Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

ARPA-H has launched a nationwide health innovation network: ARPANET-H. The network consists of three regional hubs. The first, the Customer Experience hub, is based in Dallas, TX and is focused on designing for the American people and their cargivers. The second, the Investor Catalyst hub, is based in the greater Boston area, MA and is focused on catalyzing markets and industry to ensure solutions thrive after government funding. The third hub is in the National Capital region and is focused on coordinating with federal partners and managing ARPA-H's programs.

Each hub is supported by a consortium with a nationwide network of spokes to bring together the nation's voices, resources, and needs. 

Emory University is a member of both, the Customer Experience and Investor Catalyst, hubs. 

ARPA-H has adopted the “DARPA model” which positions program managers (PMs) in a relatively flat organizational structure. Term-limited PMs are typically scientists from academia or industry and serve for an initial three-year term, renewable up to six years maximum.

Unlike NIH, ARPA-H will not rely on peer review to score proposals. Instead, PMs combine imagination, drive, and proven expertise to create revolutionary ideas and breakthrough technologies. Qualified individuals typically join as experienced professionals from academic labs, government research and development (R&D), or industry to immediately leverage their technical knowledge and professional networks to drive the creation of new programs, bringing teams together to solve some of the toughest challenges in health today.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• ARPA-H.gov
• ARPA-H Posters
• ARPA-H Customer Experience Hubs
• ARPA-H Insights and Lessons Learned

Based on a set of questions developed by former DARPA Director, George H. Heilmeier (1975-1977), known as the “Heilmeier Catechism,” the ARPA-(H)eilmeier Questions provide potential ARPA-H PMs high-level guidance for what information should be included in their proposals, as well as allow PMs to communicate to ARPA-H leadership what they hope to accomplish with the program.

1. What are you trying to do? What health problem are you trying to solve? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.
2. How is it done today? What are the limitations of present approaches?
3. What is new about your approach? Why do you think you can be successful at this time?
4. Who cares? If you succeed, what difference will it make?
5. What are the risks? Identify any risks that may prevent you from reaching your objectives, as well as any risks the program itself may present.
6. How long will it take?
7. How much will it cost?
8. What are your mid-term and final exams to check for success?
9. To ensure equitable access for all people, how will cost, accessibility, and user experience be addressed?
10. How might this program be misperceived or misused (and how can we prevent that from happening)?

Researchers that are planning to submit abstracts or preliminary solutions to ARPA-H can reach out to the Office of Research Development (ORD) to discuss support.

To help position Emory faculty for success with ARPA-H, the Office of the Sr. Vice President for Research, in consultation with the Office of the Provost, created the ARPA-H Intensive program. This program is intended to help faculty prepare to engage with ARPA-H by refining their project concepts and supporting their development of ARPA-style pitches, quad charts, and other abbreviated proposal formats, using the ARPA-(H)eilmeier Questions as a foundation.

Participants will be extremely well-prepared for the next round of ARPAH seed funding provided by the Office of the SVPR. The first cohorts of future ARPA-H performers accepted into this Intensives program were named in March 2023. Additional cohort opportunities will be announced.

Please contact ResearchDevelopment@emory.edu for more information.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is rapidly releasing new funding opportunities. Researchers should check here to see currently open programs. 

ARPA-H’s agency-wide Mission Office-specific Innovative Solutions Openings (ISOs) allow ARPA-H to fund health-related technology research and development outside of the traditional grant or contract structure by using solicitations designed for cooperative agreements and "other transactions" for flexibilities outside of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

ARPA-H’s four focus areas are:

(1) Health Science Futures - Accelerating advances across research areas and removing limitations that stymie progress towards solutions for broad ranges of disease and conditions.

(2) Proactive Health - Creating capabilities to detect and characterize disease risk and promote treatments and behaviors to anticipate threats whether viral, bacterial, chemical, physical, or psychological.

(3) Resilient Systems - Addressing systemic challenges across the healthcare and public health landscape by investing in cutting-edge technologies that address long-standing gaps in the quality, efficacy, and consistent availability of care.

(4) Scalable Solutions - Addressing challenges including geography, distribution, manufacturing, data and information, and economies of scale to develop impactful, timely, and equitable solutions.

The Office of Research Development is available to deliver presentations on ARPA-H and to respond to other ARPA-H questions. Please contact ResearchDevelopment@emory.edu.