Renewal of the Clinician-Scientists Transdisciplinary Aging Research (Clin-STAR) Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The Renewal of the Clinician Scientists Transdisciplinary Aging Research Coordinating Center is a federal funding opportunity issued by the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically led by the National Institute on Aging with participation from the Office of AIDS Research. This initiative continues a previously funded program designed to strengthen the national infrastructure supporting clinician scientists who focus on aging research. The coordinating center functions as a national resource that connects clinician investigators across disciplines, with the overarching goal of improving patient centered care for older adults through interdisciplinary collaboration and research advancement. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the next five year award cycle of the coordinating center. The program aims to expand scientific knowledge in aging, foster collaboration among clinician scientists across specialties, and provide structured mentoring and career development opportunities for early career investigators. It emphasizes transdisciplinary approaches that integrate multiple clinical perspectives, including fields beyond traditional geriatrics such as nursing, rehabilitation, and allied health professions. The initiative also seeks to improve access to aging research resources for investigators at institutions that may lack established mentorship or infrastructure. Funding supports a wide range of activities necessary to operate a national coordinating center. These include pilot funding programs for early career researchers, development and maintenance of investigator databases, organization of annual scientific meetings, and delivery of virtual mentoring sessions and webinars. Additional supported activities include networking platforms, faculty exchange programs, and dissemination of research findings through publications. The funding explicitly prohibits clinical trials but allows human subjects research that does not meet the definition of a clinical trial. Awardees must structure programs that ensure broad geographic representation and inclusion of diverse clinical disciplines. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for profit entities, and government agencies at various levels, provided they are based in the United States. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, although limited foreign collaboration without subawards may be permitted. Applicants must complete required federal registrations such as SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons prior to submission. Individuals serving as principal investigators must also maintain ORCID registration and demonstrate the expertise necessary to lead complex research coordination efforts. Applications must be submitted electronically through approved federal systems such as Grants.gov or NIH ASSIST. Applicants are required to follow detailed instructions outlined in the NIH application guide, including preparation of research strategy documents, organizational plans, evaluation frameworks, and data management and sharing plans. The submission deadline for the current cycle is September 29, 2026, with applications opening on August 29, 2026. Late submissions are not accepted. The review process includes scientific peer review followed by advisory council evaluation, with funding decisions based on merit, program relevance, and available funds. The evaluation criteria for applications are comprehensive and include significance, investigator qualifications, innovation, approach, and environment. Reviewers assess the likelihood that the coordinating center will have a sustained impact on aging research infrastructure and clinician scientist development. Additional considerations include human subjects protections, resource sharing plans, and organizational capacity. Only the most competitive applications will advance through the review process and be considered for funding. The program anticipates making a single award with a total funding level of up to one million five hundred thousand dollars for the first year, with a maximum project period of five years. The earliest expected start date for funded projects is July 2027. Applicants are encouraged to submit early to allow time for corrections and to ensure compliance with all requirements. Contact for scientific inquiries is available via official NIH email channels, and applicants are advised to include the funding opportunity number in correspondence. This funding opportunity represents a significant investment in strengthening the national ecosystem of clinician scientists dedicated to aging research.

Align proposal with NIH review criteria emphasizing significance investigator strength and interdisciplinary coordination capabilities