Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 18 042
The NIH funding opportunity "Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-NS-18-042) is a discretionary grant program designed to push forward early-stage, high-potential research aimed at finding and validating new biological targets for pain treatment. It uses the R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant mechanism, which is built for projects that are still in the early, conceptual, or proof-of-principle phase. The central idea is to give researchers room to test bold or unconventional approaches that may carry substantial scientific risk, but that could also open the door to major advances in safer and more effective pain therapies.
The scientific focus is on "target discovery" and "target validation" in the pain space. In practical terms, this means generating evidence that a specific molecule, receptor, ion channel, pathway, cell type, or other measurable biological mechanism is genuinely involved in pain signaling, pain modulation, or pain persistence, and that changing it in a controlled way could plausibly reduce pain without causing unacceptable side effects. Because the goal is to enable better treatments, the program emphasizes work that lays a credible foundation for future therapeutic development. At the R21 stage, that often includes exploratory experiments, early mechanistic studies, tool development needed to interrogate a target, and preliminary validation work that makes a proposed target more compelling for later-stage translational studies.
A key constraint is stated directly in the title: clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement. That generally means the supported research must remain preclinical or non-trial human research (for example, certain types of observational or biospecimen-based studies may sometimes be permissible depending on NIH definitions, but applicants must ensure the proposed work does not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial). The intent is to fund discovery and validation research rather than testing an intervention in people.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health and uses the standard grant funding instrument. It is categorized under multiple federal funding activity areas, including health, and it is associated with several CFDA numbers (now often referred to under assistance listings) spanning NIH institutes and programs: 93.121, 93.213, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, and 93.879. The listing shows an award ceiling of $200,000, reflecting the maximum amount indicated in the source data for this opportunity.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of U.S. and certain non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement 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); eligible federal government agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized; regional organizations; non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations); and U.S. territories or possessions. This breadth signals an intent to attract innovative ideas from many types of research environments, including institutions serving underrepresented communities and organizations outside traditional academic settings.
Finally, the source data indicates the opportunity was created on 2018-09-19 and had an original closing date of 2019-11-12. In short, this R21 program was structured to accelerate early, potentially breakthrough work that identifies and strengthens the evidence for new pain-related targets, while keeping the scope firmly on discovery and preclinical or non-clinical-trial validation steps that can later support safer, more effective pain treatments.Apply for RFA NS 18 042
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R21 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): 93.121, 93.213, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-09-19.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-11-12. (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 $200,000.00 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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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Analytical and/or Clinical Validation of a Candidate Biomarker for Pain (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 18 046 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 046 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 043 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 043 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Predoctoral Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) - Institutional Research Training Program [T32] Apply for RFA OD 19 011 Funding Number: RFA OD 19 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Optimization of Non-addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 19 010 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Translational Development of Devices to Treat Pain (U18 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA EB 18 003 Funding Number: RFA EB 18 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Translational Devices to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 19 016 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 016 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Optimization of Non-addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain - (U44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 19 020 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Translational Devices to Treat Pain (U44 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 19 017 Funding Number: RFA NS 19 017 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Administrative Supplement for Research on Bioethical Issues Apply for PA 19 217 Funding Number: PA 19 217 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Development of Therapies and Technologies Directed at Enhanced Pain Management (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 20 008 Funding Number: RFA NS 20 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL INITIATIVE: Development of Therapies and Technologies Directed at Enhanced Pain Management (R43/R44 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 20 010 Funding Number: RFA NS 20 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Developmental Centers for AIDS Research (P30 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 20 107 Funding Number: PAR 20 107 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Centers for AIDS Research (P30 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 20 106 Funding Number: PAR 20 106 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Non-addictive Analgesic Therapeutics Development [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 21 010 Funding Number: RFA NS 21 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 305 Funding Number: PAR 21 305 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Discovery and Validation of Novel Targets for Safe and Effective Pain Treatment (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 22 034 Funding Number: RFA NS 22 034 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Emergency Awards: HEAL Initiative- New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA TR 22 013 Funding Number: RFA TR 22 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Discovery and Functional Evaluation of Human Pain-associated Genes and Cells (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 22 018 Funding Number: RFA NS 22 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| HEAL Initiative: Interdisciplinary Team Science to Uncover the Mechanisms of Pain Relief by Medical Devices (RM1 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 23 003 Funding Number: RFA NS 23 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Development and Validation of Non-Rodent Mammalian Models of Pain(R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 22 070 Funding Number: RFA NS 22 070 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $750,000 |
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