NEI Translational Research Program (TRP) on Therapy for Visual Disorders (R24 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 707

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 707

The NEI Translational Research Program (TRP) on Therapy for Visual Disorders (R24 Clinical Trial Optional), Funding Opportunity Number PAR 18-707, is a National Institutes of Health grant program designed to move promising eye and vision research out of the lab and closer to real-world clinical use. The core aim is rapid, efficient translation: taking innovative basic or laboratory findings and turning them into therapies, devices, or enabling resources that clinicians can realistically use to treat diseases or disorders of the visual system. In practice, this means supporting projects that are past the earliest discovery stage and are ready for focused, milestone-driven translational work that reduces key scientific and technical risks before human testing or broader clinical adoption.

A central feature of the opportunity is its emphasis on multidisciplinary, team-based translational science. NEI is looking for collaborations that bring together complementary expertise, typically spanning laboratory scientists, clinician investigators, and other specialized contributors such as engineers, pharmacologists, gene therapy experts, device developers, biostatisticians, regulatory specialists, and manufacturing/quality personnel when appropriate. These teams are expected to generate the kinds of preclinical evidence that can credibly support the next step toward clinical development, such as demonstrating proof-of-concept efficacy in relevant models, characterizing mechanism of action, establishing dose and delivery parameters, improving or validating device performance, evaluating safety signals, and developing standardized assays or other tools needed to advance a candidate intervention.

The scope of supported translational activities is explicitly broad across therapeutic modalities, reflecting the realities of modern vision research. The FOA highlights biological interventions such as gene therapy and cell-based therapy, as well as pharmacological strategies and medical devices. Depending on the project, the work may involve optimizing vectors or delivery routes for ocular gene therapy, developing and qualifying cell sources and transplantation protocols for retinal or optic nerve repair, improving small-molecule or biologic candidates and their formulation for ocular delivery, or advancing diagnostic/therapeutic devices that address unmet clinical needs in ophthalmology and vision science. While the program is focused on translation, the end point is not simply publication; it is the creation of tangible therapeutic or technological outputs that clinicians and patients can ultimately benefit from.

The funding mechanism is an R24 (Resource-Related Research Projects), and the listing notes that clinical trials are optional. That generally signals that many awards will concentrate on the preclinical and enabling development steps that prepare a therapy or device for clinical testing, though applicants may be allowed to include a clinical trial component if it is well justified and fits the FOA requirements. The award ceiling shown in the source data is $1,500,000, indicating support at a scale meant to meaningfully advance development activities that are often too resource-intensive for smaller, exploratory grants. The program is categorized under Health (CFDA 93.867) and uses the NIH grant funding instrument.

Eligibility is intentionally wide and includes a large range of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also calls out additional categories of eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. This broad eligibility reflects NEI's interest in engaging diverse institutions and teams that can contribute to translational vision science.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions around foreign applications. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as components. However, "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant organization can include certain international elements in the project when they provide unique expertise, resources, populations, or capabilities that strengthen the work, provided all NIH policy requirements are met.

In terms of timing and status as provided in the source data, the opportunity was created on 2018-03-06, and an original closing date is shown as 2020-07-09. The listing also includes an "ExpectedAwards" field but does not provide a number in the excerpt, so the anticipated award count is not specified here. Overall, the program is structured to push high-potential therapeutic concepts for visual disorders through the translational pipeline by funding coordinated teams to produce the rigorous preclinical package and practical resources needed to make eventual clinical use realistic, safe, and effective.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NEI Translational Research Program (TRP) on Therapy for Visual Disorders (R24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-07-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
• 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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