Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
This grant supports research using invasive brain recordings & stimulation in humans to understand the neural circuits involved in mental health disorders.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: June 16, 2025 (New) | July 16, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | October 16, 2025 (New) | November 16, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | February 16, 2026 (New) | March 16, 2026 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | and similar dates through November 16, 2027
Funding Amounts: Up to $275,000 direct costs over 2 years; no more than $200,000 in any single year; typical project period is 2 years.
Summary: Supports exploratory research using invasive neural recording and stimulation in humans to advance understanding of neural circuitry underlying mental health disorders.
Key Information: Animal studies, device intervention trials, and stand-alone technology development are not eligible; strong data sharing and neuroethics requirements apply.
Description
This NIH funding opportunity (R21 mechanism) encourages exploratory and high-risk research projects that utilize invasive neural recording and stimulation in humans to address key questions about the neural circuitry underlying mental health disorders. The goal is to leverage unique opportunities for direct brain recordings and stimulation—such as those arising during clinical care (e.g., epilepsy monitoring, deep brain stimulation)—to gain insights into the neural dynamics of mood, emotion, cognition, and behavior relevant to psychiatric conditions. Projects should focus on mental health-relevant questions with high translational potential, but development of new therapeutic devices or interventions is outside the scope.
