Videos

Part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, the Pioneer Award supports scientists with outstanding records of creativity pursuing new research directions to develop pioneering approaches to major challenges in biomedical, social science, and behavioral research.

On April 4, the NIH Common Fund's Development and Application of Imaging Technologies for Oculomics (Oculomics) Venture Initiative hosted a Pre-Application Webinar for OTA-24-006: Development and Application of Ophthalmic Imaging Technologies to Advance Our Understanding of Systemic Diseases Research Opportunity Announcement.

The goal of this webinar was to provide an overview of the Oculomics initiative, and to outline the Research Opportunity Announcement (ROA), OTA-24-006. The opportunity is available at: https://go.nih.gov/OculomicsROA

During this session, attendees learned about the NIH Common Fund's Venture Program Oculomics Initiative, the Other Transactions funding mechanism, the ROA application process, and tips to creation of a successful application. Attendees had a chance to ask question to presenters during an open Q&A session. The informational webinar was open to the public. Attendance was not required in order to apply to the Research Opportunity Announcement.

For more information on the Oculomics Initiative, please visit: https://commonfund.nih.gov/venture/oculomics

To view frequently asked questions about the Research Opportunity Announcement: OTA-24-006, and to view the presentation slides, please visit: https://commonfund.nih.gov/venture/oculomics/faqs

For questions regarding the event and the Research Opportunity Announcement, please contact Tony Gover at [email protected].

The NIH Common Fund Venture Space recently published a new Research Opportunity Announcement (ROA), OTA-24-008, inviting applications from eligible organizations to establish the Common Fund Systems Biology Data Platform (SysBio) Leveraging the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP). Award(s) made through this announcement will provide technical and administrative coordination and support to enable interoperable use of the data sets and knowledge generated by the different AMP initiatives, potentially in combination with other complementary data sets. For more information about the NIH AMP Program, please visit: https://www.nih.gov/research-training/accelerating-medicines-partnership-amp

On March 18, the Common Fund hosted a Pre-Application Webinar for OTA-24-008: Systems Biology Data Platform Leveraging the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (OT2).
The goal of this webinar was to provide an overview of the SysBio initiative and ROA.

The SysBio ROA can be found on the Common Fund website: https://commonfund.nih.gov/venture/sysbio/fundingopportunities

Questions and answers from the webinar will be made available on the Common Fund SysBio FAQ page: https://commonfund.nih.gov/venture/sysbio/faqs

An audio described version of the webinar recording is available here: https://youtu.be/p9omKoizKNQ

If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]

The goal of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) is to help researchers uncover new insights into the biology of childhood cancer and structural birth defects, including the discovery of shared genetic pathways between these disorders. Kids First is achieving this goal through two initiatives: 1) identifying children with childhood cancer and structural birth defects and their families for whole genome sequencing; and 2) developing the Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Resource-- a large-scale database of clinical and genetic data from patients and families directly affected by with childhood cancers and structural birth defects. The Kids First program continues to make interoperable data and unique data analysis tools available to investigators for concurrent study, and to engage the research community using these resources in activities such as integration, curation, data harmonization and workflow development which further increase the value of Kids First data resources. The research supported by Kids First is poised to shift the scientific landscape for patients and patient families who are experiencing childhood cancer and structural birth defects.

For more information on the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research program, visit our website at:
https://commonfund.nih.gov/KidsFirst

The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program held a pre-application webinar for its 2024 X01, PAR-24-082. Participation in the pre-application webinar was encouraged, but not required.

Read more about the opportunity online: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-082.html

Slides will be made available on the Kids first website: https://www.commonfund.nih.gov/kidsfirst

For an audio described version of the video, visit: https://youtu.be/VoAsOvbHv0E

For more details about the NIH Common Fund’s Nutrition for Precision Health, powered by the All of Us Research Program, visit: https://commonfund.nih.gov/nutritionforprecisionhealth.

The goal of the NIH Common Fund’s Nutrition for Precision Health, powered by the All of Us Research Program (NHP), is to develop algorithms that predict individual responses to food and dietary patterns. The NPH program will build on recent advances in biomedical science including artificial intelligence (AI), microbiome research, as well as the infrastructure and large, diverse participant group of the All of Us Research Program. These advances provide unprecedented opportunities to generate new data to provide insight into precision nutrition.

The NPH program is currently enrolling participants into its study. To take part in this exciting opportunity, please visit: https://nutritionforprecisionhealth.org/

The NIH Common Fund's Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Network aims to transform our understanding of how somatic mosaicism in human cells influences biology and disease. We all have personal genomes that are composed of the DNA sequence we inherit and of changes to that DNA sequence that occur over time in individual cells. Somatic mosaicism refers to the post-conception changes to our DNA that lead to genetic variation among cells within an individual. We know that somatic mosaicism can lead to diseases like cancer, but we don't know how much somatic mosaicism there is in our tissues or how much it influences human biology. The goal of the SMaHT Network is to catalyze research on the impact of somatic mosaicism on human development and disease by discovering and cataloging the extent of somatic mosaicism in human tissues.

