BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Instrumentation and Device Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | RFA NS 25 017

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 25 017

The NIH BRAIN Initiative funding opportunity RFA-NS-25-017 supports projects that are ready to move beyond early proof-of-concept and into focused, accelerated optimization of technologies for recording from and modulating the nervous system. The core idea is to take an existing or emerging tool that has already shown clear promise, then refine it through iterative cycles of testing, feedback, and redesign in close collaboration with end users. The goal is not basic invention from scratch, but practical, performance-driven improvement that makes the technology more usable, more robust, and more broadly adoptable by the neuroscience community.

The FOA is specifically centered on instrumentation and device technologies that can measure and influence neural activity and circuit dynamics in the central nervous system. It emphasizes both recording and modulation, including stimulation or activation, inhibition, and other forms of manipulation. Importantly, the scope is not limited to neurons; tools that target or incorporate non-neuronal cells are also responsive. The program is also flexible about the types of signals and mechanisms involved, welcoming approaches that use electrical, optical, magnetic, acoustic, genetic, or other modalities. Projects that integrate multiple approaches (for example, combined recording plus stimulation, or multimodal sensing that links electrical and optical readouts) are encouraged when that integration meaningfully reduces experimental barriers or expands what can be measured and controlled.

A major expectation is that the proposed technology is compatible with experiments in behaving animals and can be validated under in vivo conditions. In other words, this opportunity is aimed at tools that work in real experimental settings rather than only on the benchtop. The technology should address recognized bottlenecks that slow discovery in systems neuroscience, such as limitations in spatial or temporal resolution, stability over time, invasiveness, throughput, ease of setup, robustness to motion, usability in complex behavioral paradigms, or the difficulty of combining measurement and perturbation in the same preparation. The emphasis throughout is on enabling transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in CNS circuits by making it easier and more reliable to perform the kinds of experiments that currently remain technically challenging or inaccessible to many labs.

Beyond scientific and engineering performance, the FOA places heavy weight on scalability and dissemination. Applicants are expected to consider manufacturing techniques and production pathways that can scale toward sustainable, broad distribution, rather than one-off custom builds that only the originating lab can maintain. The end product should be user-friendly enough to fit into routine neuroscience workflows, which typically implies attention to reliability, documentation, standardization, and practical integration with common experimental hardware and software. This dissemination mindset is part of what distinguishes the opportunity: it is not only about making a tool better in principle, but making it deployable and maintainable by the wider community.

Because the mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, NIH staff are expected to have substantial involvement compared with a standard investigator-initiated grant. That structure typically aligns well with iterative development milestones, shared benchmarking, and active programmatic guidance aimed at producing deliverables that the field can actually use. Clinical trials are not allowed under this FOA, reinforcing that the focus is on technology development and validation in preclinical or non-clinical contexts rather than testing interventions in human participants.

The FOA encourages teams that bring together the mix of expertise needed to optimize complex neurotechnology, including biology and neuroscience, chemical and physical sciences, engineering, computational modeling, and statistical analysis. In practical terms, competitive projects often benefit from tight partnerships between tool builders and real end users who can stress-test prototypes, define performance requirements, and provide feedback about pain points in day-to-day experimental use. This end-user-driven iteration is described as a key component, meaning proposals should show a credible plan for iterative evaluation, benchmarking, and refinement rather than a single linear development path.

Eligibility is broad, spanning many organization types. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and various other entities. The FOA also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This broad eligibility supports participation from a wide range of institutions and encourages technology dissemination that reaches diverse research communities.

Key administrative details from the posted source include: the funding opportunity title is "BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Instrumentation and Device Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)," the opportunity number is RFA-NS-25-017, the agency is the National Institutes of Health, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement (U01), and the original closing date is January 20, 2026. The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA listings (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting NIH program alignment across several neuroscience-related funding streams.

Taken together, this opportunity is best read as a push to mature high-potential neurotechnologies into reliable, scalable, broadly usable tools for in vivo circuit research. The strongest fit is a project where proof-of-concept has already been established, the remaining obstacles are clearly defined, and the team can demonstrate a realistic, end-user-informed optimization plan that results in a technology the broader neuroscience community can readily adopt.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Instrumentation and Device Technologies for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

Apply for RFA NS 25 017

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