RFA-NS-25-017: BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Instrumentation and Device Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
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 June 16, 2026.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed February 13, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeU01
- Clinical trialsNot allowed
- Funded byNINDS
- Median yearly award$686,023
- Typical project length4 years
- U01, Research Project Cooperative Agreement. Like an R01, but NIH staff are substantially involved in the work. Other open U01 notices.
Projects funded under RFA-NS-25-017 were run by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, 1 project). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
This notice replaced RFA-NS-21-027.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-NS-25-017 in the NIH Guide.
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFA-NS-24-005 | March 14, 2023 | Closed September 23, 2024 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | September 24, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | June 16, 2026 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | July 16, 2026 |
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 10 programs behind this notice (73% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks applications to optimize instrumentation and device technologies for recording and modulation of neural cells and circuits, to address major challenges and to enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the central nervous system. It is expected that the proposed technologies and approaches have previously demonstrated their transformative potential through initial proof-of-concept testing, and are ready for accelerated refinement through iterative engineering and end-user feedback, appropriate for a path towards sustainable dissemination and user-friendly incorporation into routine neuroscience research. Applications may propose development of instrumentation hardware and/or devices and associated software. Approaches may utilize any modality such as optical, electrical, magnetic, or acoustic recording/manipulation, to target neuronal electrical signals or other forms of neural activity, including intracellular signaling and engagement of non-neuronal cells in circuit function. This NOFO is a re-issue of RFA-NS-21-027, but unlike the previous NOFO the focus is narrowed to technologies associated with recording/manipulation instrumentation and devices, and excludes projects primarily focused on development of molecular reagents. Potential applicants primarily optimizing molecular constructs should consider RFA-MH-22-245 (or its reissue), BRAIN Initiative: Engineering and optimization of molecular technologies for functional dissection of neural circuits (UM1 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). For projects at an earlier stage of development of molecular reagents, potential applicants should consider the companion FOA (RFA-NS-25-018) or alternative BRAIN Initiative announcements including RFA-MH-21-175 and RFA-EY-21-001 (or their reissues). For this and the companion NOFO, the aim of the proposed technologies should be to reduce major barriers to conducting neurobiological experiments, including considerations of cost and ease of access, and to enable new discoveries for understanding neural circuit function. Technologies should address major challenges associated with recording and modulating CNS activity, at cellular or circuit resolution, and should contribute to an overall ecosystem of technologies spanning multiple spatial and temporal scales in any region throughout the CNS.
Funded under RFA-NS-25-017 so far
NIH funded 1 project under RFA-NS-25-017 in fiscal 2026, at 1 institution. The median yearly award was $686,023.
| Project | Institution | Fiscal year | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Invasive Cellular-Resolution Deep Imaging of Brain Structure and Function | Cornell University | 2026 | $686,023 |
Who has won Aging Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Aging Research (93.866) awarded $19 billion across 11,026 grant awards, an average of $1.7 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 337 | $575 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 242 | $574 million |
| University of Southern California | California | 203 | $572 million |
| The Washington University | Missouri | 210 | $556 million |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Michigan | 232 | $538 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 |
Other programs behind this notice
- Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs
- Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research
- Vision Research
- Alcohol Research Programs
- Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders
- Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health
- Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health
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 RFA-NS-25-017 still open?
No. It closed on June 16, 2026.
Who can apply for BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Instrumentation and Device Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)?
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 BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Instrumentation and Device Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)?
Closed June 16, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
Who has been funded under RFA-NS-25-017?
NIH RePORTER lists 1 project funded under RFA-NS-25-017 in fiscal 2026, at 1 institution.
Who has won Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, The University of Iowa. The program made 2,231 awards worth $2.1 billion in that time.
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