Integrated Biological and Computational Low-Dose Radiation Research | DE FOA 0003281

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003281

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, through the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program, is seeking grant applications for research that combines biology and advanced computation to better explain how low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation affects cellular function. The central aim is mechanistic understanding: not just observing whether changes occur after exposure, but pinpointing how radiation perturbs cellular processes, especially metabolism, over time. A major theme in the opportunity is pairing modern high-throughput experimental approaches (genomics and other "omics" technologies) with computational methods, including artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), to connect radiation exposure to both short-lived (transient) and long-lasting (persistent) cellular changes that could plausibly relate to adverse health outcomes.

This funding opportunity emphasizes building large, high-quality, well-structured datasets that can be used to train increasingly capable AI/ML models. The DOE is looking for projects that generate comprehensive compendia of experimental data and integrate those data with computational techniques and the broader scientific literature on cellular processes. The idea is that, as datasets become richer and models become more sophisticated, researchers can move closer to identifying patterns, signatures, or biomarkers of altered cellular function following low-dose radiation exposure. Over the longer term, DOE signals interest in using these mechanistic insights to help explain uncertainties seen in epidemiological studies of low-dose exposure and to support investigation of potential health effects beyond cancer, not merely cancer risk alone.

In practical terms, applicants should expect the program to value integrated project designs where experimental measurement and computation are tightly linked, rather than treated as separate add-ons. The opportunity highlights recent advances in high-throughput genomics, multi-omics profiling, and AI/ML as enabling technologies, suggesting that competitive proposals will likely lean into modern, scalable experimental pipelines and robust computational workflows that produce reusable, interoperable datasets suitable for modeling and cross-study synthesis. The stated end-state is a clearer mechanistic bridge between low-dose radiation exposure and measurable disruptions in cellular metabolism and function, plus a pathway to identifying markers or patterns that may correlate with later adverse outcomes.

Eligibility is broad for domestic applicants, with one explicit exclusion: 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995 are not eligible. Federally affiliated organizations face additional constraints. DOE/NNSA National Laboratories, non-DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and other Federal agencies cannot apply as the prime recipient, but they may participate as subrecipients under another eligible organization. If a DOE/NNSA national lab is included as a subrecipient and the project is selected, the lab portion would be handled through the DOE Field-Work Proposal System under the lab's existing DOE contract, and the lab component would be separated from the prime award. Similar subrecipient pathways apply for other FFRDCs and Federal agencies, generally through interagency agreements and subject to authorization requirements referenced in the FOA.

Key opportunity details include: the title "Integrated Biological and Computational Low-Dose Radiation Research," Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003281, administered by the DOE Office of Science; it is a discretionary grant under the science and technology/research and development category (CFDA 81.049). The original application closing date listed is April 2, 2024. The award ceiling is $1,500,000. The posting indicates an expectation of awards, but the specific number is not provided in the supplied text.

• The Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrated Biological and Computational Low-Dose Radiation Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-02. (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: Others.

Apply for DE FOA 0003281

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