Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 23 032
The Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRC) funding opportunity (RFA-NS-23-032) is an NIH center grant solicitation that supports the creation or continuation of cooperative research centers focused on muscular dystrophy. The program uses the P50 Specialized Center mechanism and is listed as "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicant centers may propose clinical trials if they are appropriate to the scientific aims, but a clinical trial is not required. The overall intent is to build highly collaborative hubs that bring together basic science, translational work, and clinical research under one coordinated center structure, while also serving the broader muscular dystrophy research field through shared resources and expertise.
A key emphasis of the opportunity is teamwork and integration across disciplines. These centers are expected to function as cooperative research environments rather than collections of unrelated projects. In practice, that means applicants generally need to demonstrate how different research components will interact, share data or platforms, and accelerate progress from mechanistic discoveries to interventions that can be evaluated in patients. Alongside research, the initiative explicitly values the development of resources that can benefit the national community, such as shared cores, technologies, datasets, repositories, or other infrastructure that outside investigators can use to advance muscular dystrophy research beyond the center itself.
The opportunity also highlights workforce development and training as a major programmatic goal. MDSRCs are expected to provide strong environments for training and mentoring scientists who are entering or transitioning into muscular dystrophy research, particularly in high-priority areas. This focus goes beyond routine lab training and points toward structured opportunities that help new investigators gain experience in interdisciplinary research, translational pathways, and clinically relevant questions, helping to sustain and grow the field over time.
Community outreach is another named expectation. Center investigators are expected to engage with patient communities and advocacy organizations to increase awareness of muscular dystrophy research and to communicate the importance, goals, and implications of the work being done. This generally implies two-way engagement: conveying progress and relevance in accessible terms while also staying informed about patient priorities, practical challenges, and ethical considerations that can shape research directions and study designs.
In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The opportunity also calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Foreign participation is restricted in a specific way. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, which typically means a U.S. applicant can include certain well-justified international collaborations or activities within the project, subject to NIH rules and approvals.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under NIH, with activity aligned to health and related social service research areas. It references CFDA numbers 93.846, 93.853, and 93.865. The original closing date listed is November 28, 2023, and the posted award ceiling is $1,000,000. The listing also shows an "Expected Awards" field without a specified number, so the notice itself does not clearly state how many awards NIH intended to make under this announcement. The opportunity was created on September 26, 2023, indicating the timeframe in which NIH released the solicitation.
Taken together, this funding opportunity is aimed at supporting well-organized, multidisciplinary muscular dystrophy centers that can demonstrate: a coherent and cooperative research strategy spanning basic through clinical work; tangible shared resources for the wider research community; a strong pipeline for training and mentoring new investigators; and meaningful outreach and communication with patients and advocacy stakeholders, all within NIH center grant expectations for leadership, coordination, and scientific impact.Apply for RFA NS 23 032
- The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Centers (MDSRC) (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.846, 93.853, 93.865.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-09-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-28. (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 $1,000,000.00 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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