Image-guided Drug Delivery (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 252

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 252

The Image-guided Drug Delivery (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (PAR-18-252) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to support research that improves how drugs and biologics are delivered using medical imaging as a central tool. The core idea is to move beyond treating imaging as a before-and-after snapshot and instead use it as an active, real-time guide for where, when, and how therapies are administered, while also measuring whether the treatment actually reaches the intended target and produces the desired biological response. Projects supported under this FOA are expected to be innovative and quantitative, with a strong emphasis on in vivo measurement, monitoring, characterization, and validation of both delivery and therapeutic effect.

The FOA focuses on image-guided drug delivery (IGDD) approaches that integrate imaging directly into the delivery process. This includes real-time image guidance during administration, imaging-based monitoring of drug distribution and pharmacodynamics, and quantitative imaging assays that can objectively measure delivery efficiency and treatment response in living systems. Another clear priority is the development of integrated, imaging-based delivery systems for drugs or biologics, particularly for cancer but also for other diseases where targeted delivery and early intervention could improve outcomes. In practice, this could cover platforms that combine imaging hardware or imaging agents with delivery devices, smart carriers, or other technologies that allow clinicians or researchers to see and verify where a therapeutic goes, how much arrives, how long it stays, and what it does once it gets there.

The activity is funded through the NIH R01 mechanism, which generally supports substantial, hypothesis-driven research programs rather than small pilot projects. Importantly, the announcement is labeled “Clinical Trial Optional,” meaning applications may include a clinical trial if it is appropriate for the proposed aims, but a clinical trial is not required. That flexibility allows teams to propose anything from late-stage preclinical validation and quantitative assay development through to early clinical feasibility studies, as long as the work is centered on imaging-enabled delivery and rigorous measurement of delivery and response.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and institutions: state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled higher education institutions; private higher education institutions; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as 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), and U.S. territories or possessions. This signals an intent to encourage participation from a wide range of institutions and communities, including organizations that may bring specialized clinical populations, unique infrastructure, or specialized imaging and delivery expertise.

From the program metadata, the opportunity falls under health and education-related federal funding activity categories and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.286, 93.394, and 93.395. The record shows an original closing date of November 22, 2018, and a creation date of November 30, 2017, which is useful for historical reference and for locating archived NIH materials or successor announcements. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, which often indicates that budgets and award counts are dependent on NIH institute priorities, application volume, and the scope of proposed projects.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Image-guided Drug Delivery (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): 93.286, 93.394, 93.395.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-11-22. (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 PAR 18 252

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