Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 289
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-21-289) supports research projects that use invasive neural recordings in humans to answer questions that are directly relevant to mental health. This announcement is a reissue of an earlier solicitation (RFA-20-350) and is intended to push forward what is known about how human brain circuits generate and regulate mood, emotion, cognition, and behavior, especially where those functions are disrupted in psychiatric and related mental health disorders. It uses the R01 grant mechanism, and clinical trials are optional, meaning applicants can propose either clinical trial or non-clinical trial human research as long as it fits the goals of the program.
The core idea behind the FOA is that invasive recordings offer a rare and unusually detailed view into human brain activity. Compared to noninvasive methods, implanted or intraoperative electrodes can capture neural signals with very high temporal precision and strong spatial specificity, allowing researchers to observe fast-changing neural dynamics and circuit-level interactions as they happen. The FOA emphasizes studies that take advantage of this level of access to investigate neural circuitry underlying complex psychological phenomena such as affective states, emotional processing, decision-making, cognitive control, learning, and behavior. The program is designed to fill a specific gap in scientific knowledge: despite major progress in neuroscience, there remains limited direct evidence in humans about the circuit mechanisms that relate to mental health conditions, and invasive recordings are one of the few ways to bridge that gap.
A distinctive feature highlighted in the announcement is the combined ability to both record from and stimulate the brain using the same implanted electrodes. Stimulation can be used to probe causality rather than correlation, for example by perturbing a circuit and measuring how network activity and behavior change. In that sense, the FOA encourages study designs that move beyond simply observing neural activity to also testing mechanistic hypotheses about how circuit dynamics contribute to symptoms, traits, or clinically meaningful behaviors. The emphasis is on well-justified scientific questions that are particularly well suited to invasive human recording and stimulation, and that have clear translational potential for understanding mental health disorders at the circuit level.
At the same time, the FOA draws a boundary around what it will and will not support. While it is interested in studies that could ultimately inform future clinical advances, it explicitly states that developing new technologies and developing new therapies are outside the scope of this announcement. In practice, that means proposals should not be framed primarily as device development, engineering optimization, or therapy creation. Instead, the work should be centered on basic and translational neuroscience questions about circuit function and dysfunction in humans, using invasive recording and, when appropriate, stimulation as the key tools.
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary grant funding in the health area and is associated with CFDA number 93.242. A wide range of organizations are eligible to apply. Beyond the typical applicants such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, eligibility also includes various government entities (state, county, city or township, special districts, independent school districts, and eligible federal agencies), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and organizations (including both federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations). The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Key administrative details provided in the source include an original closing date of January 6, 2023, and a creation date of July 28, 2021. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided listing. Overall, the announcement targets investigators who can leverage rare clinical or research opportunities for invasive access to the human brain, and who can translate that access into rigorous, hypothesis-driven studies that clarify how neural circuits and neural dynamics relate to mental health disorders.Apply for PAR 21 289
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-07-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-01-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-21-289.
What is the main purpose of PAR-21-289?
This opportunity supports research projects that use invasive neural recordings in humans to answer questions that are directly relevant to mental health. The goal is to advance understanding of how human brain circuits generate and regulate mood, emotion, cognition, and behavior, especially when those functions are disrupted in psychiatric and related mental health disorders.
What grant mechanism does this FOA use?
This FOA uses the NIH R01 grant mechanism.
Are clinical trials required under this FOA?
No. The FOA is "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning applicants may propose either clinical trial or non-clinical trial human research, as long as the project fits the goals of the program.
What kinds of research methods are emphasized?
The FOA emphasizes invasive neural recordings in humans, including approaches that use implanted or intraoperative electrodes to capture neural signals with high temporal precision and strong spatial specificity.
Why does NIH emphasize invasive recordings for this program?
According to the FOA description provided, invasive recordings can provide unusually detailed access to human brain activity compared to noninvasive methods. This can enable observation of fast-changing neural dynamics and circuit-level interactions as they occur, helping to bridge gaps in direct human evidence about circuit mechanisms relevant to mental health conditions.
What scientific topics are within scope for this FOA?
Projects should investigate neural circuitry underlying complex psychological phenomena that are directly relevant to mental health, such as affective states, emotional processing, decision-making, cognitive control, learning, and behavior, particularly in the context of psychiatric and related mental health disorders.
Does the FOA encourage studies that include brain stimulation as well as recording?
Yes. A distinctive feature highlighted is the ability to both record from and stimulate the brain using the same implanted electrodes. The FOA encourages designs where stimulation is used to probe causality (for example, perturbing a circuit and measuring changes in network activity and behavior), not just correlation.
What does it mean to "probe causality" in the context of this FOA?
In the context described, probing causality refers to using stimulation to intentionally perturb a neural circuit and then measuring how neural activity and behavior change, in order to test mechanistic hypotheses about how circuit dynamics contribute to symptoms, traits, or clinically meaningful behaviors.
What kinds of projects are explicitly out of scope?
The FOA explicitly states that developing new technologies and developing new therapies are outside the scope. Proposals should not be framed primarily as device development, engineering optimization, or therapy creation. The focus should be on basic and translational neuroscience questions about circuit function and dysfunction in humans using invasive recording (and, when appropriate, stimulation).
