The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a funding opportunity titled “BRAIN Initiative: Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization – Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)” under the funding opportunity number RFA-DA-24-040. This initiative seeks to support innovative, interdisciplinary research efforts that develop and apply cutting-edge methods for measuring and modeling human behavior in complex environments, with the goal of advancing fundamental understanding of neurobehavioral functions. The funding is part of the BRAIN Initiative, a federal effort to enhance our understanding of the human brain through advanced technologies.

The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to facilitate the development of new tools, methods, and computational models that can capture and analyze multidimensional behavioral, neural, and environmental data simultaneously. Proposed research must be capable of synchronizing this information in dynamic, real-world settings. The projects should develop technologies and models that inform or integrate neural data to explain behavior as a complex, dynamic system. A unique aspect of this opportunity is its emphasis on high-resolution, minimally invasive tools for behavioral and environmental measurement that can integrate with neural data collection. Ethical considerations must be explicitly addressed, and proposals must include experts in ethics to tackle related analytical and societal challenges.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations, including higher education institutions, non-profits, for-profits (including small businesses), local and state governments, tribal organizations, and international entities. Applications focusing solely on specific diseases or animal models, or those with highly constrained behavioral designs, are deemed non-responsive and will not be reviewed. A minimum requirement for applications includes addressing three major objectives: developing non-invasive measurement technologies, integrating behavioral and environmental data, and creating theoretical or computational models. Additionally, applications must include milestones for each major objective and demonstrate an interdisciplinary team with relevant scientific and ethical expertise.

Applicants may submit their proposals through NIH’s ASSIST system, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system platforms. A letter of intent is encouraged and must be submitted 30 days before the application deadline. Required registrations (SAM, eRA Commons, Grants.gov) must be completed in advance. Applications must follow NIH guidelines strictly, and any deviations from specified instructions may result in rejection. The earliest date to submit applications is September 9, 2024, with deadlines falling annually on October 9 through 2026. This funding opportunity will expire on October 10, 2026.

Applications will undergo NIH’s peer review process based on significance, investigator qualifications, innovation, approach, and environment. Projects with high innovation potential and feasibility are particularly encouraged. Awardees must participate in the BRAIN Initiative’s collaborative activities, such as annual conferences and consortium meetings, and comply with NIH’s data sharing policies. While budgets are not capped, they must reflect the actual needs of the project, with project periods not exceeding five years. NIH anticipates funding up to ten awards per year, with approximately $8 million in total funding available annually across this and the companion NOFO.