Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 21 175
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering an R01 grant opportunity under the BRAIN Initiative titled "Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," funding opportunity number RFA-MH-21-175. This announcement is a reissue of an earlier solicitation (RFA-MH-19-136) and is aimed at accelerating the creation of new neurotechnology tools that make it possible to analyze brain circuits in far greater detail and to better understand how different brain cells interact to produce normal brain function. The core idea is to push beyond incremental improvements and instead build tools that meaningfully expand what researchers can measure, manipulate, or map within the nervous system.
A central requirement is that proposed tools and technologies must either inform or take advantage of cell-type specificity and/or circuit-level specificity. In practical terms, NIH is looking for methods that can selectively access particular neuronal or glial populations, or particular pathways and connections, rather than treating the brain as a uniform tissue. The opportunity explicitly emphasizes that strong, well-designed validation plans are not optional: a competitive application needs to show how the tool will be tested and demonstrated to work as intended, including evidence that it improves precision, sensitivity, or usability compared with established approaches. The goal is not just to invent something new on paper, but to demonstrate real-world utility for neuroscience research.
The solicitation highlights interest in both genetic and non-genetic strategies, especially for delivering genes, proteins, and chemicals to targeted cells. That includes approaches that can reach cell types or circuits with greater precision and sensitivity than current methods, potentially overcoming longstanding delivery, specificity, or signal-to-noise limitations. The announcement also signals a clear preference for tools that are generalizable across multiple species or model organisms, rather than being tightly limited to a single species. This reflects a desire for broad impact across basic neuroscience, enabling labs working in different systems to adopt the technology and compare results more effectively.
NIH also makes it clear that this program is meant to break technical barriers in a substantial way. Applications are encouraged when they propose approaches that represent a real step-change in capability, such as markedly improved targeting specificity, more reliable access to hard-to-reach circuits, better sensitivity for measuring cell-type-specific activity or interactions, or new modalities that expand what can be probed in intact circuits. The overall spirit is ambitious tool development paired with rigorous proof that the tool works and produces interpretable, useful data about cell-specific and circuit-specific brain processes.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant mechanism (R01) and clinical trials are not allowed under this particular opportunity. It is associated with multiple NIH CFDA program numbers (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867). The agency is NIH, and the opportunity was created on 2021-04-27, with an original closing date listed as 2023-05-08. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source details.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic applicants such as state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and additional entities categorized as "others." The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This wide eligibility is meant to encourage participation from a diverse set of institutions and communities while speeding development of widely usable neurotechnology.
In short, this BRAIN Initiative R01 opportunity is focused on building and validating next-generation tools that let researchers precisely target and study specific cell types and neural circuits, with a strong preference for broadly applicable, technically breakthrough methods and a clear expectation of thorough validation demonstrating that the tool meaningfully improves current capabilities.Apply for RFA MH 21 175
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-04-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 21 023 Funding Number: RFA NS 21 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 21 024 Funding Number: RFA NS 21 024 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 21 154 Funding Number: PAR 21 154 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Transformative Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 21 027 Funding Number: RFA NS 21 027 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 21 026 Funding Number: RFA NS 21 026 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Dyadic Interpersonal Processes and Biopsychosocial Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 281 Funding Number: PAR 21 281 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Dyadic Interpersonal Processes and Biopsychosocial Outcomes (R01 - Basic Experimental Studies with Humans) Apply for PAR 21 280 Funding Number: PAR 21 280 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 21 205 Funding Number: RFA MH 21 205 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Specialized Collaboratory on Human, Non-human Primate, and Mouse Brain Cell Atlases (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 21 236 Funding Number: RFA MH 21 236 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Comprehensive Center on Human and Non-human Primate Brain Cell Atlases (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 21 235 Funding Number: RFA MH 21 235 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN): Coordinating Unit for Biostatistics, Informatics, and Engagement (CUBIE) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 21 237 Funding Number: RFA MH 21 237 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| American Women: Assessing Risk Epidemiologically (AWARE) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AI 21 058 Funding Number: RFA AI 21 058 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint MedTech Translator (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 21 315 Funding Number: PAR 21 315 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint MedTech: Incubator Hubs (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 314 Funding Number: PAR 21 314 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Interventions for Stigma Reduction to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 21 344 Funding Number: PAR 21 344 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE (INCLUDE) Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA OD 21 007 Funding Number: RFA OD 21 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 350 Funding Number: PAR 21 350 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) Apply for PAR 21 349 Funding Number: PAR 21 349 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research on Biopsychosocial Factors of Social Connectedness and Isolation on Health, Wellbeing, Illness, and Recovery (R01 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 21 352 Funding Number: PAR 21 352 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Pre-application: Opportunities for Collaborative Research at the NIH Clinical Center (X02 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 21 342 Funding Number: PAR 21 342 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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