Biomedical, Clinical & Life Sciences

Submissions will require an institutional letter of support. Because of this support requirement, this is an Institutionally Coordinated Submission. For questions, please contact sponsored projects at sponsor@arizona.edu. 

Program Overview
Each year, the Flinn Foundation funds about 10 research teams affiliated with an Arizona university, research institution, or health-care system that are advancing new products or services addressing significant clinical needs.

The Flinn Foundation Translational Seed Grants Program awardees each receive a $100,000 grant over 18 months, plus programmatic benefits. At the end of the grant period, the most successful projects may receive up to an additional $100,000 over the following year.

Each supported team will use the 18-month grant period to de-risk its product/process, refine its design, and/or acquire key validation data and stakeholder feedback—and secure, or have a well-defined plan to secure new sources of funding to advance toward positive patient impact.

The application for the 11th cohort of grantees is open Sept. 3, 2025 through Oct. 31, 2025. Learn more about requirements, eligibility, and benefits on our RFP page.

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 4* // Tickets Available: 4

Limiting Language
Research Grant - Limit 1 // Tickets Available: 1 
Scholar (CDA) Grant - Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1
International Scholar Grant - Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1
One additional LOI is allowed only if it focuses on one of the areas listed below: 

• Brain tumors – all types, including rare forms, especially atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)/diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and glioblastoma (GBM)
• Burkitt lymphoma – all types, especially sporadic
• Rhabdoid tumors - Extrarenal 

Program Descriptions: 

St. Baldrick's Scholars

• The three (3) year Scholar (Career Development) Award, with an option for two (2) additional years based on progress, is meant to help develop the independent research of highly qualified individuals still early in their careers. Recipients are called St. Baldrick's Scholars. Up to $110,000/year, three-year minimum.
• Scholar (Career Development) Award LOI instructions
• Scholar (Career Development) Award Guidelines

St. Baldrick's International Scholars

• This three (3) year award, with an option for two (2) additional years based on progress, is to train researchers from low-and middle-income countries (as classified by the World Bank) to prepare them to fill specific stated needs in an area of childhood cancer research upon returning to their country of origin. Recipients are called St. Baldrick's International Scholars. Up to $110,000/year, three-year minimum.
• International Scholar LOI instructions
• International Scholar Award Guidelines

Research Grant

• These grants are for specific research projects which are hypothesis driven and may be either laboratory, clinical, or epidemiological in nature. Grant will be $100,000/year for two years.
• Research Grant LOI instructions
• Research Grant Guidelines

Request Ticket // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 1

B. Kim (Materials Science and Engineering)

Limiting Language
Only two nominations are allowed per institution.

Program Description
Eligibility for the Powe Awards is open to full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their tenure track appointment at the time of application. If there is a question about eligibility, your ORAU Councilor makes the final determination. Only two nominations are allowed per institution.

Research must fall within one of the following five disciplines: 

• Engineering and Applied Science
• Life Sciences
• Mathematics/Computer Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Policy, Management, or Education

Request Ticket // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

Limiting Language
An institution may submit only one Center (and related Projects) application in response to this RFP.

Purpose
The intent of this initiative is to support a collaborative network of researchers whose collective efforts will lead to enhanced understanding of the earlier detection and/or delaying progression of valvular heart disease. Therefore, this Request for Proposals seeks applications that can address these critical questions and stimulate significant advances in these areas of valvular heart disease. All proposed projects must address valvular heart disease. Within that context and as presented above, an array of potential areas of investigation exists. Both human studies and appropriately designed animal models that can foster understanding of valvular heart disease may be proposed. 

STUDY POPULATION(S)

• For studies involving human subjects, researchers must ensure that participant populations accurately reflect those affected by the disease under investigation. Efforts should be made to include individuals whose health criteria align with the prevalence and impact of the disease, thereby enhancing the relevance and applicability of the study findings.
  
   
• Important: Applicants should design studies that incorporate both realistic recruitment goals and sufficient statistical power to ensure valid results.

Request Ticket // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

Limiting Language
Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

Purpose
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Centers (OAICs) award. The goal of the OAIC program is to establish centers of excellence in geriatrics research and research education to increase scientific knowledge leading to better ways to maintain or restore independence in older persons. OAIC awards are designed to develop or strengthen programs that focus on, and sustain progress in, a key area of aging research related to the mission of the OAIC program.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0 

J. Roveda (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Limiting Language: 
Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

Purpose
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites Center Core (P30) applications for the National Institute on Aging's (NIA) Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories (AITC) program. The AITC program promotes the development and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) approaches and technology through research projects for aging and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) research. All applications should propose strategies for addressing challenges surrounding AI and technology development and implementation, and to employ, when possible, best practices established in the fields of aging and AD/ADRD.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0

K. Lutrick (Family and Community Medicine) 

Limiting Language
Only one person per organization may apply.

