NCATS is issuing this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) to highlight the urgent need for research on the COVID-19. NCATS is especially interested in research in the use of microphysiological systems or tissue chips in collecting and examining data on the risks and outcomes for COVID-19 infection, and advance the translation of research findings into diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
This Notice announces the availability of competitive revisions for investigators and institutions funded through:
- The NIH Microphysiological Systems (MPS) Program; or
- SBIR/STTR-supported investigators, provided the award involves tissue chips; or
- Microphysiological systems programs from across NIH.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from May 15, 2020 to January 25, 2022 by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. This NOSI expires on January 26, 2022. An application submitted in response to this NOSI that is received on/after the expiration date will be withdrawn.
NCATS will accept the submission of applications for Competitive Revisions to active grants to address only the following research areas of interest:
- Incorporation of new and emerging data related to SARS-CoV-2 into ongoing research efforts to develop microphysiological systems/tissue chips models for COVID-19
- Use of microphysiological systems/tissue chips or evaluating, repurposing or modification of diagnostic tools to enable rapid detection of COVID-19 infection
- Use of microphysiological systems/tissue chips for the rapid development and assessment of potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19
Applications that are not responsive to the above research areas of interest will be withdrawn without review.
A multi-organ on chip approach is strongly encouraged though not required. Please document access to a BSL-3 facility or include scientific justification for use of alternative facilities, for example using an engineered a COVID-19 pseudovirus that expresses the key surface Spike protein, which mediates its entry into cells.