The Biological Mechanisms of Metformin Effects on Aging and Longevity (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 20 044

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 20 044

The grant opportunity titled "The Biological Mechanisms of Metformin Effects on Aging and Longevity (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AG-20-044) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary research funding announcement focused on understanding how metformin influences the biology of aging and lifespan. It supports R01 research projects in the health area (CFDA 93.866) that aim to produce detailed, mechanism-level insights into why metformin may be beneficial in some aging contexts and potentially detrimental in others. The core intent is not simply to document whether metformin affects aging outcomes, but to explain how it does so at the molecular and cellular level, with the expectation that the resulting knowledge will clarify metformin's role in aging and aging-related diseases and help guide future therapeutic strategies.

Scientifically, the FOA is centered on novel studies that probe the molecular mechanisms that determine metformin's effects on aging and longevity. In practical terms, this means applications should be built around rigorous mechanistic hypotheses and experiments that reveal pathways, targets, or biological processes through which metformin modulates aging biology. The announcement explicitly frames the goal as an in-depth understanding of mechanisms, including identifying conditions under which metformin produces positive effects and conditions under which it may have neutral or harmful effects. Projects are expected to generate new insights that deepen the field's understanding of how metformin interacts with fundamental aging processes and contributes to risk, progression, or resilience in age-associated diseases.

The mechanism of support is an R01 grant, and clinical trials are not allowed under this specific FOA, meaning the proposed work should not be designed as a clinical intervention study that prospectively assigns human participants to metformin or control conditions to measure health outcomes. Instead, the emphasis is on basic, translational, or preclinical mechanistic research, which can include laboratory studies and other approaches that are aimed at uncovering biological mechanisms rather than testing clinical efficacy in a trial framework. Applicants would typically be expected to design projects that can credibly dissect mechanism, for example through molecular biology, genetics, physiology, pharmacology, systems biology, or other integrative approaches that illuminate how metformin affects aging-related pathways.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by NIH, with an original closing date of January 21, 2020, and a creation date of August 7, 2019. The listed award ceiling is $250,000, and the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided source data. Because it is an NIH R01 FOA, proposed budgets, scope, and timelines would generally be expected to align with the depth of mechanistic work being proposed, and applicants would need to present clear aims, strong methodological rigor, and a compelling case that the work will meaningfully advance knowledge about metformin's relationship to aging biology.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of public and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional categories captured under "others." The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; tribal governments that are not federally recognized; and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, meaning foreign organizations may apply as well.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted NIH mechanism-focused call to move beyond observational claims about metformin and aging, and toward precise explanations of what metformin is doing in aging systems, why effects differ by context, and how those effects connect to aging-related disease biology. The expected payoff is a stronger scientific foundation for interpreting metformin's potential role in promoting healthy aging, understanding risks or limitations, and guiding the design of future interventions that are grounded in clear biology rather than broad associations.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Biological Mechanisms of Metformin Effects on Aging and Longevity (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-08-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-21. (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 $250,000.00 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.

Apply for RFA AG 20 044

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: