BRAIN Initiative: Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Develop and validate novel tools to probe brain cell-specific and circuit-specific processes for detailed analysis and understanding of brain function.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: February 7, 2025 | October 7, 2025 | June 8, 2026 | February 8, 2027 (new, renewal, resubmission, revision)
Funding Amounts: ~$8 million total to fund 6–9 awards; budgets not limited but must reflect project needs; max project period: 3 years.
Summary: Supports development and validation of novel tools to probe cell- and circuit-specific processes in the brain, enabling detailed analysis of brain function.
Key Information: Clinical trials are not allowed; applications must focus on tool/technology development, not disease mechanism studies.
Description
This opportunity, part of the NIH BRAIN Initiative, funds research to develop and validate innovative tools and technologies for probing cell-type and circuit-specific processes in the brain. The goal is to enable detailed analysis of complex neural circuits and cellular interactions underlying brain function, with an emphasis on approaches that break through current technical barriers. Projects should focus on tool/technology development and validation, not on testing disease mechanisms or hypotheses.
Priority is given to tools that:
- Inform or exploit cell-type and/or circuit-level specificity.
- Can be used across multiple species or model organisms.
- Offer significant improvements in precision, sensitivity, or scalability over existing methods.
Clinical trials are not permitted under this funding opportunity.
