The NIA Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS)

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), a component of the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a forecasted funding opportunity titled the NIA Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS). This initiative reflects NIA’s broader mission to support and advance research on aging and age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (ADRD). The opportunity is designed to strengthen national research infrastructure by enhancing access to large-scale genetic and genomic datasets and enabling more efficient scientific collaboration across institutions and disciplines. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the development, operation, and long-term sustainability of a cloud-based data storage and computing platform. This platform will serve as the backbone for NIAGADS, which is the NIA-supported repository responsible for archiving and distributing human genetic data related to AD and ADRD. The platform is expected to democratize access to these datasets by providing secure, scalable, and interoperable systems that facilitate data ingestion, curation, harmonization, and analysis. It is also expected to support advanced computational tools, including artificial intelligence-ready environments, and enable researchers to work within secure cloud-based workspaces. Funding under this opportunity will support a wide range of activities associated with building and maintaining this infrastructure. These include the integration of multi-ancestry and population-scale datasets, development of visualization and analytical tools, and ensuring compliance with federal data security and sharing policies. The platform must also promote interoperability with other NIH and NIA-supported repositories, allowing for seamless data exchange and collaboration. Additionally, awardees will be responsible for providing user support services, training resources, and community engagement initiatives to maximize the platform’s accessibility and usability across the research community. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and inclusive, reflecting the collaborative nature of large-scale biomedical data initiatives. Eligible applicants include a wide array of organizations such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, small and large for-profit entities, state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, independent school districts, and public housing authorities. Additional eligible entities include federal agencies, U.S. territories, regional organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, and non-U.S. institutions. This wide eligibility scope is intended to encourage diverse participation and foster multidisciplinary collaboration. The application process will be formally announced in a future Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and applications are not currently being accepted. This forecast is intended to provide advance notice to potential applicants, allowing time to build partnerships and prepare competitive proposals. The anticipated application submission deadline is November 1, 2026, with an expected award date and project start date of July 31, 2027. While specific application components are not yet detailed, applicants can expect requirements typical of NIH cooperative agreements, including technical proposals, data management plans, and collaboration frameworks. The opportunity will utilize the U24 cooperative agreement mechanism, indicating substantial involvement from NIH program staff during the project period. Evaluation criteria are expected to focus on the technical robustness of the proposed platform, its scalability and security, the ability to support diverse datasets and analytical tools, and the applicant’s capacity to manage complex, multi-institutional collaborations. The initiative aligns with NIH priorities such as the Gold Standard Science framework and AD/ADRD Research Implementation Milestones, emphasizing transparency, reproducibility, and data sharing. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a strategic investment in national research infrastructure for Alzheimer’s disease. By improving data accessibility, interoperability, and computational capacity, the NIAGADS platform aims to accelerate scientific discovery and maximize the impact of federally funded research. The forecasted nature of this announcement underscores its importance and provides prospective applicants with a valuable opportunity to prepare for a highly competitive and impactful funding program.