BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 25 170

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 25 170

The NIH BRAIN Initiative funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-25-170) supports research projects that tackle the major ethical questions raised by modern human brain research and the fast-moving neurotechnologies being developed under the BRAIN Initiative. The program is aligned with the priorities laid out in BRAIN 2025: A Scientific Vision and further shaped by recommendations from the NIH Advisory Council to the Director Working Group on BRAIN 2.0 Neuroethics Subgroup. In practical terms, the NOFO is looking for projects that do more than describe ethical concerns in the abstract; it is aimed at producing concrete, research-driven insights that can keep pace with, and meaningfully inform, the cutting-edge neuroscience and technology that BRAIN is known for.

The core purpose of the grant is to fund multidisciplinary teams that can study ethical issues that arise specifically from research focused on the human brain and from emerging neurotechnologies. This includes work that is designed to be complementary and integrative with the broader BRAIN Initiative portfolio, meaning applicants are expected to connect their ethics research to real scientific trajectories and real technology development, rather than treating ethics as a separate, after-the-fact add-on. The emphasis on multidisciplinary teams signals that NIH expects applicants to combine expertise across areas such as neuroscience, neuroengineering, clinical research, philosophy and bioethics, law and policy, social and behavioral science, data science, disability studies, and community-engaged research, depending on the question being addressed.

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism, which typically supports substantial, hypothesis-driven or question-driven research programs. The listing notes "Clinical Trial Optional," which means applicants may propose studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial if appropriate for the ethical research question, but they are not required to do so. The funded work is intended to engage the "core ethical issues" created or intensified by advances in neurotechnology and brain science, especially those associated with BRAIN-supported research areas. While the NOFO text provided here does not enumerate specific topic areas, the framing strongly points to issues that commonly arise with advanced neurotechnologies and human brain data, such as informed consent in complex or invasive neural interfaces, privacy and security risks associated with neural data, appropriate governance and stewardship of sensitive datasets, managing incidental findings, fairness and bias in neurotechnology development and deployment, accountability when systems combine AI with neural measurements, and broader societal implications like identity, agency, autonomy, and potential coercive or non-medical uses. Projects that translate ethical analysis into actionable guidance, tools, frameworks, or empirically grounded recommendations that can be adopted by researchers, clinicians, IRBs, and technology developers are a natural fit for the program's stated goal of being integrative with scientific progress.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The NOFO also highlights additional eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility reflects the program's interest in diverse perspectives and real-world relevance, including perspectives rooted in community settings, underrepresented institutions, and international contexts where appropriate.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary grant offered by the National Institutes of Health. The activity category is listed under Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services, and the CFDA/assistance listing numbers associated with the opportunity include 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867. The opportunity was created on 2024-02-15, and the original closing date is 2026-10-09. The award ceiling shown in the provided record is $300,000 (as displayed in the source data). The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided excerpt, suggesting applicants should consult the full NOFO for any additional details on budget expectations, project period, review criteria, and program priorities.

Overall, this NOFO is best understood as NIH's push to ensure that ethical research keeps stride with the rapid evolution of neurotechnology and brain science. It is designed for applicants who can connect ethical inquiry directly to the realities of BRAIN-era research, produce evidence or frameworks that improve practice, and help the field anticipate and manage the ethical challenges that come with increasingly powerful ways of measuring, modulating, decoding, and intervening in the human brain.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" 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, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

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