Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP)
ARPA-H's STOMP program funds research to detect, map, and understand toxic microplastics in the human body, aiming for breakthrough measurement and biological insights to enable future removal technologies.
Funder: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
Due Dates: May 6, 2026 (Solution Summary) | June 22, 2026 (Full Proposal)
Funding Amounts: ~$144M total program; multiple awards anticipated; no fixed cap per project; project durations up to 5 years (Phase 1: 30 months, Phase 2: up to 60 months).
Summary: A major research initiative to develop technologies for detecting, understanding, and removing toxic microplastics from the human body, supporting transformative advances in health.
Key Information: Solution Summary required before full proposal; awards made as Other Transaction Agreements (OTs); open to US and select foreign entities.
Description
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is soliciting proposals for the Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP) program, a bold, multidisciplinary effort to revolutionize the detection, biological understanding, and eventual removal of toxic microplastics from the human body. The program is structured in two main phases and focuses on three technical areas: measurement, mechanistic understanding, and (in a future solicitation) removal of microplastics. STOMP aims to establish gold-standard measurement techniques, map the distribution and toxicity mechanisms of microplastics in organs and cells, and ultimately create scalable, affordable solutions for clinical quantification and removal. The program is highly collaborative, with an emphasis on sharing protocols, reference materials, and interim results among awardees and federal partners.
