HEAL Initiative: HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study (Collaborative U01- Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NIH seeks applications for a study of 7,200 pregnant women & their children, some exposed to substances, to understand factors impacting child development and promote well-being.
Funder: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Due Dates: February 17, 2026 (forecasted)
Funding Amounts: Up to 27 awards expected; award ceiling not specified; 5-year project period (renewal).
Summary: Supports research sites for the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, focusing on longitudinal assessment of children exposed to substances in utero.
Key Information: This is a limited competition forecast; applications are not yet being solicited.
Description
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), led by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and in partnership with the NIH HEAL Initiative, is forecasting a limited competition funding opportunity for research projects under the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study. This initiative will fund sites responsible for participant recruitment and retention, behavioral assessments, biospecimen collection, and neuroimaging. The HBCD study follows a large cohort (~7,200 mother-child dyads) from the second trimester of pregnancy through childhood, with a focus on children exposed pre- or perinatally to opioids, marijuana, stimulants, alcohol, and nicotine.
The overarching goal is to generate comprehensive data on how early exposures affect brain and behavioral development, providing a foundation for future interventions to support child well-being and resilience. This forecasted opportunity is for a renewal, supporting the second 5-year period of the study.
