BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early-Stage Research for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This grant supports early-stage development of innovative technologies for recording and modulating nervous system activity, requiring a diversity plan.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
National Institutes of Health has archived this opportunity.
Funder: [National Institutes of Health (NIH) - https://www.nih.gov]
Due Dates: June 17, 2025 | June 15, 2026
Funding Amounts: Up to $400,000 total direct costs over 3 years; max $200,000 direct costs per year.
Summary: Supports early-stage development of innovative technologies for recording and modulating nervous system activity, requiring a diversity plan.
Key Information: Clinical trials are not allowed; applications must include a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP); preliminary data not required.
Description
This funding opportunity supports the earliest-stage development of novel and innovative technologies aimed at recording and/or modulating neural activity in the central nervous system (CNS). The goal is to overcome current limitations in spatial resolution, temporal dynamics, scale, and specificity of neural recording and manipulation technologies. Projects may involve a wide range of modalities including acoustic, chemical, electrical, magnetic, optical, and genetic tools.
The technologies developed should enable large-scale recording and/or precise manipulation of neural circuits in humans or behaving animals, potentially increasing capabilities by orders of magnitude or improving precision and selectivity. The initiative encourages applications from interdisciplinary teams, including researchers from fields not traditionally involved in neuroscience, such as physics, engineering, chemistry, and materials science.
A critical requirement is the inclusion of a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which must be submitted as part of the application and will be evaluated during peer review. The PEDP should describe strategies to enhance inclusivity and diversity in the research team and environment.
This opportunity is part of the NIH BRAIN Initiative, which aims to accelerate neurotechnology development to better understand brain function and ultimately improve diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders.
Non-Responsive Applications
Applications will not be reviewed if they:
- Are not at the earliest stage of technology development.
- Focus on neurobiological mechanisms, disease understanding, or therapeutic outcomes rather than technology development.
- Target peripheral nervous system technologies rather than CNS.
- Lack experimental validation or are purely theoretical.
- Focus on improving existing non-invasive neuroimaging or neuromodulation methods not aimed at cellular or circuit resolution.
