**NIH AREA Grant Research Objectives**

Updated: 09/30/2005

AREA grants will support small-scale, new or ongoing health-related
meritorious research projects, including pilot research projects and
feasibility studies; development, testing, and refinement of research
techniques; secondary analysis of available data sets; and similar
discrete research projects that demonstrate research capability.

### Listed below, by Institute or Center, are the AREA program research topics of particular interest to each Institute/Center. The names of the contacts and their phone numbers and email addresses are available at [**http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_contacts.htm**](http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_contacts.htm). Applicants are encouraged to contact the person listed for the particular Institute(s) or Center(s) with research interests relevant to the applicant\'s proposed topic for additional scientific program information and for pre-application guidance.

**National Institute on Aging (NIA or AG) <http://www.nia.nih.gov/>**

The NIA is interested in, and has responsibilities for, aging research
that includes fundamental studies of biological processes, including
studies of aging at the molecular, genetic, organelle, cellular, organ,
and organ system levels; the interaction of aging and diseases of aging;
biomedical and psychosocial factors in maintaining health and effective
functioning in the middle and later years, relevant social and
behavioral relationships; and research that broadens the base of
knowledge underlying adequate health services for the aging and the
aged. The Institute is interested in normal physiological and
biochemical changes with aging, involving areas such as immunology,
cognition, neurobiology, endocrinology, nutrition, and exercise
physiology, as well as clinical diseases and disorders of aging such as
Alzheimer\'s disease, impaired sleep, sensory and motor disorders,
osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, falls, and urinary incontinence. The
Institute also has responsibility for research concerned with the
biological, social, psychological, cultural, epidemiological,
demographic and economic factors that affect both the process of growing
old and the status and roles of older people in society. Under this
broad mandate, health and wellbeing are viewed as the outcome of complex
biological, physiological, medical, psychological, and
socioenvironmental processes.

**National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA or AA)
<http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/>**

The NIAAA supports basic and clinical research to develop new knowledge
in a wide range of areas relevant to alcohol abuse problems and alcohol
addiction. Areas of research include molecular, physiological, and
behavioral mechanisms leading to pathological drinking behavior and
alcohol-induced organ damage; identification of genes and
gene-environment interactions that contribute to susceptibility; health
services and outcomes research; and clinical, behavioral, and
epidemiological studies that will lead to more effective diagnosis,
prevention, and treatment of alcohol use disorders and associated
alcohol-related medical conditions. Basic and clinical research on fetal
alcohol spectrum disorders is also supported. The NIAAA encourages
alcohol-relevant research in any of the basic science disciplines,
epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, computer modeling, and
health economics.

**National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID or AI)
<http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/>**

The objective of NIAID\'s research program is to acquire the knowledge
which will eventually lead to the treatment and prevention of
infectious, allergic, and immunologic diseases. The Institute\'s overall
strategy of attacking the array of problems on a broad front relies on
free-ranging research in microbiology and includes the following
research problem areas: isolation, characterization, and biology of
disease-causing microbes; antibiotic or drug resistance among bacteria,
viruses, and parasites; development of successful and safe antimicrobial
compounds, particularly for viruses and parasites; and new approaches to
understand and manipulate the immune system.

**National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
(NIAMS or AR) <http://www.niams.nih.gov/>**

The NIAMS supports basic and clinical studies related to the rheumatic
diseases and to diseases and disorders of connective tissue, bone, and
skin. Areas of research include: inflammation, infectious agents and
genetic factors related to rheumatic diseases; structure and function of
cartilage and connective tissue; arthritis in children; systemic lupus
erythematosus; rheumatoid arthritis; - osteoarthritis; spondylitis and
related syndromes; gout and pseudogout; the structure and function of
skeletal muscle; bone structure, formation, degradation and repair;
osteoporosis; biomaterials, biomechanics, and joint replacement;
inherited connective tissue diseases; bone immunology and
transplantation; metabolism of epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat;
immunologically mediated cutaneous disorders; photobiology,
photoallergy, and phototoxic reactions; vitiligo; psoriasis, bullous
diseases of the skin; and acne.

