PAR-25-116: Towards a Better Understanding of the Neurological Effects of Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of National Institutes of Health notices from 2024.
National Institutes of Health offered grants to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on November 5, 2025.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed October 17, 2024. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR01
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNINDS
- Median yearly award$625,392
- Typical project length5 years
- R01, Research Project Grant. NIH's standard grant for a defined research project led by a named investigator, usually for up to five years. Other open R01 notices.
Projects funded under PAR-25-116 were run by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, 5 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read PAR-25-116 in the NIH Guide.
Key dates
| Posted | October 17, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | November 5, 2025 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | December 11, 2025 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 15 applicant types the notice lists
- 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 (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
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.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the money in the 2 programs behind this notice (73% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to solicit applications focused on the neurological and/or mental health-related manifestations of infection-associated chronic illnesses, including the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (Neuro-PASC) as well as other chronic illnesses with a potential infectious trigger (post-treatment Lyme Disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome [ME/CFS], postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS], post-viral fatigue syndromes, etc.). Projects that investigate common neurological and/or mental health-related mechanisms across multiple infection-associated chronic illnesses would be of particular interest, although this is not a requirement (i.e., applications can focus on a single condition). Neurologically focused clinical research investigating scientifically compelling pathways that contribute to the development of infection-associated chronic illnesses - including basic experimental studies in humans (BESH) or mechanistic clinical trials that will accelerate the development of effective treatments - are within the scope of this initiative. Preclinical studies utilizing animal, cell culture, and/or human tissue models are also encouraged. All applications must propose such studies in the context of a post-infectious etiology.
Funded under PAR-25-116 so far
NIH funded 5 projects under PAR-25-116 in fiscal 2026, at 5 institutions. The median yearly award was $625,392.
| Project | Institution | Fiscal year | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity and Immune Dynamics in Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of Post-SARS-CoV-2 onset ME/CFS versus Pre-Pandemic ME/CFS Patients | Johns Hopkins University | 2026 | $633,378 |
| Neuro-PASC (Brain Fog and Fatigue) is Caused by a Dysbiotic Gut Microbiome | University of Texas Med BR Galveston | 2026 | $625,273 |
| Microglial activation and inflammatory cytokine secretion as mechanisms driving CNS consequences of intermittent exposure to pathogens | Tulane University of Louisiana | 2026 | $625,392 |
| Mechanistic Investigation of Chronic Neuropathologic Interaction Between Viral Infection and Progression of Lewy Pathology and Dementia | Louisiana State Univ HSC Shreveport | 2026 | $582,172 |
| SARS-CoV-2 potentiation of Tau pathology in a Rhesus macaque model of tauopathy | University of California at Davis | 2026 | $1.7 million |
Who has won Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (93.853) awarded $9.1 billion across 8,641 grant awards, an average of $1.0 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The General Hospital Corporation | Massachusetts | 203 | $288 million |
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 248 | $277 million |
| The Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 230 | $276 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 188 | $226 million |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Michigan | 179 | $221 million |
Who has won Mental Health Research Grants grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Mental Health Research Grants (93.242) awarded $8.8 billion across 6,785 grant awards, an average of $1.3 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Univ | Connecticut | 185 | $371 million |
| University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | Pennsylvania | 200 | $297 million |
| University of California, Los Angeles | California | 176 | $234 million |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | New York | 144 | $212 million |
| The Washington University | Missouri | 149 | $211 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is PAR-25-116 still open?
No. It closed on November 5, 2025.
Who can apply for Towards a Better Understanding of the Neurological Effects of Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)?
National Institutes of Health accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Towards a Better Understanding of the Neurological Effects of Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed November 5, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
Who has been funded under PAR-25-116?
NIH RePORTER lists 5 projects funded under PAR-25-116 in fiscal 2026, at 5 institutions. The most were at Johns Hopkins University, University of Texas Med BR Galveston, Tulane University of Louisiana.
Who has won Mental Health Research Grants grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Yale Univ, University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, University of California, Los Angeles. The program made 6,785 awards worth $8.8 billion in that time.
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