Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa) Research Training Program (U2R Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA RM 20 016

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 20 016

Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa) Research Training Program (U2R Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement funding opportunity designed to build long-term, Africa-centered capacity in data science for health research and innovation. It sits within the broader DS-I Africa initiative, which is focused on accelerating new health discoveries and driving practical innovation in healthcare delivery, public health, and health research across the African continent by applying modern data science approaches.

The main purpose of this FOA is to support institutional research training programs that can produce a steady pipeline of highly skilled African data science health researchers. NIH intends to make at least four awards, each structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning NIH will have substantial involvement beyond typical grant stewardship (for example, through programmatic collaboration, coordination expectations, and milestone-oriented oversight). The emphasis is not on short workshops or isolated training events, but on sustained, structured training that results in tangible institutional strengthening and measurable growth in local expertise.

Applicants are expected to propose comprehensive training that includes graduate-level degree pathways (masters and/or doctoral training) along with faculty development. The goal is to train cohorts of African investigators who are prepared to become independent researchers, leaders who can shape research agendas, and collaborators who can work effectively across disciplines and institutions. In practice, this points toward training models that combine strong quantitative foundations (statistics, machine learning, computational methods) with real-world health research applications (biomedicine, epidemiology, clinical research, population health, health systems), and that help trainees move from coursework to publishable research and competitive grant readiness.

A defining feature of the program is its requirement to build institutional capacity at one or more African institutions and to train African researchers, regardless of who the primary applicant is. Awards may be made directly to African institutions, or to U.S. institutions working in formal partnership with African institutions, but in either case the center of gravity must remain on strengthening African research and training infrastructure. Competitive proposals would typically demonstrate how the African partner institutions will gain durable capabilities, such as improved curricula, mentorship systems, data platforms, research governance, and faculty expertise that remain after the funding period.

The FOA also encourages partnerships beyond academia, including collaborations with for-profit entities or government organizations. The practical reason for this is to give trainees applied experiences that mirror how data science is used in real health contexts, such as national health information systems, disease surveillance programs, digital health implementations, hospital networks, laboratories, or industry-led analytic environments. These relationships can help trainees access relevant datasets, understand operational constraints, and work on problems with immediate public health or clinical impact, while also strengthening pathways to translation and adoption.

Another important element is the clinical trial flexibility built into the announcement. This is a "Clinical Trial Optional" mechanism, and it explicitly allows trainees to participate in clinical trials in several ways: they may serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, lead an ancillary trial linked to another study, or gain research experience by working on a trial led by another investigator. This structure signals that the program supports rigorous training environments where clinical research, ethics, data management, and advanced analytics can intersect, without forcing every trainee or program to run a trial.

In terms of eligibility, the opportunity is open to a broad set of organizational types, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status, along with other eligible entities. The FOA also notes categories of additional eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, reflecting an inclusive approach to potential U.S.-based partners and applicants, while still keeping the core mission focused on building African capacity.

Key identifying details from the source information include the FOA number RFA-RM-20-016, the funding instrument type as a cooperative agreement, the activity category as health, and the NIH as the sponsoring agency. The original closing date listed is December 18, 2020. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an institutional training investment aimed at creating sustainable, Africa-led expertise in data science for health discovery, with strong expectations for cohort-based training, mentorship, applied research exposure, and lasting institutional strengthening.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa) Research Training Program (U2R Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-07-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-12-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for RFA RM 20 016

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