**National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB or
EB) <http://www.nibib1.nih.gov/>**

The mission of the NIBIB is to improve health by promoting fundamental
discoveries, design and development, and translation and assessment of
technological capabilities in biomedical imaging and bioengineering,
enabled by relevant areas of physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials
science, information science, and the computer sciences. The Institute
plans, conducts, fosters, and supports an integrated and coordinated
program of research and research training that can be applied to a broad
spectrum of biological processes, disorders and diseases, and organ
systems. The Institute coordinates with the biomedical imaging and
bioengineering programs of other agencies and NIH institutes to support
imaging and engineering research with potential medical applications and
facilitates the transfer of such technologies to medical applications.
The Institute supports hypothesis-, design-, technology- or
problem-driven research relating to the discovery, design, development,
translation and assessment of new knowledge in biomedical imaging and
bioengineering. This research may utilize, for example, an organ or
disease as a model system for development purposes. The research should
be assigned to another Institute or Center if it is primarily applicable
to an organ, disease or mission of that entity. Alternatively, several
Institutes or Centers may collaborate on research of mutual interest.

**National Cancer Institute (NCI or CA) <http://www.cancer.gov/>**

The NCI is the Federal Government\'s principal agency for cancer
research and control. Programs of the NCI focus on: (1) cancer etiology
including laboratory, field, and epidemiologic and biometric research on
the cause and natural history of cancer and means for preventing cancer,
as well as studies on the mechanisms of cancer induction and promotion
by chemicals, viruses, and environmental agents; (2) cancer biology and
diagnosis research in the areas of cell biology, immunology, molecular
biology, developmental biology, biochemistry, genetics, and pathology;
(3) cancer metastasis research in the areas of invasion, cell migration,
progression and metastasis, and the studies focusing on tumor-host
interactions; (4) cancer treatment research in the areas of drug
development, biological response modifiers, and radiotherapy
development, including diagnostic imaging and clinical trials for curing
or controlling cancer; (5) early detection and diagnosis research,
including studies of promising biomarkers; and (6) cancer prevention and
control research, development, technology transfer, demonstration, and
education and information dissemination programs to expedite the use of
new information relevant to prevention, detection, and diagnosis of
cancer and pretreatment evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and
continuing care of cancer patients.

**National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD or HD)
<http://www.nichd.nih.gov/>**

The mission of the NICHD is to ensure that every person is born healthy
and wanted, that women suffer no harmful effects from reproductive
processes, and that all children have the chance to achieve their full
potential for healthy and productive lives, free from disease or
disability, and to ensure the health, productivity, independence, and
well-being of all people through optimal rehabilitation.

To reach this goal, the NICHD supports research in: reproductive
biology, chemistry, and medicine; fertility regulation; contraceptive
development and evaluation; perinatology, pregnancy, and labor;
obstetric and pediatric pharmacology; developmental and clinical
genetics; developmental biology; developmental neurobiology;
developmental and reproductive immunology; birth defects; population
dynamics; developmental endocrinology; social, cognitive, and affective
development; and the biological bases of behavioral development.

The NICHD also supports biomedical and behavioral research on mental
retardation and developmental disabilities; pediatric, adolescent, and
maternal HIV infection and AIDS; and, in the context of its National
Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, NICHD also supports the
development of medical, behavioral, psychological, social, and
technological interventions designed to optimize functioning after
impairment, disability, or handicap.

**National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM or
AT) <http://nccam.nih.gov/>**

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
explores complementary and alternative healing practices in the context
of rigorous science; it educates and trains complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) researchers; and disseminates authoritative
information to the public and professionals. CAM encompasses healthcare
and medical practices that are not currently an integral part of
conventional medicine. The list of CAM approaches evolves steadily as
some are proven safe and effective and accepted within \"mainstream\"
healthcare practices while others are rejected as being unsafe or
ineffective. CAM practices are grouped within five major domains: (1)
alternative medical systems (for example, Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Ayurveda; (2) mind-body interventions, (for example, meditation,
biofeedback); (3) biologically-based treatments (for example, herbal
therapies, special diets); (4) manipulative and body-based methods (for
example, chiropractic, massage); and (5) energy therapies (for example,
Reiki, Qi gong). (Further examples of practices within each CAM domain
can be viewed at <http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/index.htm>)

In order to meet this mandate, NCCAM supports research and research
training programs that increase our knowledge of basic mechanisms
underlying CAM approaches, and of their safety and efficacy. Studies may
range from basic, through translational, clinical, epidemiological and
health services.

