Mechanistic Research on Neuromodulation for Substance Use Disorders Treatment (R61/R33 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
Explore new ways to treat substance use disorders using non-invasive brain stimulation; find targets and understand the brain's response to improve outcomes.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
National Institutes of Health has archived this opportunity.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: August 14, 2025 (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision) | January 16, 2026 (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision) | August 14, 2026 (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision)
Funding Amounts: R61 phase: up to $600,000 direct costs (2 years); R33 phase: no budget cap (up to 3 years); total project period up to 5 years. NIH/NIDA expects to fund up to 6 awards across this and companion NOFOs.
Summary: Supports exploratory, mechanistic clinical research to identify and validate novel non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) targets and SUD-relevant responses to NIBS that precede clinical outcomes.
Key Information: Applications must propose basic experimental studies with humans (BESH) that meet the NIH clinical trial definition and basic research criteria; preliminary data are not required; milestones are required for R61-to-R33 transition.
Description
This funding opportunity supports mechanistic, exploratory clinical research to advance the understanding and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD) using non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques. The goal is to identify and validate novel NIBS targets and to characterize neurobiological, cognitive, and behavioral responses to NIBS that may precede clinical outcomes such as reduced craving or substance use.
The program uses the R61/R33 Phased Innovation Award mechanism:
- R61 phase (up to 2 years): Focuses on critical experiments to test innovative concepts/hypotheses and establish feasibility.
- R33 phase (up to 3 years): Expands on successful R61 results to further develop and validate findings.
Applications must propose basic experimental studies involving humans (BESH) that meet both the NIH definition of a clinical trial and the federal definition of basic research. The research should be exploratory and developmental, with the potential for high risk but also high impact.