Is translational relevance expected?
Yes. While the FOA is not intended to support therapy development, it emphasizes studies with clear translational potential for understanding mental health disorders at the circuit level.
Is this FOA a new announcement or related to a prior solicitation?
This announcement is a reissue of an earlier solicitation, RFA-20-350.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.242.
What type of funding is this categorized as?
It is categorized as discretionary grant funding in the health area.
Who is eligible to apply?
A wide range of organizations are eligible, including public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and many government entities (state, county, city or township, special districts, independent school districts, and eligible federal agencies). Eligibility also includes public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities and Native American tribal governments and organizations (both federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations).
Are minority-serving institutions included as eligible applicants?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Can faith-based or community-based organizations apply?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are listed among eligible applicant types.
Are regional organizations, U.S. territories, or possessions eligible?
Yes. The FOA notes eligibility for regional organizations and U.S. territories or possessions.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations).
Does the listing specify an award ceiling?
No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided listing.
Does the listing specify the expected number of awards?
No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing.
What are the key dates mentioned for this opportunity?
The source information includes a creation date of July 28, 2021, and an original closing date of January 6, 2023.
What kinds of investigators or teams is this FOA designed to support?
The FOA targets investigators who can leverage rare clinical or research opportunities for invasive access to the human brain and translate that access into rigorous, hypothesis-driven studies that clarify how neural circuits and neural dynamics relate to mental health disorders.
Can projects be purely observational, or are interventions required?
Based on the information provided, interventions are not required. The FOA emphasizes invasive recording and encourages stimulation when appropriate to test mechanistic hypotheses, but clinical trials are optional and the focus can be on hypothesis-driven studies that fit the program goals.
What should be the central focus of an application to be aligned with this FOA?
The central focus should be well-justified scientific questions that are particularly well suited to invasive human recording (and optionally stimulation) and that advance understanding of circuit function and dysfunction relevant to mental health disorders, rather than prioritizing technology development or therapy development.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 21 288 Funding Number: PAR 21 288 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Materials to Enhance Training in Experimental Rigor (METER) (UE5 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 21 033 Funding Number: RFA NS 21 033 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Investigator Initiated Research in Computational Genomics and Data Science (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 254 Funding Number: PAR 21 254 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Clinical and Translational Science Award (UM1 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 21 293 Funding Number: PAR 21 293 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NINDS Research Education Opportunities (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 256 Funding Number: PAR 21 256 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Investigator Initiated Research in Computational Genomics and Data Science (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 255 Funding Number: PAR 21 255 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Leveraging Existing Data Resources for Computational Model and Tool Development to Discover Novel Candidate Mechanisms and Biomarkers for ADRD (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 22 006 Funding Number: RFA NS 22 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $499,000 |
| Genome Research Experiences to Attract Talented Undergraduates into the Genomics Field to Enhance Diversity (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA HG 21 033 Funding Number: RFA HG 21 033 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Implementing and Sustaining Evidence-Based Mental Health Practices in Low-Resource Settings to Achieve Equity in Outcomes (R34 Clinical Trial Required ) Apply for PAR 21 283 Funding Number: PAR 21 283 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Effectiveness of Implementing Sustainable Evidence-Based Mental Health Practices in Low-Resource Settings to Achieve Mental Health Equity for Traditionally Underserved Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 21 284 Funding Number: PAR 21 284 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Initiation of a Mental Health Family Navigator Model to Promote Early Access, Engagement and Coordination of Needed Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents (R01 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 21 291 Funding Number: PAR 21 291 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Biomarkers for the Lewy Body Dementias (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 22 001 Funding Number: RFA NS 22 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| AHRQ Mentored Career Enhancement Awards for Established Investigators in Patient-Centered Outcome Research (K18) Apply for PA 22 051 Funding Number: PA 22 051 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| AHRQ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (K01) Apply for PA 22 049 Funding Number: PA 22 049 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Brazil Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis (RePORT) (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 304 Funding Number: PAR 21 304 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| AHRQ Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) Mentored Clinical Scientist Career Development Award (K08) Apply for PA 22 050 Funding Number: PA 22 050 Agency: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Multi-Disciplinary Collaborations to Understand Mechanisms of Systemic Immune Signaling and Inflammation in ADRD and its Progression (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 22 023 Funding Number: PAR 22 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $499,000 |
| Molecular Phenotypes of Null Alleles in Cells (MorPhiC) Phase I: Data Analysis and Validation Centers (U24 Clinical trials not allowed) Apply for RFA HG 21 031 Funding Number: RFA HG 21 031 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Molecular Phenotypes of Null Alleles in Cells (MorPhiC) Phase I: Data Analysis and Validation Centers (U01 Clinical trials not allowed) Apply for RFA HG 21 030 Funding Number: RFA HG 21 030 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Molecular Phenotypes of Null Alleles in Cells (MorPhiC) Phase 1: Data Production Research and Development Centers (UM1)(Clinical trials not allowed) Apply for RFA HG 21 029 Funding Number: RFA HG 21 029 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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