**National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD or DC) <http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/>**

The NIDCD supports biomedical and behavioral research related to the
normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste,
voice, speech and language. Basic and clinical studies are encouraged of
genetic, molecular, cellular, physiological, biochemical, and behavioral
aspects of function in health and disease. The Institute also supports
research concerned with disease prevention, health promotion and the
special biomedical and behavioral problems associated with communication
impairments and disorders.

**National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR or DE)
<http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/>**

The mission of the NIDCR is to promote the dental, oral and craniofacial
health of the American people through the conduct and support of
research and the training of researchers. This includes the support of
basic, clinical, and behavioral research concerning the etiology,
epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental, oral and
craniofacial disorders and diseases. In this context, the NIDCR
emphasizes research on caries and periodontal diseases; oral viral
infections; oral aspects of AIDS/HIV infection; head and neck cancers;
craniofacial development, physiology and malformations; orofacial pain
and other oral sensory and motor dysfunctions; salivary glands and
disorders such as Sjogrens\'s Syndrome; temporomandibular joint
disorders; and restoration and regeneration of dental, oral and
craniofacial structures.

**National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK or DK) <http://www.niddk.nih.gov/>**

The NIDDK supports a broad range of fundamental and clinical
investigation related to numerous diseases affecting the public health,
including diabetes; obesity; endocrinology and endocrine disorders
including osteoporosis; kidney, urologic and blood diseases; and
digestive and liver diseases and nutrition. These include genetic
diseases such as cystic fibrosis, polycystic kidney disease and inborn
errors of metabolism; autoimmune diseases such as type 1diabetes and
inflammatory bowel disease; and infectious diseases such as hepatitis
and food borne illness.

**National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA or DA)
<http://www.nida.nih.gov/>**

The research programs of the NIDA are devoted to increasing the
understanding of the causes, progression and consequences of drug abuse,
as well as to developing effective prevention and treatments. Research
is supported on the complex neurobiological, behavioral, clinical,
social and environmental components of drug abuse and addiction. In
addition, NIDA supports research on mechanisms, processes, and problems
(e.g., studies of cognitive processes and general addictive processes)
that may ultimately contribute to the understanding of drug abuse and
addiction, although it does not involve examination of an abused drug or
use of a drug-abusing sample. Studies of HIV/AIDS, HCV and other STDs
and drug abuse are also of interest. Drugs studied in NIDA-supported
projects include psychomotor stimulants (cocaine, methamphetamine),
opiates/opioids, hallucinogens, designer drugs, marijuana/cannabinoids,
nicotine and other tobacco components, inhalants, abused prescription
drugs, and over-the-counter products. Research involves basic and
clinical neurobiology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry,
pharmacology, genetics, immunology, epidemiology, medication
development, behavioral treatment, and behavioral sciences, as well as
disciplines in clinical research, social and community research, health
services, and prevention interventions. NIDA also supports science
education research projects.

**National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS or ES)
<http://www.niehs.nih.gov/>**

Human health and human disease result from three interactive elements:
environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, and age. The mission of
the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is to
reduce the burden of human illness and dysfunction from environmental
causes by further understanding each of these elements and how they
interrelate. Environmental health comprises those aspects of human
health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical,
chemical, biological, social and psychosocial factors in the
environment. Elements within the latter categories include socioeconomic
status, education, and cultural variables, which can be considered as
both individual and community-level influences.

