[National Institutes of Health](https://www.nih.gov/)

June 5, 2026 (estimated, forecasted)

Not yet specified; details to be provided in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Supports research to discover and develop in vivo chemical probes for novel brain targets relevant to aging, neurobiology, and brain disease mechanisms.

This is a forecasted opportunity; applications are not yet being accepted.

--- ## Description The National Institute on Aging (NIA), in collaboration with the National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), plans to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support research focused on the discovery of in vivo chemical probes for novel brain targets. The initiative seeks to stimulate projects that: - Discover and develop novel, small molecules to advance understanding of biological processes relevant to the missions of NIA, NEI, NIDA, and NIMH. - Discover and/or validate new biological targets to inform studies of brain disease mechanisms. Applicants are expected to have validated starting compounds and bioassays for testing analogs. The program emphasizes projects that provide significant new insights into disease-related biological targets and processes. This advance notice is intended to give researchers time to build collaborations and prepare responsive projects. --- ## Due Dates - Estimated application due date: June 5, 2026 *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - Award amounts and total program funding have not yet been specified. - Details will be provided in the official NOFO upon release. --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - State, county, city, township, and special district governments - Independent school districts - Public and private institutions of higher education - Native American tribal governments (federally recognized and other) - Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities - Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) - For-profit organizations (including small businesses) - U.S. territories and possessions - Faith-based and community-based organizations - Regional organizations - Eligible federal agencies - Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) See the [official opportunity page](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360676) for full eligibility details. --- ## Application Process - This is a forecasted opportunity; applications are not currently being accepted. - The estimated posting date for the full NOFO is February 26, 2026. - Interested researchers are encouraged to begin developing collaborations and preparing project concepts in anticipation of the formal solicitation. --- ## Additional Information - Projects should have starting compounds (validated hits) and relevant bioassays in hand at the time of application. - Emphasis is placed on research that advances understanding of novel brain targets and disease mechanisms. - This notice is intended to provide advance warning for teams to prepare competitive proposals. --- ## External Links - [Opportunity Listing on Grants.gov](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360676) - [National Institutes of Health](https://www.nih.gov/) --- ## Contact Information | Name | Email | Phone | |------------------------|------------------------------|---------------| | Paul G. Grothaus, Ph.D.| [grothausp@mail.nih.gov](mailto:grothausp@mail.nih.gov) | 240-688-6634 |

Discovery of in vivo Chemical Probes for the Nervous System

Sign in to see full grant listing