Emerging Health Innovators Solicitation: An Opportunity to Revolutionize Health Innovation
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has issued the Emerging Health Innovators (EHI) Initiative Solicitation (ARPA-H-SOL-25-118), a groundbreaking funding opportunity aimed at empowering both early-career researchers and community innovators to advance health and biomedical research. Through the EHI Initiative, ARPA-H seeks to catalyze advancements that address unmet needs, improve health outcomes, and empower underrepresented communities.
Overview of the Solicitation
The EHI Initiative aims to foster innovation at the intersection of technology, community engagement, and health equity through two distinct tracks:
- Technology-Driven Innovation: This track supports early-career investigators at academic or research institutions to develop transformative health technologies. Topics under this track include:
- The Lymphatic System’s Role in Infectious Disease Makes Us SAFE via Surveillance, Activation, Fluid Retention, and Elimination (LS-SAFE): Focuses on encouraging early investigators from diverse specialties to explore knowledge gaps at the intersection of the circulatory, immune, and lymphatic systems. Proposers responding to this topic will study how infectious microbes circumvent and manipulate the human LS. Upon identification of specific pathways and molecular targets, performers should develop relevant treatments.
- Advanced Machine Learning AlgoriThm for Compatible Human Leukocyte Antigen (MATCH): Aims to leverage AI and machine learning to enhance donor-recipient compatibility for allogeneic transplants, with the goal of reducing conditions such as Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD). Proposers responding to this topic should show their capability to deliver a computational model, potentially including an app, with the ability to increase transplant recipient options while also keeping up-to-date with allogenic transplant data and strategies.
- Community-Centered Innovation: Designed for community innovators, such as healthcare workers and nonprofit leaders, this track promotes community-engaged research. Though community-based organizations are expected to lead the development of solutions, partnerships with academic/research institutions are welcomed. Topics include:
- Disrupting Asthma: Encourages community-based organizations to utilize accessible, non-invasive, portable technology to deliver personalized and effective asthma management for children. Proposers responding to this topic are expected to provide novel technology solutions to asthma management for children.
- Community Care for Personal Well-Being: Aims to utilize wearable devices and virtual assistants to monitor local environmental factors (such as air quality and heat exposure) and provide personalized health recommendations. Proposers to this topic will be expected to generate novel technology solutions that empower accessible, non-invasive technologies with the capacity to improve health outcomes.
Key Proposal Information
The review and evaluation process includes two steps:
- Solution summary submission: provide a two-page solution summary covering the proposed project overview and impact on the field. After review of the submitted summary, proposers will be encouraged or discouraged to proceed to step 2 by written notification.
- Full proposal pitch: in place of a full written proposal, prepare an oral, one-hour pitch presentation. Proposers are expected to expand upon and discuss their concept with ARPA-H personnel.
Proposers must adhere to the following timeline to ensure successful submission:
- Questions and Answers: due January 27, 2025, by 2:00 PM ET
- Solution Summaries: due February 5, 2025, by 2:00 PM ET – A two-page summary outlining the proposed project.
- Tentative Virtual Pitch Presentations: April 7–18, 2025
- Tentative Performer Selection Date: May y2025
- Anticipated Award Date: June 2025.
Funding Information
The EHI Initiative anticipates awarding multiple Other Transaction Agreements (OTs) and Cooperative Agreements (CAs). Each award will provide up to $350,000 per year for two years, with an optional third year contingent on project performance.
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