The Institute supports research and training focused on identification,
assessment, and mechanism of action of potentially harmful agents in the
environment. Research results form the basis for preventative programs
for environmentally-related diseases and for action by regulatory
agencies. The NIEHS, thus, has responsibility for providing knowledge to
assist in societal decisions related to the impact of physical and
social exposures on human health. This responsibility mandates efforts
toward a thorough understanding of the early manifestations and
mechanisms of human disease due to exposure to hazardous environmental
conditions, development of more accurate and rapid methods to predict
and assess toxicity, enhancement of prevention and intervention
strategies, and translation of research findings into information that
can be used to improve public health.

**National Eye Institute (NEI or EY) <http://www.nei.nih.gov/>**

The mission of the NEI is to gain new knowledge concerning the eye and
visual system in health and disease. The NEI supports research and
research training aimed at developing a more complete understanding of
normal tissue and normal visual processes so that a more complete
understanding may be gained of the abnormal processes that lead to
diseases of the eye and disorders of vision. The major objectives of
NEI-supported research are to discover the most appropriate and
effective means to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate visual disorders,
and to determine the best means to disseminate timely research findings
and information that will promote visual health. Both basic and clinical
research are funded under the following major NEI programs: Retinal
Diseases; Corneal Diseases; Lens and Cataract; Glaucoma; Strabismus,
Amblyopia, and Visual Processing; and Low Vision and its Rehabilitation.
Within each program, research ranges from attempts to elucidate the
fundamental biological processes that underlie disease to the
development and clinical testing of new diagnostic and therapeutic
techniques.

**National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS or GM)
<http://www.nigms.nih.gov/>**

The mission of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences is to
support basic, biomedical research that contributes to fundamental
cellular and physiological principles. General areas of interest include
cell biology, biophysics, structural genomics, proteomics,
bioinformatics, genetic mechanisms, developmental biology, chemistry,
biochemistry, physiology, trauma and burn, anesthesiology, and
pharmacology. The molecular, genetic, functional, and structural
understanding of biological molecules, their interactions and their
organization, as well as the discovery of approaches to their control
will contribute to understanding mechanisms for a variety of diseases.
NIGMS also supports research in the fields of mathematics, physics,
computer science, and engineering that are applicable to its mission.

**National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI or HL)
<http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/index.htm>**

The NHLBI supports basic and clinical research pertaining to the
structure, function, and diseases of the cardiovascular system, lungs,
blood and blood vessels, and sleep disorders. The Institute\'s also
supports research in stem cell biology and transplantation, transfusion
medicine, and blood resources.

The NHLBI carries out its mission through a number of research programs
that provide support for projects ranging from studies at the molecular
level to whole body studies in man and animals. Examples of research
areas supported by the Institute include atherosclerosis, hypertension,
cerebrovascular disease (directed at the dependent variable of blood,
heart, or blood vessel), coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular
diseases, arrhythmias, heart failure, and shock, congenital and
rheumatic heart diseases, cardiomyopathies and infections of the heart,
circulatory assistance, lung cell and molecular biology, chronic
obstructive lung diseases, pediatric pulmonary diseases, cystic
fibrosis, sleep-disordered breathing, asthma, fibrotic and immunologic
lung diseases, acute respiratory failure, pulmonary vascular diseases,
HIV-associated lung disorders and bone marrow suppression, bleeding and
clotting disorders, disorders of the red blood cell such as sickle cell
disease and Cooley\'s anemia, bone marrow failure syndromes, and blood
resources.

**National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI or HG)
<http://www.genome.gov/>**

The NCHGR is currently engaged in a research program designed to
characterize the human genome and the genomes of selected model
organisms. This research program has the following interrelated goals:
the construction of high resolution genetic linkage maps; the
development of a variety of physical maps; the determination of the
complete nucleotide sequence of the DNA of selected organisms; the
development of the capability for collecting, storing, distributing, and
analyzing the data produced; and the development of appropriate new
technologies to achieve these goals. This project will develop a series
of resources that will be available to the research community to
facilitate both basic research and the application of the knowledge
gained to the prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of disease.

