# HEAL Initiative: Optimization of Therapeutic Medical Devices through Team Science Mechanistic Research (RM1)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/rfa-ns-26-028-heal-initiative-optimization-of-therapeutic-medical-devices/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361520

> National Institutes of Health plans to offer grants to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. It expects to make about 4 awards. It is a forecast: the notice is expected around June 11, 2026, with applications due around October 30, 2026.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | RFA-NS-26-028 |
| Agency | National Institutes of Health |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | expected October 30, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | not stated |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 4 |
| Total funding | not stated |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 93.853 |

## Who can apply

- 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 ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions).

## What the grant funds

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), with other NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to investigate the mechanisms of action of therapeutic medical devices with the overall goal of improving clinical outcomes with device-based approaches. Medical devices are essential in managing health conditions, complementing drugs and behavioral interventions, and often offer unique benefits. Despite the commercial availability of numerous medical devices and ongoing development of new technologies, many have shown inconsistent results in preclinical studies, failed translation to humans, and exhibit varied patient outcomes. To overcome these challenges, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms by which medical devices produce a therapeutic effect, to identify physiological markers of neurological conditions, and to assess how device-based therapies influence these markers. Advancing this knowledge will improve device-based interventions, inspire new device designs, and optimize current clinical approaches. Applications will be invited from interdisciplinary teams pursuing innovative research on how medical devices produce a therapeutic effect. Applicant teams will likely exhibit expertise in areas such as engineering, biology, pathophysiology, surgery, clinical care, healthcare delivery, biostatistics, software development, computational modeling, artificial intelligence, regulatory science, and clinical trials. This program will accept projects on investigational devices and those already FDA-approved and in clinical use. Applications are expected to include strategies for developing or optimizing therapies that could significantly improve patient care. Supported research may include mechanistic clinical trials, animal studies, and computational modeling or simulation. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.

## Questions people ask

### Who can apply for HEAL Initiative: Optimization of Therapeutic Medical Devices through Team Science Mechanistic Research (RM1)?

National Institutes of Health accepts 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 HEAL Initiative: Optimization of Therapeutic Medical Devices through Team Science Mechanistic Research (RM1)?

Expected deadline October 30, 2026. Confirm the date and time in the official notice on Grants.gov.