This Notice invites cutting edge computational approaches to utilize substance use disorder (SUD) data to its full potential and provide powerful insights into the etiology, prevention, and treatment of SUD. Research using basic or clinical approaches is appropriate.

Background:

Computational neuroscience provides a theoretical foundation and a rich set of technical approaches for understanding complex neurobiological systems, building on the theory, methods, and findings of computer science, neuroscience, and numerous other disciplines. Advances in computational neuroscience are being accelerated by new methods for integrating and analyzing complex data, conceptual frameworks deriving from many different theoretical sources, and new modalities for data collection, simulation, modeling, and experimental manipulation.

Collaborative research between quantitative and experimental researchers with expertise in Substance Use Disorders (SUD) neuroscience enables close interaction between theory, modeling, analysis, and experimental neuroscience in this domain. This provides a framework for interpretation of empirical data, development of quantitative hypotheses for empirical testing, and grounding of theories and models in an empirical context thereby facilitating novel insights into causal mechanisms related to substance use and SUD.

Research Objectives:

NIDA seeks applications combining computational and experimental methodologies towards understanding neurobiological mechanisms related to SUD prevention and treatment. Applications may rely on existing data or propose to collect new data towards development and validation of models. Projects are encouraged to include close collaboration between quantitative and experimental researchers with expertise in HIV/AIDS SUD neuroscience, including scientists from statistics, physics, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. Investigators are encouraged to make the data generated from these projects findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) to enable secondary analysis by the research community. Similarly, investigators are encouraged to make any computational tools developed through these projects widely available to the neuroscience research community for their use and modification.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Identifying neurosignatures for disease progression and therapy effectiveness using artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools
• Applying computational tools to neurobehavioral data towards predicting efficacy of device-based SUD treatment
• Applying simulation-based approaches towards understanding whole brain dynamics related to SUD
• Identifying potential subtypes within SUD patient populations by AI-based tools to behavioral, neuroimaging, and clinical measures
• Using computational tools to identify molecular biomarkers representing disruption in host immune and defense mechanisms, host genetic determinants, and cellular or brain circuitry neurosignatures relevant to neuroHIV in the context of substance use or SUD.

Application and Submission Information:

This notice applies to due dates on or after June 5, 2020 and subsequent receipt dates through September 8, 2023.

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) or any reissues of these announcement through the expiration date of this notice.

PAR-19-368 (R01) Accelerating the Pace of Drug Abuse Research Using Existing Data (Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-19-054 (Parent R21) NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-053 (Parent R21) NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-092 (Parent R21) NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

PA-19-056 (Parent R01) NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

PA-19-055 (Parent R01) Research Project Grant (Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-091 (Parent R01) NIH Research Project Grant (Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the funding opportunity announcement used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:

For funding consideration, applicants must include "NOT-DA-20-022" (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.

Applicants must use FORMS-F for due dates on or after May 25, 2020.

Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will be not be considered for the NOSI initiative.