**National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH or MH)
<http://www.nimh.nih.gov/>**

The goal of the NIMH is to reduce the burden of mental and behavioral
disorders through research on mind, brain, and behavior. We aim to
generate research that will transform prevention of and recovery from
mental disorders. To this end, the NIMH supports and conducts research
into the fundamental processes of brain and behavior, translational
studies linking basic neuroscience discoveries to mental disorders,
intervention studies, and investigations to improve the delivery of
mental health services in diverse settings. The NIMH is also committed
to supporting research to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and reduce the
burden of illness in infected individuals through behavioral
interventions, and to understand, prevent, and treat the consequences of
HIV disease of the CNS.

**National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS or NS)
<http://www.ninds.nih.gov/>**

The NINDS supports basic, translational and clinical research on healthy
and diseased brains, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Examples of
specific research areas supported by NINDS include: development,
neurotrophic factors, cognition, epilepsy, stroke, cerebrovascular
disorders, neuropathic pain, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury,
Parkinson\'s disease, Alzheimer\'s disease, Huntington\'s disease,
multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular
disorders, brain tumors, autism, and genetic disorders of the nervous
system.

**National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR or NR)
<http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr/>**

The mission of the National Institute of Nursing Research is to support
clinical and basic research to establish a scientific basis for the care
of individuals across the life span-from management of patients during
illness and recovery to the reduction of risks for disease and
disability, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, the improvement of
quality of life in those with chronic illness, and care for individuals
at the end of life. This research may also include families within a
community context. According to its broad mandate, the Institute seeks
to understand and ease the symptoms of acute and chronic illness, to
prevent or delay the onset of disease or disability or slow its
progression, to find effective approaches to achieving and sustaining
good health, and to improve the clinical settings in which care is
provided. Nursing research involves clinical care in a variety of
settings including the community and home in addition to more
traditional health care sites. The NINR\'s research extends to problems
encountered by patients, families, and caregivers. It also focuses on
the special needs of at-risk and under-served populations, with an
emphasis on health disparities. In order to meet the mission of the
NINR, AREA applicants are invited to submit applications related to 8
broad areas of research interest including: chronic illness experiences,
cultural and ethnic considerations in health and illness, end of
life/palliative care, health promotion and disease prevention,
implications of genetic advances, quality of life and quality of care,
symptom management of illness and treatment, and telehealth
interventions and monitoring.

**National Library of Medicine (NLM or LM) <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/>\
**\
NLM supports basic and applied research in biomedical informatics and
bioinformatics.  NLM's research funding centers on understanding data,
information and knowledge -- their nature, forms and uses -- in the
domains of health care and basic biological sciences. Topics of interest
include, but are not limited to: information processing and knowledge
representation, including natural language processing, decision support,
intelligent systems and human-computer interaction; retrieval and
integration of data from very large or heterogeneous data sets; linkages
between clinical and genomic information to benefit health care;
efficient management and use of health-related and scientific
information; biomedical applications of high performance computing and
communication.

**National Center for Research Resources (NCRR or RR)
<http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/>**

The NCRR administers programs that develop and ensure the availability
of resources essential to the efficient and effective conduct of human
health-related research. NCRR programs are primarily institutional in
nature but, while support is generally in the form of resource grants,
the NCRR makes awards for support of projects which contribute to
improvement of the capability of resources to serve biomedical research.
The following are research areas appropriate to the NCRR interests: (1)
Research and Development in Instrumentation and Specialized Technologies
for Biomedical Research. This encompasses instruments, devices, and
processes to facilitate research in blomolecular and cellular structure
and function. (Instrumentation includes mass spectrometry, nuclear
magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance, equipment for fast kinetic
research, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry.)
The application of computer science, computer engineering, and
biomedical engineering to biomedical research problems is also of
interest. (This includes knowledge engineering, information technology,
computer graphics, image processing, computer modeling and simulation,
task dedicated computer systems, and development of implantable
microsensors and transducers.); (2) Research in Laboratory Animal
Sciences. (This includes the etiology, pathogenesis, and control of
laboratory animal diseases, as well as the environmental requirements of
laboratory animals.); and (3) Development of Biomedical Research Methods
Employing Lower Organisms, Tissues/Cells in Culture, or Mathematical and
Computer Simulations.