Program Description
The Innovation Awards in Community Health supports original and expanded programs that enhance care, improve prevention, expand treatment, and deliver education to underserved populations most vulnerable to infectious diseases. This proposed program will strengthen infectious disease prevention and response through community outreach, patient and staff education, expanded access, and trusted partnerships.

Aligned with the Innovation Awards’ goals, the program will:
• Expand access to vaccine-preventable disease, STI, and outbreak response services through
innovative outreach and delivery models.
• Provide education and awareness campaigns that build trust and improve staff and patient
understanding of prevention and treatment.
• Strengthen the capacity of safety-net providers to deliver high-quality infectious disease services.
• Share outcomes and strategies broadly, helping other clinics and community health organizations
replicate successful approaches.
By combining innovation with trusted, community-based delivery, this program will reduce disparities,
improve resilience, and protect the health of populations most at risk.

Request Ticket // Limit: 1 LOI Per Department

Z. Chen (College of Public Health)

Limiting Language
Organizations may submit only one Letter of Inquiry per deadline. Common exceptions include LOIs submitted by separate departments of large universities.

Overview
RRF funds research that seeks to identify interventions, policies and practices to improve the well-being of older adults and/or their caregivers. Preference is given to projects aimed at generating practical knowledge and guidance that can be used by advocates, policy-makers, providers, and the aging network. Of particular interest are:

• Interventional trials; translational studies; and health services and policy research
• Projects that build on the investigator’s past studies
• Proposals that include robust dissemination plans, if appropriate, to assure that findings reach audiences positioned to act on them

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0 

S. Radovick (Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, COM-T)

Limiting Language
All Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-21-293, PAR-24-272) applicant organizations and active award recipients for are eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Applicant organizations may NOT submit more than one application.

Purpose and Background
The NRSA program has been the primary means of supporting predoctoral and postdoctoral research training programs since enactment of the NRSA legislation in 1974. Research training activities can be in basic biomedical or clinical sciences, in behavioral or social sciences, in health services research, or in any other discipline relevant to the NIH mission.

Institutional NRSA programs allow the Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (Training PD/PI) to select the trainees and develop a program of coursework, research experiences, and technical and/or professional skills development appropriate for the selected trainees. Each program should provide high-quality research training and offer opportunities in addition to conducting mentored research. Trainees should develop the ability to work effectively in teams with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds, and to promote safe and supportive scientific research environments. The grant offsets the cost of stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance, for the appointed trainees in accordance with agency-approved support levels

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 0 

S. Radovick (Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, COM-T)

Limiting Language
All Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-21-293, PAR-24-272) applicant organizations and active award recipients for are eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Applicant organizations may NOT submit more than one application.

Purpose
The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Predoctoral Institutional Research Training Grants for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (T32) to eligible institutions to create, provide, and disseminate clinical and translational science training and career support programs for individuals seeking a PhD or an equivalent research health professional degree and help ensure a pool of clinical and translational scientist trainees who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications aimed at improving health and support meaningful translational science research projects that address demonstrable needs among stakeholder communities.

NCATS will not accept applications proposing combined predoctoral and postdoctoral training under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applications proposing postdoctoral research training should apply to the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Postdoctoral Institutional Research Training Grant for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (PAR-25-195).

Applicants interested in providing short-term research experiences should apply to the companion NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program Research Education Grants Programs (R25) (PAR-25-197). A short-term research experience is one where the participant is full-time (40 hours per week) for a period of 10 to 15 weeks, or as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies.

The proposed institutional research training program may complement other ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution, but must be clearly distinct from related programs currently receiving Federal support.

This NOFO does not allow appointed Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial on which the PI is a mentor or co-mentor. NIH strongly supports training towards a career in clinically relevant research and so gaining experience in clinical trials under the guidance of a mentor or co-mentor is encouraged.

This limited competition NOFO is part of a required set of companion applications: the Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1) and companion Institutional Career Development Award (K12). The remaining NOFOs in the suite are optional and include the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) institutional training programs (T32 predoctoral and T32 postdoctoral), the Research Education Grant (R25), and the Specialized Innovation Program (RC2). These optional NOFOs are only available to CTSA Program UM1 applicants and award recipients. Applications to the companion NOFOs cannot be awarded until an award has been issued for the UM1. (See Section III. Eligibility Information of this NOFO and the respective NOFOs for more information).