RFA-AG-26-014: Aging Mammalian Tissues In Vitro (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of National Institutes of Health notices from 2025.
National Institutes of Health offered grants to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on December 9, 2025.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed December 8, 2025. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR21
- Clinical trialsNot allowed
- Funded byNIA
- Median yearly award$458,742
- Typical project length2 years
- R21, Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant. Early, exploratory ideas that may not have preliminary data yet, usually for up to two years. Other open R21 notices.
Projects funded under RFA-AG-26-014 were run by National Institute on Aging (NIA, 10 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-AG-26-014 in the NIH Guide.
Key dates
| Posted | August 26, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | December 9, 2025 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | February 7, 2026 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 15 applicant types the notice lists
- 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 (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Regional Organizations; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (73% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) invites applications that propose interdisciplinary research that aims to develop complex mammalian 3-dimensional (3D)in vitromicrophysiological systems (MPS) to model aging and recapitulate aging processes/phenotypes observed in the whole organismin vivo. This NOFO is primarily focused on human cell-derived MPS (e.g., tissue chip, organ-on-chip, tissue organoids). However, systems developed using cells of nonhuman mammalian origin are acceptable for benchmarking, system validation, or when their relevance to understanding human aging biology is justified. Supported projects will be expected to advance the adoption of MPS in aging biology research and as new human-relevant tools for drug discovery. This NOFO uses the R21 activity code, which is intended for exploratory research at the early and conceptual stages of project development. Preliminary data are not required. An essential feature of responsive applications is the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach that includes expertise in aging biology and from disciplines such as stem cell biology, tissue and organ physiology, microfluidics, bioengineering, computational biology, pharmacology, and biostatistics.
Funded under RFA-AG-26-014 so far
NIH funded 10 projects under RFA-AG-26-014 in fiscal 2026, at 10 institutions. The median yearly award was $458,742.
Who has won Aging Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Aging Research (93.866) awarded $19 billion across 11,026 grant awards, an average of $1.7 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 337 | $575 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 242 | $574 million |
| University of Southern California | California | 203 | $572 million |
| The Washington University | Missouri | 210 | $556 million |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Michigan | 232 | $538 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is RFA-AG-26-014 still open?
No. It closed on December 9, 2025.
Who can apply for Aging Mammalian Tissues In Vitro (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)?
National Institutes of Health accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Aging Mammalian Tissues In Vitro (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)?
Closed December 9, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
Who has been funded under RFA-AG-26-014?
NIH RePORTER lists 10 projects funded under RFA-AG-26-014 in fiscal 2026, at 10 institutions. The most were at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh, The Pennsylvania State University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Who has won Aging Research grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Southern California. The program made 11,026 awards worth $19 billion in that time.
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