied experimentally and compared across datasets.

The mechanism for funding is a U24 cooperative agreement, meaning NCCIH anticipates substantial involvement with the awardee beyond what is typical for a standard research grant. Cooperative agreements are commonly used when an agency wants to actively coordinate with the funded group on major decisions, milestones, data standards, governance, dissemination practices, or integration with broader NIH data ecosystem expectations. The funding opportunity is labeled “Clinical Trial Optional,” which indicates that a clinical trial is not required for this award; the primary mission is building the research resource, though the infrastructure could ultimately support clinical research data.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as independent school districts and certain housing authorities. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and the announcement also highlights eligibility for a range of minority-serving institutions and community-based groups, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the opportunity makes clear that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by NIH policy, meaning an otherwise eligible U.S. applicant may include certain foreign collaborations or elements if they meet NIH’s definition and requirements.

Key administrative details from the listing include the opportunity number (RFA-AT-23-005), the activity category (Health, CFDA 93.213), and the use of a discretionary funding opportunity structure. The original closing date shown is November 30, 2022, and the listing includes an award ceiling of $700,000. The opportunity anticipates funding one center (“one research resource center”), reinforcing that NCCIH intends this to be a centralized, field-facing platform rather than multiple parallel efforts. Overall, the grant is designed to create durable, open, and interoperable infrastructure that strengthens the scientific foundation for acupuncture research by making acupoint-related anatomical and physiological information easier to find, compare, and reuse across studies.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Resource Center to Build an Open-Access Repository and Database for Anatomical and Physiological Correlates of Acupoints (U24, Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-11-30. (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 $700,000.00 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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