BRAIN Initiative: Reagent Resources for Brain Cell Type-Specific Access to Broaden Distribution of Enabling Technologies for Neuroscience (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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Description

This NIH BRAIN Initiative opportunity funds the establishment of facilities at resource-limited institutions (RLIs) and Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible institutions to produce and distribute reagents that enable brain cell type-specific access and manipulation. These reagents—such as viral vectors, nucleic acid constructs, and nanoparticles—are essential for probing neural circuits with high precision in experimental animals and ex vivo human tissue. The program aims to broaden the distribution of these enabling technologies, especially to under-resourced institutions, and to foster close collaboration with the BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium project and the wider neuroscience community.

Awardees will:

• Partner with Armamentarium reagent design and development projects to receive and further optimize validated reagent designs.
• Scale up production of these reagents at their institution, ensuring quality control and safety.
• Disseminate reagents to neuroscience researchers, maintaining accessible, up-to-date catalogues and responsive user interfaces.

This is a cooperative agreement (U24), meaning NIH program staff will have substantial involvement post-award.

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Due Dates

• Letter of Intent: 30 days prior to application due date (strongly encouraged, not required)
• Application Deadlines:
  • February 14, 2025
  • February 2, 2026
  • June 15, 2027
• Review and Award Cycles:
  • Scientific Merit Review: July (following application)
  • Advisory Council Review: October
  • Earliest Start Date: December (following application)
• All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.

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Funding Amount

• Total Funds Available: ~$2,400,000 per year (total costs) to fund 2–4 awards.
• Award Budget: No specific budget cap, but budgets must be well-justified and reflect actual project needs.
• Project Period: Up to 5 years.
• Funding Mechanism: Cooperative Agreement (U24).
• Cost Sharing: Not required.

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Eligibility

• Eligible Institutions:
  • Resource-Limited Institutions (RLIs): Institutions with an average of $0–$25M/year in NIH RPG support over the past 3 years.
  • Institutions in IDeA-eligible states/jurisdictions (see IDeA eligibility list).
• Eligible Applicants:
  • Public and private higher education institutions
  • Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
  • For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
  • State, local, and tribal governments
  • Independent school districts, public housing authorities, regional organizations, faith-based/community-based organizations
• Ineligible: Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations.
• Foreign components (as defined by NIH) are allowed within U.S. organizations.
• Individuals: Any with the skills, knowledge, and resources to carry out the project; multiple PDs/PIs allowed.

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Application Process

• Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or institutional S2S systems.
• Required Registrations: SAM, eRA Commons, Grants.gov (can take 6+ weeks).
• Application Components:
  • SF424 (R&R) forms
  • Research Strategy addressing all three required resource functions (interface, production, dissemination)
  • Letters of institutional commitment (required for each facility)
  • Letters of support from potential users (optional, up to 3)
  • Data Management and Sharing Plan (required)
  • Budget and justification (see FOA for details)
• No clinical trials are allowed under this opportunity.
• Appendices: Only limited materials allowed (see FOA).

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Additional Information

• Scope: Applications must address all three main functions: (1) interface with Armamentarium design/validation projects, (2) scaled-up production, (3) dissemination to neuroscience users.
• Consortium Participation: Awardees will join the Armamentarium Consortium, sharing data, protocols, and participating in regular meetings.
• Milestones: Applications must include clear milestones and a timeline for reagent dissemination.
• Program Income: Applicants should describe plans for any program income (e.g., reagent distribution fees).
• Data Sharing: Strong data management and sharing requirements apply, including use of BRAIN Initiative data archives.
• Budget Guidance: Do not include costs for large-scale production or shipping beyond minimal inventory; these are to be covered by reagent users.

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External Links

• Full Funding Opportunity Announcement (NIH)
• NIH BRAIN Initiative
• NIH Application Guide (Forms H)
• IDeA-eligible States and Jurisdictions
• Grants.gov Opportunity Page

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Contact Information

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