Exploratory/Developmental Grants on Lifestyle Medicine Research Related to the World Trade Center Health Program (R21)

NIOSH supports exploratory and developmental research projects (R21) that address issues related to diagnostic or treatment uncertainty with respect to individuals receiving monitoring and/or treatment under subtitle B of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–347, as amended by Public Laws 114–113, 116–59 and 117-328). World Trade Center (WTC) responders, screening-eligible WTC survivors, and certified-eligible WTC survivors comprise the population targeted for the research project. Lifestyle medicine is a highly valuable, evidence-informed clinical approach focused on preventing, managing, and reversing many types of chronic diseases certified as WTC-related health conditions by the WTC Health Program. By focusing on sustainable health behaviors and lifestyle factors (including these 6 pillars: nutrition and diet, sleep hygiene, stress management and positive psychology, physical activity, social connectedness, and avoidance of harmful substance use), lifestyle medicine has the potential to: limit current disease progression, prevent development of additional chronic diseases, and improve health outcomes, overall member well-being, quality of life, and member satisfaction with the Program. To help maximize the impact of the WTC Health Program FY2024 lifestyle medicine research, NIOSH seeks to achieve a suitable mix of projects and interventions focusing on sustainable health behaviors and the lifestyle factors described previously. All these sustainable health behaviors and lifestyle factors influence disease progression and recurrence, survival, quality of life, and other health-related outcomes among the 9/11-exposed population. Research funded by the WTC Health Program is primarily intended for the benefit of the 9/11-exposed population. It is not required that project findings be generalizable to other populations. The NIOSH/WTC Health Program R21 grant is intended to encourage exploratory/developmental research by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of project development which assess the feasibility of new areas of investigation with the potential to enhance treatment effectiveness and diagnostic practices. These studies may lead to breakthroughs in a particular area, or to the development of new techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or approaches with major clinical impacts. These studies are expected to break new ground or extend prior discoveries toward new directions or uses. Applicants are expected to propose research approaches for which there is likely to be minimal or no preliminary data. The WTC Health Program Research webpage provides comprehensive information and tools for researchers. The research agenda, publication library, and other resources, including the Funding Dashboard, can also be found there (e.g., awarded project details such as publications, topics, populations, funding awarded, and the principal investigators and their institutions).