BRAIN Initiative: Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | RFA DA 24 041

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 24 041

The NIH BRAIN Initiative funding opportunity titled "Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization: Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" (RFA-DA-24-041) supports cooperative agreement projects aimed at dramatically improving how scientists measure, synchronize, and computationally model behavior in whole organisms. The core idea is to move beyond coarse or single-channel behavioral readouts and instead capture behavior as a high-resolution, multi-dimensional phenomenon that unfolds across time, context, and environment, in ways that can ultimately be aligned with neural measurements and brain-based models supported by the BRAIN Initiative.

Projects are expected to address two major scientific and technical goals. First, applicants should develop, validate, and apply advanced tools and methods for minimally invasive measurement of organismal behavior at high resolution and across multiple dimensions. This is not just about tracking movement; it is about capturing richer behavioral structure while simultaneously recording meaningful changes in the organism's physical and/or social environment. In practice, this could include approaches that quantify posture, kinematics, vocalizations, physiological proxies related to behavior, social interactions, or other detailed behavioral features, while also recording contextual variables like spatial setting, objects, sensory stimuli, group dynamics, or environmental conditions. A key requirement is synchronization: the behavioral measurement must be time-aligned with environmental changes so the resulting dataset reflects how behavior and context co-evolve.

Second, the NOFO emphasizes building computational methods that can integrate complex behavioral and environmental datasets spanning multiple timescales into a conceptual and/or computational model of behavior as a dynamic system. The intention is to support modeling frameworks that treat behavior as structured, state-dependent, and context-sensitive, rather than as isolated events or simple summary metrics. These computational components should be capable of fusing high-dimensional streams of behavioral features with environmental signals, capturing temporal structure across short and long windows, and producing models that help explain, predict, or simulate behavior in a way that is useful for neuroscience. Importantly, the work should be designed so it can either integrate synchronously recorded neural data (for example, neural activity recorded in parallel with behavior and environment) and/or inform and connect to existing neurobehavioral models developed through prior BRAIN Initiative efforts.

This opportunity is explicitly not for clinical trials. Any proposed research that meets the NIH definition of a clinical trial is not allowed under this NOFO. For teams interested in mechanistic research in humans that relates to the same overall scientific goals, NIH points applicants to a companion U01 opportunity, RFA-DA-24-040, rather than this one. That distinction matters during application planning because it affects allowable study designs, review expectations, and compliance requirements.

A notable application requirement is the Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP). The PEDP is not optional: it will be evaluated during scientific and technical peer review, and applications that do not include a PEDP will be considered incomplete and withdrawn. In practical terms, applicants need to describe concrete, project-relevant steps to broaden perspectives and contributions, which may involve team composition, collaborations, training and mentorship structures, stakeholder engagement, recruitment and inclusion practices for participating researchers, or other strategies aligned with the project goals. NIH strongly encourages applicants to follow the NOFO instructions closely and consult the official PEDP guidance materials to ensure the plan is responsive and review-ready.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using the cooperative agreement mechanism (U01), which generally means NIH staff will have substantial programmatic involvement compared to a standard research project grant. The agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the original closing date listed for this opportunity is 2026-10-09. The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting the multi-institute, cross-cutting nature of BRAIN-related research.

Eligibility is broad. In addition to typical academic and nonprofit applicants, eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and additional categories specifically highlighted in the NOFO. These highlighted groups include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. The overall message is that NIH is looking for strong, integrative teams wherever they are located organizationally, as long as they can meet the scientific scope and program requirements.

In summary, this NOFO targets transformative, tool-and-model-driven research that can measure behavior and environment together at high resolution, integrate these data across timescales, and produce dynamic models that are designed to connect to neural data and neurobehavioral theory. It is geared toward building the next generation of behavior-quantification and modeling infrastructure for neuroscience, while excluding clinical trials and requiring a carefully prepared PEDP as a condition of a complete application.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (U01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 RFA DA 24 041

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