Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: November 2, 2026 (Application) | February 19, 2027 (Application) | June 17, 2027 (Application) | October 20, 2027 (Application) | February 22, 2028 (Application) | June 16, 2028 (Final application)
Funding Amounts: R61: up to $500,000 in combined direct costs over up to 2 years; R33: no budget cap, up to 3 years; combined maximum 5 years
Summary: Supports exploratory, phased clinical research into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying substance use disorders.
Key Information: Quantifiable R61 milestones and a clear R33 transition path are required; R33 funding is not guaranteed.
Description
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of NIH, supports exploratory and developmental clinical neuroscience research through this R61/R33 phased award. Projects must investigate neurobiological mechanisms underlying substance use disorders (SUD), including fundamental circuitry and behavior relevant to substance use. The program supports potentially high-risk work that could produce breakthroughs, establish feasibility for new investigations, or develop novel techniques, methodologies, models, or applications.
Relevant work includes neural circuitry and individual differences, cognitive and behavioral processes across substance-use stages, risk and protective phenotypes, computational models, complex dataset analysis, transdiagnostic mechanisms, and substance use–HIV/AIDS interactions. Clinical trials are optional, but clinical research is required. Projects not needing a phased approach are encouraged to use another funding mechanism. Alcohol use or alcohol use disorder cannot be a primary outcome.
