Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PAR 21 145

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 145

Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity (PAR-21-145) that supports R01 research grants focused on how social relationships shape health across time. The central aim is to encourage projects that can explain, model, and predict the mechanisms and pathways through which social connectedness and social isolation influence outcomes such as physical and mental health, overall wellbeing, illness risk and progression, and recovery processes. The announcement emphasizes work that goes beyond simple associations by clarifying underlying processes, identifying trajectories (how effects unfold and change), and mapping multilevel influences that connect social experiences to biological and behavioral outcomes.

A key feature of this opportunity is its biopsychosocial framing. That means applicants are expected to consider social factors (relationships, networks, support, loneliness, isolation, social roles, community connection), psychological factors (stress, emotion regulation, cognition, coping, motivation, perceived support), and biological factors (neuroendocrine, immune, cardiovascular, genetic/epigenetic, neural or other physiological mechanisms) and show how these levels interact. Competitive projects would typically be designed to illuminate causal pathways or mechanistic explanations, such as how isolation-related stress responses might affect inflammation, sleep, or health behaviors, and how those changes might then alter disease vulnerability, symptom burden, or recovery. The FOA also highlights interest in the dynamics of social relationships, suggesting NIH is looking for studies that capture change over time, heterogeneity in effects across people or contexts, and developmental or illness-stage trajectories rather than single snapshot measures.

The FOA welcomes both animal and human subjects research, signaling that NIH is open to a wide range of approaches, from preclinical models that can precisely test mechanisms to observational or mechanistic human studies that examine real-world social contexts. At the same time, it clearly states "Clinical Trials Not Allowed," meaning applicants should not propose NIH-defined clinical trials under this announcement. For researchers who want to run basic experimental studies involving human participants, the notice advises looking at a companion FOA designed specifically for basic experimental studies with humans, which is an important routing detail for proposal planning and compliance.

Eligibility is broad and inclusive, extending well beyond traditional university applicants. Eligible applicants include many types of U.S. governmental entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and a range of nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)). For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also eligible, as are public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities. The announcement explicitly calls out additional eligible groups 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), federally recognized Tribal governments, and Tribal organizations and Tribal governments that are not federally recognized. It also allows eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), which broadens the potential for international or cross-cultural work where appropriate.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under the NIH umbrella, using the R01 mechanism, and it sits across multiple NIH program areas as reflected by the listed CFDA numbers (93.121, 93.213, 93.242, 93.279, 93.307, 93.361, 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867). The posted source information notes an original closing date of March 17, 2021, and does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the excerpt provided, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full FOA and NIH institute/center budgets and paylines for the most realistic expectations about funding levels.

Overall, the opportunity is designed for investigators who can bring strong theory, rigorous measurement, and appropriate analytic methods to explain how social connection or disconnection "gets under the skin" and affects health and recovery. The best fit projects are likely to be those that integrate multiple levels of analysis, focus on mechanisms and trajectories, and produce findings that clarify why and for whom social relationships matter for health, without proposing a clinical trial under NIH definitions.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.213, 93.242, 93.279, 93.307, 93.361, 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-02-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-03-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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