Find out more at our website: https://commonfund.nih.gov/smaht
And follow us on social media at: @NIH_CommonFund, #SMaHTnetwork

The NIH Common Fund is conducting strategic planning for a potential Complement-ARIE program to catalyze the development, standardization, validation, and use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) that will more accurately model human biology.  

As part of planning for this potential program, the NIH’s Office of Strategic Coordination (which oversees the Common Fund) has launched a prize competition to solicit entries for new methods and approaches that would complement, make more efficient, or in some cases, replace traditional models transforming the way biomedical science is conducted. Winning ideas could help to inform the goals of the Complement-ARIE program concept. 

On December 6, 2023, the Common Fund hosted a Q&A panel discussion webinar where solvers could learn more about the prize competition and submit questions to a panel of experts.

The challenge submission deadline is January 11, 2024.  

To view an audio described version of this video, please visit: https://youtu.be/1fX_hBOao4M

To learn more about the challenge, please visit: https://www.herox.com/Complement-ARIE

Information regarding ongoing Complement-ARIE concept planning activities can be found at: https://commonfund.nih.gov/complementarie/strategicplanning

The Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program seeks to accelerate development of therapeutic devices that modulate electrical activity in nerves to improve organ function. In this SPARC Plug Fireside Chat video series you will hear from SPARC-funded researchers and peers about their latest scientific discoveries, from the bench to the bedside. In our second video, listen to a conversation between Dr. Tim Bruns and Dr. Paul Yoo as they chat about how computational modeling has helped inform the development of new neuromodulation therapies for bladder dysfunction, the benefits of SPARC Portal open science resources, and the exciting potential of bioelectronic medicine to improve health. Learn more about SPARC-funded research projects at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmD


The SPARC program is a trans-NIH effort managed by the NIH Common Fund in the Office of the Director and supported by several NIH Institutes and Centers, including NIBIB, NINDS, NIDDK, and NCATS. Learn more about the NIH SPARC program at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmQ and access SPARC datasets, maps, and more at sparc.science. Keep up with the latest news by following our Twitter (@NIH_CommonFund and @sparc_science), Facebook (@NIHCommonFund), and YouTube (@sparc.science) accounts.

The Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program seeks to accelerate development of therapeutic devices that modulate electrical activity in nerves to improve organ function. In this SPARC Plug Fireside Chat video series, you will hear from SPARC-funded researchers and peers about their latest scientific discoveries, from the bench to the bedside. In our first video, hear from Dr. Charles Horn and Dr. Greg O’Grady as they chat about the latest stomach and colon disorder research, how SPARC Portal resources may help target new therapies for the gut, and the exciting potential of bioelectronic medicine to improve health. Learn more about SPARC-funded research projects at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmD

The SPARC program is a trans-NIH effort managed by the NIH Common Fund in the Office of the Director and supported by several NIH Institutes and Centers, including NIBIB, NINDS, NIDDK, and NCATS. Learn more about the NIH SPARC program at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmQ and access SPARC datasets, maps, and more at sparc.science. Keep up with the latest news by following our Twitter (@NIH_CommonFund and @sparc_science), Facebook (@NIHCommonFund), and YouTube (@sparc.science) accounts.

For more information on the Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet) program, visit our website at: https://commonfund.nih.gov/senescence
A cell dividing into two cells is a hallmark of human development. Over time, our bodies accumulate a small number of cells that no longer divide. These “senescent” cells are a rare type of cells that play both positive and negative roles in biological processes, either directly or through the release of molecules that affect neighboring cells. The rarity and diversity of these cells previously made them difficult to identify and study, but recent advances in studying individual cells, or single-cell analysis, now make it possible. Therapeutics called “senolytics” are being developed to target senescent cells and remove them from the body, however a deeper understanding of cellular senescence is needed to ensure therapies like senolytics encourage the beneficial effects of senescent cells while suppressing their tissue-damaging effects.
For this reason, the Common Fund’s Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet) program was established to comprehensively identify and characterize the differences in senescent cells across the body, across various states of human health, and across the lifespan. SenNet will develop innovative tools and technologies for the study of senescent cells and provide publicly accessible maps and atlases of senescent cells. These data and resources would otherwise be difficult to achieve through individual efforts, and will accelerate the ability of biomedical researchers to develop therapeutics that target cellular senescence and improve human health.

