BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DA 23 039

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 23 039

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering an R01 funding opportunity under the BRAIN Initiative titled "Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-DA-23-039). The goal is to push neuroscience beyond simply collecting large and complicated datasets by supporting work that can turn those data into real understanding of how the brain functions. In practical terms, the FOA is aimed at building and improving the conceptual and computational foundations that let researchers interpret complex brain data, connect findings across scales, and extract principles that generalize rather than remaining tied to a single dataset or experimental setup.

Projects responsive to this opportunity are expected to focus on the development of theories, computational models, and analytic methods that can handle modern neuroscience data types and complexity. That can include creating tools that integrate and unify existing theories, or proposing entirely new theoretical frameworks that help organize, fuse, and interpret data in ways that reveal underlying mechanisms. The FOA also encourages multiscale or multiphysics modeling approaches, meaning models that can connect different levels of brain organization (for example, linking molecular or cellular processes to circuits and behavior) or incorporate different physical and biological processes into a coherent modeling strategy. Another key area is the development of new analytic methods designed to evaluate specific hypotheses about brain function, including methods intended to support a hypothesis or to rigorously challenge and potentially refute it, which signals an emphasis on strong inference rather than purely descriptive analytics.

A central expectation is that the outputs of funded projects will be broadly useful to the wider neuroscience community. The tools developed under this FOA are expected to be made widely available for others to use and modify, which typically implies a strong emphasis on usability, documentation, transparency, and dissemination. While applicants can include investigative components, the FOA draws a clear boundary around what that investigation should look like: studies should be limited to estimating model parameters and/or testing the validity of the tools being developed. In other words, the work should primarily be tool-, method-, or theory-building, with experiments or analyses serving to calibrate, demonstrate, and validate the new framework rather than to pursue a large standalone biological discovery aim.

The mechanism is an NIH research project grant (R01), and clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and sits within NIH program areas reflected in multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), indicating broad alignment with neuroscience and health-related research domains supported by NIH institutes and centers.

Eligibility is intentionally broad and includes many organization types across the public, private, nonprofit, and education sectors. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants 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, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This broad eligibility is consistent with the BRAIN Initiative's interest in drawing from diverse scientific and institutional perspectives to build widely shared resources for the field.

Key administrative details provided include an original closing date of 2024-09-12 and a creation date of 2022-09-20. The listing shows an award ceiling of 250000, and the number of expected awards is not specified in the provided source data. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as funding for researchers and teams who can develop rigorous, reusable, community-facing theory and analysis tools that make sense of complex brain datasets, while keeping any empirical work tightly tied to parameterization and validation of the new methods rather than broader clinical or discovery-focused trials.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial 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, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-09-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-12. (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 $250,000.00 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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