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Closed on Sep 7, 2026

Cellular and Molecular Biology of Complex Brain Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health · Opportunity number PAR-25-037

View the official notice on Grants.gov

Details summarized from the official notice as of Sep 8, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.

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This opportunity is closed as of Sep 7, 2026. It is kept here for reference. See the related open opportunities below, or check the official listing in case the agency posts a new cycle.

Key facts

Opportunity numberPAR-25-037
AgencyNational Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA)93.242
PostedNov 18, 2024
DeadlineSep 7, 2026
Cost sharing or matching requiredNo
Funding typeGrant
CategoryHealth
Last updated hereSep 8, 2026

Summary from the notice

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) encourages research on the biology of high confidence risk factors associated with complex brain disorders, with a focus on the intracellular, transcellular and circuit substrates of neural function. For the purposes of this NOFO, the term complex can refer to a multifactorial contribution to risk (e.g., polygenic and/or environmental) and/or highly distributed functional features of the brain disorder. Studies may be either hypothesis-generating (unbiased discovery) or hypothesis-testing in design and may utilize in vivo, in situ, or in vitro experimental paradigms, e.g., model organisms or human cell-based assays. While behavioral paradigms and outcome measures can be incorporated into the research design to facilitate the characterization of intracellular, transcellular and circuit mechanisms, these are neither required nor expected. Studies should not attempt to model disorders but instead should aim to elucidate the neurobiological impact of individual or combined risk factor(s), such as the affected molecular and cellular components and their relationships within defined biological process(es). This can include the fundamental biology of these factors, components and processes. The resulting paradigms, component pathways and biological processes should be disseminated with sufficient detail to enrich common and/or federated data resources (e.g., those contributing to the Gene Ontology, Synaptic Gene Ontology, FAIR Data Informatics) in order to bridge the gap between disease risk factors, biological mechanism and therapeutic target identification. The present NOFO (R21 activity code) can be used for applications to develop early stage, high-risk, exploratory approaches or establish proof-of-concept where there is little or no preliminary data. Applicants proposing to develop lines of inquiry where feasibility or proof of concept has been established should apply to the companion R01 NOFO (PAR-xx-xxx).

Who can apply

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:

  • Public and state colleges and universities
  • Public and Indian housing authorities
  • Other Native American tribal organizations
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than colleges)
  • Private colleges and universities
  • Special district governments
  • State governments
  • City or township governments
  • Small businesses
  • County governments
  • Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
  • Independent school districts
  • Federally recognized tribal governments
  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than colleges)
  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses

Who should take a closer look

  • Small businesses
  • Nonprofits
  • Colleges and universities
  • State governments
  • Local governments
  • Tribal governments and organizations
  • Larger for-profit companies

Not listed as eligible

  • Individuals

Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.

Eligibility details from the notice

Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession.

Registrations you will likely need

Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.

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