Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21-Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 437

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 437

The Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21-Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity, offered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is aimed at supporting bold, unconventional basic research on substance use disorders (SUDs). The program is intentionally geared toward ideas that are early, risky, and potentially transformative, especially work that does not fit neatly into NIDA's existing research portfolio or is currently underrepresented within it. In practical terms, CEBRA is meant to push the field forward by backing projects that could reshape how scientists think about addiction, even if there is little prior work or limited preliminary data available to support the concept at the time of application.

The scientific scope is broad across core addiction research areas, including the etiology and causes of SUDs, the underlying biology and pathophysiology, and approaches relevant to prevention or treatment. What matters most is the degree of innovation and the likelihood that the work could have high impact. The solicitation highlights two main types of projects it wants to encourage. First are studies that test a significant, novel hypothesis where existing precedent is scant, but where confirmation would substantially change current understanding of addiction or related mechanisms. Second are projects that develop, adapt, or apply revolutionary tools, techniques, or methods for addiction research, including approaches that may not yet be widely used in SUD science but have strong promise for future applicability. Because it uses the NIH R21 mechanism, the emphasis is on exploratory, early-stage research rather than fully matured programs with extensive supporting data, which makes it a particularly good fit for high-concept pilot directions or method-building efforts.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (funding instrument: grant) under the activity areas of education and health, with CFDA number 93.279. The opportunity number is PAR 18 437, and the program was created on 2018-01-09. The listing notes an original closing date of 2021-02-10, which is important because applicants should treat that date as historically specific and verify whether the announcement has been reissued, extended, or replaced by a newer version before planning a submission.

The award information provided includes an award ceiling of $150,000. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided data, which often means the institute will make awards based on available appropriations and the merit of applications received rather than committing to a fixed count.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant types across government, higher education, nonprofit, and private sectors. Eligible applicants explicitly include state, county, city/township, and 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 other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also emphasizes inclusion of additional applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), 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 even non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility reflects NIDA's interest in pulling in innovative ideas from many types of institutions and communities, including those that may bring different perspectives, methods, or population-relevant insights to addiction research.

Finally, the "clinical trial optional" designation signals that an application may include a clinical trial if it is appropriate for the proposed aims, but a clinical trial is not required. For many applicants, that means the program can support both lab-based or preclinical basic research and certain human-focused studies, as long as the work is consistent with the award's core purpose: testing a novel, potentially paradigm-shifting hypothesis or creating/advancing breakthrough methods that could meaningfully accelerate SUD research.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21-Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-01-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-10. (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 $150,000.00 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.

Apply for PAR 18 437

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