Science Track Award for Research Transition (START) Program
NIDA's START Program offers seed funding for early-stage projects integrating substance use research with fields like drug development, brain imaging, neurocognitive tools, data science, or HIV/AIDS research.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: February 16, 2026 (Estimated application due date) | March 16, 2029 (Final opportunity close date)
Funding Amounts: Up to $100,000 total per award; typically short-term pilot projects.
Summary: Supports preliminary research in high-priority substance use and HIV comorbidity areas to help investigators secure future funding.
Key Information: Early stage, new, and investigators new to substance use/AIDS research are encouraged to apply.
Description
This program, administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), provides seed funding for projects focused on substance use research, including comorbidities with HIV. The goal is to help researchers—especially early stage or those new to the field—gather preliminary data that will support future, larger grant applications. Projects may cover a range of topics, such as new therapeutic development for substance use disorders (SUDs), brain imaging techniques, innovative neurocognitive or behavioral science tools, advanced data science (including AI), and research bridging substance use and HIV/AIDS. The intent is to generate findings that inform new concepts or guide the design of more comprehensive studies.
