Computational Modeling and Analysis of the Impact of Genomic Variation on Function (UM1, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for academic institutions, research centers, and nonprofit research organizations seeking funding for computational modeling and genomic analysis research. Applicants must propose projects focused on understanding how genomic variation affects biological function through computational approaches. Clinical trials are not permitted under this funding mechanism. The program supports research at the national level and is open to eligible public and private institutions with established research infrastructure. Applicants must typically have institutional support, including access to computing resources and bioinformatics expertise. The UM1 mechanism is intended for established research teams with prior experience in computational genomics or related fields.
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Key dates
- Jun 6, 2025 Applications open
- Nov 19, 2025 Application deadline
- Jul 1, 2026 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for research to develop, apply, and test predictive models and perform integrative analyses to determine the impact of genomic variation on genome function. Centers funded through this initiative will become a part of the Impact of Genomic Variation on Function (IGVF) Consortium. As consortium members, centers will work together to ensure all consortium resources are accessible to a wide variety of potential users. Centers are also will collaborate with other consortium components to guide and optimize IGVF experimental design, to provide analytical expertise and support for consortium-wide efforts, and to develop and execute shared analysis strategies to meet consortium goals.
This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. The NOFO is expected to be published in 2025 with an expected application due date in 2025. This NOFO will utilize the UM1 activity code.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NIH Form SF-424 (R&R)
- Project Narrative (specific aims and research strategy)
- Budget and Budget Justification (with detailed justification for computational resources and personnel)
- Biographical Sketches for senior/key personnel (using NIH format)
- Institutional Commitment letter(s) confirming access to computing infrastructure and data resources
- Letters of Support or Collaboration agreements from partner institutions (if applicable)
- Vertebrate Animals section (if applicable)
- Human Subjects section (if applicable, though clinical trials are excluded)
- Data Management and Sharing Plan
- Publications list and other support documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Daniel Gilchrist, Ph.D National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
- 📧 daniel.gilchrist@nih.gov
- 📞 301-412-2926
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.172 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$39,531,110
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$34,574,245
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$32,186,204
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$30,195,606
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$26,495,937
-
$26,020,371
-
$24,964,130
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$24,413,854
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$23,757,911
-
$22,977,417
Top States by Funding
- CA 19 awards $317.2M
- MA 16 awards $302.5M
- WA 9 awards $140.1M
- NY 6 awards $93.6M
- NC 5 awards $93.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.172). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $452,727,668 | |
| 2025 | $423,878,429 | |
| 2026 est. | $9,989,158 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this UM1 grant?
Eligible applicants include universities, medical schools, research institutes, and nonprofit research organizations with appropriate research infrastructure. Researchers must be employed by or affiliated with eligible institutions; individual researcher applications are not permitted.
Are clinical trials allowed under this mechanism?
No. This funding explicitly excludes clinical trial research. Applications proposing human subject clinical trials will be deemed ineligible.
What types of research activities are supported?
The grant supports computational modeling, bioinformatics analysis, software development, and genomic data analysis aimed at understanding functional impacts of genetic variation. This may include validation studies using existing datasets and cell/model organism work.
What is the UM1 mechanism and how competitive is it?
UM1 is a high-level research program project grant mechanism typically reserved for mature, well-established research programs. These are considered moderately to highly competitive due to limited funding and rigorous peer review standards.
What is the typical funding range and project duration?
UM1 grants typically support multi-year projects (usually 5 years) with substantial budgets. Specific funding levels should be confirmed in the current RFP, as they vary by institute and FOA.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate strong computational capacity and bioinformatics expertise within your team, including specific software tools and methodologies you will employ for genomic analysis.
- Build a diverse, multidisciplinary research team that includes statisticians, computational biologists, and domain experts in relevant biological systems.
- Clearly articulate the biological significance and public health relevance of understanding how your target genomic variants affect function.
- Provide a detailed project narrative with specific aims, clearly separated work packages, and realistic timelines that account for data acquisition, computational modeling, and validation.
- Include preliminary data or preliminary results demonstrating feasibility; reviewers expect UM1 applicants to have already established methods and proof-of-concept findings.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applicants often fail to clearly separate computational research aims from clinical applications, risking ineligibility if clinical outcomes are emphasized. Another frequent issue is underestimating the computational infrastructure and bioinformatics personnel needed; reviewers expect detailed resource justification and evidence of sustained institutional commitment. Finally, applications proposing purely descriptive genomic studies without clear functional implications tend to score poorly; the focus must be on understanding mechanism and function, not just cataloging variation.
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