NIAID issued Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Development of Organotypic Culture Models for Transplantation Immunology Research to invite applications to develop and validate tissue-, stem-, or progenitor-cell-derived “3D” organotypic culture models (OCM) for transplantation immunology research.

There are several advantages of OCM compared to traditional 2D cell cultures, including improved modeling of tissue architecture, cell-cell interactions, and other microenvironmental aspects of tissues and organ systems. Recent developments in OCM have extended the potential use of these models to investigate complex immunological systems in vitro. 

Research Objectives

This NOSI aims to leverage recent OCM advances to further develop these tools for transplantation immunology research. Additionally, this NOSI will support applications that focus on development of allogenic or xenogenic OCM to study immunologic features of transplant-related diseases or conditions, including:

• Cellular rejection, antibody-mediated rejection, or mixed cellular and antibody-mediated rejection.
• Sensitization, i.e., immunogenicity of pre-existing allo-reactive or xeno-reactive antibodies.
• Tolerance or accommodation, i.e., resistance of an organ to immune-mediated damage.
• Zoonotic infection in the context of immunosuppression and exposure to a xenograft.
• Graft-versus-host disease.
• Transplant related ischemia reperfusion injury.

This initiative will support validation studies that compare data obtained from the OCM to clinical or experimental in vivo data (new or preexisting) and establish analogous OCM endpoints (i.e., for graft injury, dysfunction, rejection, tolerance). We encourage you to use cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary collaborations that apply progress made in other fields to OCM. Applications in transplantation immunology are encouraged.

Applications proposing any of the following research will not be supported under this NOSI:

• 2D in vitro culture systems.
• Transplant organoids in vivo as a replacement or regenerative therapy. 

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after February 5, 2024, and subsequent receipt dates through November 16, 2026. 

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) or any subsequent reissues. Note that budget and project period requirements will vary depending on the NOFO that you choose. 

• NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 
• NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Follow all instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide and the NOFO through which you apply. Remember, you must include “NOT-AI-23-064” in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF 424 R&R form to be considered for funding under this initiative. 

Contact Information

Direct any inquiries to Dr. Shilpa Kulkarni, NIAID’s scientific/research contact at shilpa.kulkarni@nih.gov or 240-747-7365.