Grant Programs & Mechanisms

The Trailblazer Award funds NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators using an enhanced R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant mechanism that provides $400,000 in direct costs over three years. A Trailblazer project may be exploratory, developmental, proof of concept, or high-risk, high-impact. Applicants are expected to propose research approaches for which there are minimal or no preliminary data.

The BRP Funding Opportunity Announcement encourages bioengineering applications that will accelerate the development and adoption of promising tools and technologies that can address important biomedical problems. Awards will focus on supporting multidisciplinary teams that apply an integrative, quantitative bioengineering approach to developing technologies, and engage biomedical researchers or clinicians throughout the project. The goal of the program is to support projects that can realize meaningful solutions within 5 – 10 years.

NIBIB supports a large network of National Centers for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (P41). Scientists at these Centers ensure that NIH-funded biomedical research projects may gain access to the newest and most advanced technologies, techniques, and methodologies.

The C3i Program is an entrepreneurial training course designed to provide innovators with specialized business frameworks and essential tools for successful translation of biomedical technologies from lab to market. The curriculum and customized mentoring provided by C3i are intended to enhance preparations for NIH SBIR/STTR grants.

The purpose of the IMAG is to provide an open forum for communication among government representatives to share updates on individual programs from the various IMAG agencies, and to plan trans-agency activities that will have a broad impact on the communities served by IMAG.

The Pediatric Research using Integrated Sensor Monitoring Systems (PRISMS) program was launched in 2015 to develop sensor-based, integrated health monitoring systems for measuring environmental, physiological, and behavioral factors in pediatric epidemiological studies of asthma, and eventually other chronic diseases.

Point-of-Care (POC) Technologies Research Network drives the development of POC diagnostic technologies through collaborative efforts.

The SBIR and STTR programs seek to increase the participation of small businesses in Federal R&D and to increase private sector commercialization of technology developed through Federal R&D.

Supports biomedical research projects conducted by faculty in academic institutions that have not been major recipients of NIH research awards.

The NIBIB Exploratory/Development (R21) Grant is intended to support innovative, high impact research projects that would 1) generate pilot data to assess the feasibility of a novel avenue of investigation; 2) involve high risk experiments that could lead to a breakthrough in the field of biomedical imaging and/or bioengineering; or 3) demonstrate the feasibility of new technologies that could have a major impact in a specific area.

NIBIB provides support for investigator-initiated conference and scientific meetings that fall within its research focus in Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. A scientific meeting is defined as a gathering, symposium, seminar, conference, workshop, or any other organized, formal meeting to coordinate, exchange, and disseminate information or to explore or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of knowledge.

The Research Project Grant (R01) is the original and historically oldest grant mechanism used by NIH. The R01 provides support for health-related research and development based on the mission of the NIH. R01s can be investigator-initiated or can be in response to a program announcement or request for application.

Applicants planning to submit a R01 application to the NIBIB with direct costs of $500,000 or more within one year are reminded that they must submit a white paper (see templates below) and seek written agreement from the NIBIB staff at least 6 weeks prior to the application receipt date. Applicants are encouraged to contact the NIBIB staff well in advance of the 6 week deadline to discuss their planned application.

Download R01 White Paper Template (MS Word 42.3KB) New

Download R01 White Paper Budget Table Template (Excel Worksheet 12.7KB) New

Small grants provide research support, specifically limited in time and amount, for activities such as pilot projects, testing of new techniques, or feasibility studies of innovative, high-risk research, which would provide a basis for more extended research.

Stimulates basic and clinical research in educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the Nation's research scientists, but that have not been major recipients of NIH support.

A comprehensive list of NIH Grant Mechanisms