The NHGRI Genomic Data Science Analysis, Visualization, and Informatics Lab-space (AnVIL) (U24) | RFA HG 17 011

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NHGRI AnVIL (U24) RFA HG 17 011

What is the NHGRI AnVIL (U24) funding opportunity (RFA HG 17 011)?

This opportunity is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (U24) from NHGRI to stand up a shared, cloud-based platform called the Analysis, Visualization, and Informatics Lab-space (AnVIL). The goal is to create an interoperable "lab-space" where large genomic datasets can live alongside the storage, compute, and commonly used tools needed to analyze them.

What is AnVIL intended to do for the human genomics community?

AnVIL is intended to reduce friction in genomic analysis by bringing data, computing resources, and widely used software into the same cloud environment. It is designed to improve reproducibility and make it easier for researchers to access and analyze large-scale human genomics datasets without needing to download massive files or build custom local compute stacks.

What type of award mechanism is used?

The opportunity uses the U24 cooperative agreement mechanism. A cooperative agreement generally means NIH expects substantial programmatic involvement during the project period, such as coordinating milestones, ensuring the platform meets community needs, and aligning the work with NHGRI priorities.

Is this grant meant to fund multiple projects or a single central resource?

The listing indicates an anticipated single award (ExpectedAwards: 1). This suggests the program is designed to support a central, community-facing platform resource rather than funding many independent smaller projects.

What is the core concept behind the AnVIL platform?

The core concept is an interoperable, shared "lab-space" in the cloud where researchers can work with large genomic datasets using built-in or integrated storage, compute, and common analysis services and tools. The intent is to enable secure access, integration, computation, and visualization across datasets in one environment.

Why is a cloud-based approach emphasized?

The opportunity emphasizes cloud infrastructure so researchers can analyze large and complex genomic datasets without downloading them locally or provisioning their own compute infrastructure. This approach supports scalable compute, easier collaboration, and analysis close to where the data resides.

What kinds of research needs or workflows is AnVIL expected to support?

Based on the description, a resource like AnVIL typically supports workflows such as variant calling and annotation, cohort-level association analyses, functional genomics processing, data harmonization, interactive visualization, and controlled-access data use under appropriate governance.

What kinds of datasets are in scope for AnVIL?

The scope centers on enabling research that depends on very large, complex datasets, especially datasets generated by NHGRI programs. It also supports datasets produced by other funders as long as they advance human genomics research.

Does the opportunity focus on human genomics specifically?

Yes. The program is framed around supporting modern human genomics research and enabling analysis and computation across large-scale human genomics datasets.

How is AnVIL expected to help with reproducibility?

By bringing datasets, compute, and commonly used tools into a shared environment, the platform is intended to reduce variation caused by different local setups and make analyses easier to repeat and validate in a consistent computing context.

What does "interoperable" imply in the context of this opportunity?

From the description, interoperability refers to building a lab-space that can work with common services and analysis tools researchers already rely on, and that can support integration and computation across multiple datasets and projects within the same environment.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The opportunity is categorized under CFDA 93.172 as a discretionary health funding program.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based public and private sectors. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, municipal), special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments and certain tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.

Are U.S. institutions with specific designations explicitly highlighted as eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, certain tribal governments other than federally recognized, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.

Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component in the proposed work?

No. The opportunity states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed. Applicants must be U.S.-based and the proposed work cannot include foreign components under NIH definitions.

Why do the foreign participation restrictions matter for applicants?

They matter because teams that might otherwise plan to host infrastructure or carry out substantial project activities outside the U.S. would not be allowed to include those foreign components under NIH definitions for this opportunity.

What is the deadline information provided for this opportunity?

The original closing date shown is 2017-11-09, and the creation date is 2017-07-17. This indicates it was a specific competition from that time period rather than a continuously open solicitation.

What is the expected overall outcome of the funded project?

The expected outcome is a widely usable, cloud-enabled genomic data science environment that helps researchers find, access, analyze, visualize, and share large-scale genomic datasets with fewer barriers. The resource is expected to strengthen interoperability, accelerate discovery, and support secure and scalable computation across multiple large human genomics datasets.

Is the platform expected to support controlled-access data?

Yes. The description notes that a resource like this typically supports controlled-access data use under appropriate governance, alongside secure access and computation across datasets.

What role does NHGRI expect to play during the project?

Because this is a U24 cooperative agreement, NIH/NHGRI expects substantial programmatic involvement, including coordination around milestones, ensuring the platform meets community needs, and aligning deliverables with NHGRI priorities.