The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is seeking applications for $12 million in funds for projects that address gaps in comparative-effectiveness research methods.

In an announcement, the Washington-based not-for-profit, which was established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, said it planned to fund as many as 14 projects.

"The nation's capacity to conduct patient-centered comparative-effectiveness research quickly and efficiently remains extremely limited," said Dr. Joe Selby, PCORI's executive director, in the release. "Our goal is to improve this field of research by building data infrastructure, improving analytic methods, and training researchers, patients and other stakeholders to participate in the conduct of research."

Letters of intent are due Jan. 31, and PCORI said it plans to announce the grant winners in spring 2013.

The group has announced other funding opportunities this year, including a call in September for applications for $96 million in grants for clinical comparative-effectiveness research. But this is the first round of funds that specifically addresses research methods—one of five priority areas outlined in PCORI's original research agenda.