For more information on the Somatic Cell Genome Editing program, visit our website at:
https://commonfund.nih.gov/editing

Follow this link for an audio described version of this video: https://youtu.be/gwfcOImbArc

Thousands of human diseases are caused by changes, or mutations, to the body's DNA. What if we could treat all these diseases by diving into our living cells to correct the mistakes? The Somatic Cell Genome Editing program aims to make that happen. Recently, researchers have made great progress in correcting DNA mutations using a technique called genome editing, and the first tests of genome editing for human diseases are starting. However, there are still some challenges to achieve safe and effective genome editing in patient cells. The Somatic Cell Genome Editing, or SCGE, program was launched by the NIH Common Fund to develop quality tools to perform safe and effective genome editing in human patients. The SCGE program will make more genome editing tools available to researchers to develop better packages to deliver the tools to the right cells, design new tests for the safety and efficacy of genome editing, and make all of the information available to the scientific community to drive future discoveries and cures for patients.

The SPARC Plug Tools & Tech video series features SPARC-funded research tools and technologies. In our eighth video, learn about a biosensor called Urological MOnitor of Conscious Activity (UroMOCA) that SPARC researchers are developing to help improve therapies for bladder dysfunction by providing a reproducible way to assess health and bladder function. UroMOCA is one of the many tools and technologies being developed by SPARC researchers to help advance therapies that manipulate peripheral nerves and their electrical signals to improve treatment of diseases and conditions such as hypertension, bladder dysfunction, type II diabetes, and more. Learn more about SPARC-funded research projects at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmD

The SPARC program is a trans-NIH effort managed by the NIH Common Fund in the Office of the Director and supported by NIBIB, NINDS, NIDDK, and NCATS. Learn more about the NIH SPARC program at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmQ and access SPARC data and tools at sparc.science. Keep up with the latest news by following our YouTube (@sparc.science), Facebook (@NIHCommonFund), and Twitter (@NIH_CommonFund and @sparc_science) accounts.

The SPARC Plug Tools & Tech video series features SPARC-funded research tools and technologies. In our seventh video, learn about a biosensor called Fecobionics that SPARC researchers are developing to help improve therapies for gastrointestinal disorders by providing a reproducible way to assess health and intestinal function. Fecobionics is one of the many tools and technologies being developed by SPARC researchers to help advance therapies that manipulate peripheral nerves and their electrical signals to improve treatment of diseases and conditions such as hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, type II diabetes, and more. Learn more about SPARC-funded research projects at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmD
The SPARC program is a trans-NIH effort managed by the NIH Common Fund in the Office of the Director and supported by NIBIB, NINDS, NIDDK, and NCATS. Learn more about the NIH SPARC program at https://go.usa.gov/xyFmQ and access SPARC datasets, maps, and more at sparc.science. Keep up with the latest news by following our YouTube (@sparc.science), Facebook (@NIHCommonFund), and Twitter (@NIH_CommonFund and @sparc_science) accounts.

The 4D Nucleome (4DN) Program is exploring the 3D organization of the DNA in the nucleus and how the organization changes over time (the fourth dimension). Exploring the 4D organization of DNA requires developing new tools to observe differences in the organization of DNA between different cells and how the organization in the nucleus of a single cell changes over time. Understanding the dynamic 4D organization of DNA will help researchers determine how changes in nuclear organization affect which genes are turned on and off and how abnormal nuclear organization interrupts cell development and function to cause human disease. The 4DN Program is working to allow the biomedical research community to identify new targets for treatment of human diseases that are caused by abnormal nuclear organization.

The 4DN program is a trans-NIH effort managed by the NIH Common Fund in the Office of the Director and supported by NCI, NIDDK, NIGMS, CSR, NIA, NHGRI, NHLBI, NIAAA, NINDS, NIDA, NIMH, and NIEHS. For more information visit https://commonfund.nih.gov/4dnucleome

The SPARC program is a trans-NIH effort managed by the NIH Common Fund in the Office of the Director and supported by NIBIB, NINDS, NCCIH, NIDDK, and NCATS.

In stage one of the program, SPARC supported the development of new tools and technologies, mapped the connections among a variety of different nerves and organ systems, and created a rich public resource (the SPARC Portal, available at sparc.science, that provides scientists with cutting-edge information and tools for advancing bioelectronic medicine. Building on these accomplishments, in stage two of the program SPARC will focus on the anatomy and functional connectivity of the human vagus nerve (SPARC-V), build a new ecosystem of open-specification neuromodulation device components (SPARC-O), challenge the innovator community to develop targeted therapies (SPARC-X), and will continue to share data and digital resources through the SPARC Portal.

Learn about the NIH SPARC program and what the program is doing to improve public health. For more information, visit our website at https://commonfund.nih.gov/sparc.