BRAIN Initiative: New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Key Facts

Status: Forecasted

Posted date: September 24, 2024

Archive date: February 25, 2026

Close date: January 20, 2026

Opportunity ID: 356511

Opportunity number: RFA-NS-25-018

Opportunity category: Discretionary

Agency name: National Institutes of Health

Agency code: HHS-NIH11

Award floor: $0

Award ceiling: $0

Cost sharing required: No

Funding Instrument Types
  • Grant
Category of Funding Activity
  • Education
  • Health
  • Income Security and Social Services
Eligible Applicants
  • City or township governments
  • County governments
  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Independent school districts
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • 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
  • Others
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • Special district governments
  • State governments
Tools
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
  • agency_code:hhs_nih11
  • category_of_funding_activity:education
  • category_of_funding_activity:health
  • category_of_funding_activity:income_security_and_social_services
  • cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:false
  • eligible_applicants:city_or_township_governments
  • eligible_applicants:county_governments
  • eligible_applicants:for_profit_organizations_other_than_small_businesses
  • eligible_applicants:independent_school_districts
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_governments_federally_recognized
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_organizations_other_than_federally_recognized_tribal_governments
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_having_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_that_do_not_have_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:others
  • eligible_applicants:private_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_and_state_controlled_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_housing_authoritiesindian_housing_authorities
  • eligible_applicants:small_businesses
  • eligible_applicants:special_district_governments
  • eligible_applicants:state_governments
  • funding_instrument_type:grant
  • opportunity_category:discretionary
  • status:forecasted
Description

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks applications for proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and novel approaches for recording and modulation of neural cells and circuits, to address major challenges and enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the central nervous system. Preliminary feasibility data are not required, and it is expected that the proposed research may be high-risk, but if successful could profoundly change the course of neuroscience research. Applications may propose development of instrumentation hardware and/or devices and associated software, and/or molecular constructs for sensing and manipulating neural activity. Approaches may utilize any modality such as optical, electrical, magnetic, or acoustic recording/manipulation, to target neuronal electrical signals or other forms of neural activity, including intracellular signaling and engagement of non-neuronal cells in circuit function. A companion NOFO (RFA-NS-25-017) is targeted to projects focused on optimization of instrumentation and devices that are later in the development cycle, where iterative optimization and end-user testing is needed. The companion NOFO does not allow projects primarily focused on development or optimization of molecular constructs for recording and manipulating neural activity. Projects of this nature are supported by this NOFO and other BRAIN Initiative announcements including RFA-MH-22-245, RFA-MH-21-175, and RFA-EY-21-001 (or their reissue). For this and the companion NOFO, the aim of the proposed technologies should be to reduce major barriers to conducting neurobiological experiments, including considerations of cost and ease of access, and to enable new discoveries for understanding neural circuit function. Technologies should address major challenges associated with recording and modulating CNS activity, at cellular or circuit resolution, and should contribute to an overall ecosystem of technologies spanning multiple spatial and temporal scales in any region throughout the CNS. The approaches should be compatible with experiments in behaving animals, with an expectation that they will be validated with in vivo experiments during the course of the project. Proposed validation experiments must focus on demonstrating the capabilities and potential impact of the technology, rather than advancing the state of biological knowledge as the primary project goal. Applications are encouraged to integrate multiple approaches, and where appropriate, to leverage a variety of domains of expertise from biological, chemical, and physical sciences, engineering, computational modeling, and statistical analysis.

BRAIN Initiative: New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks applications for proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and novel approaches for recording and modulation of neural cells and circuits, to address major challenges and enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the central nervous system. Preliminary feasibility data are not required, and it is expected that the proposed research may be high-risk, but if successful could profoundly change the course of neuroscience research. Applications may propose development of instrumentation hardware and/or devices and associated software, and/or molecular constructs for sensing and manipulating neural activity. Approaches may utilize any modality such as optical, electrical, magnetic, or acoustic recording/manipulation, to target neuronal electrical signals or other forms of neural activity, including intracellular signaling and engagement of non-neuronal cells in circuit function. A companion NOFO (RFA-NS-25-017) is targeted to projects focused on optimization of instrumentation and devices that are later in the development cycle, where iterative optimization and end-user testing is needed. The companion NOFO does not allow projects primarily focused on development or optimization of molecular constructs for recording and manipulating neural activity. Projects of this nature are supported by this NOFO and other BRAIN Initiative announcements including RFA-MH-22-245, RFA-MH-21-175, and RFA-EY-21-001 (or their reissue). For this and the companion NOFO, the aim of the proposed technologies should be to reduce major barriers to conducting neurobiological experiments, including considerations of cost and ease of access, and to enable new discoveries for understanding neural circuit function. Technologies should address major challenges associated with recording and modulating CNS activity, at cellular or circuit resolution, and should contribute to an overall ecosystem of technologies spanning multiple spatial and temporal scales in any region throughout the CNS. The approaches should be compatible with experiments in behaving animals, with an expectation that they will be validated with in vivo experiments during the course of the project. Proposed validation experiments must focus on demonstrating the capabilities and potential impact of the technology, rather than advancing the state of biological knowledge as the primary project goal. Applications are encouraged to integrate multiple approaches, and where appropriate, to leverage a variety of domains of expertise from biological, chemical, and physical sciences, engineering, computational modeling, and statistical analysis.
[Forecasted] BRAIN Initiative: New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Forecasted
National Institutes of Health
Education
Health
Income Security and Social Services
Grant
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
2024-09-24