Key Dates

Related Announcements

PA-20-185 - NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-20-195 - Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-18-714 - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-134 - Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-310 - Behavioral Science Track Award for Rapid Transition (B/Start)(R03 Clinical Trial Optional)

Issued by

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Purpose

There are several known factors or exposures across neonatal, early childhood, and adolescent development that influence the risk of SUD. These include genetic factors; and environmental factors such as exposures to drugs and/or toxins; nutrition; adverse gestational and perinatal conditions; resource scarcity; neglect; and trauma. Importantly, the effects of these developmental risk factors are stochastic, and a significant proportion of individuals appear to be relatively resilient to SUD risk factors and conditions.

Little is known about sensitive periods from gestation to adolescence in which environmental risk factors may exert their greatest effects. Less is known about the deviations in neural and cognitive development that may predict and/or mediate the impact of these early-life risk factors on later emergence of SUD-relevant psychopathology.

Species with shorter lifespans than humans provide an opportunity to model with longitudinal study designs the impact of early-life risk factors on emergence of SUD-relevant neurobehavioral abnormalities and to elucidate potential neural and cognitive mechanisms that mediate or moderate the probability and severity of these abnormalities in adulthood.

Research Objectives

NIDA seeks to stimulate research in non-human species aimed at modeling environmental and/or biological risk factors for SUD to elucidate neural and cognitive developmental mechanisms that may mediate, moderate, or predict the effects of these factors on subsequent emergence of SUD-related behaviors. Use of longitudinal designs and developmental-stage-appropriate paradigms are strongly encouraged.

Research areas of interest for this announcement include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Identification of neurobiological substrates of risk and resilience and how they are determined by early-life experience (e.g. resource scarcity, parental behavior) or exposures (drugs, toxins, nutrition)
• Neuromechanistic studies of sensitive or critical periods across development that may impact substance use, seeking and SUD-relevant behavioral abnormalities
• Modeling of interactions between genetic and environmental factors across development on SUD-relevant neurocognitive, behavioral and/or psychophysiological phenotypes in adolescence and adulthood
• Data- or model-driven analysis of complex behavior captured in naturalistic settings across stages of development in the context of SUD risk and/or resilience

NIDA encourages inclusion of data archiving and sharing plans compatible with the new NIH Data Sharing Policy that will come into effect January 25, 2023.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the program official listed below prior to submission.

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after June 5, 2021 and subsequent receipt dates through September 8, 2024.

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

PA-20-185 NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-20-195 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-18-714 Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-134 Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-310 Behavioral Science Track Award for Rapid Transition (B/Start)(R03 Clinical Trial Optional)

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-21-003” (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.

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

Inquiries

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Holly Moore
National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA)
Telephone: 301-827-7376
Email: [email protected]