The Cellular and Molecular Biology of Complex Brain Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports 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. 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.
Applications are open to researchers in the USA and worldwide. The award provides 275,000 USD for 2 years (plus indirect costs).
Opportunity ID: PAR-25-037
Applications are due: June 16, 2026.