NIA Clinical Trials

The information found on our Clinical Trial Requirements for Grants and Contracts pages applies across all NIH institutes, centers, and offices (ICOs). This page provides NIA interest areas, types of trials supported, and other funding considerations related to Clinical Trials.

On this page:

Clinical Trials Interest Areas

NIA supports pharmacological and non-pharmacological clinical trials, including trials that address:

  • Age-related changes/disorders of aging in sensory systems (e.g., audition, taste, olfaction, vision, vestibular balance, and pain), movement/motor function, cognition, affect/emotional function, delirium, post-operative decline, sleep, and/or effects related to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) pathology/outcomes.
  • Prevention and/or treatment of cognitive, behavioral, and neuropsychiatric changes associated with age-related cognitive decline and AD/ADRD across the disease spectrum, and across the lifespan.
  • The effects of pharmacological and lifestyle interventions on aging-associated diseases, conditions, and processes including, but not limited to, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, peripheral artery disease, autoimmunity, and menopause.
  • Multifactorial geriatric syndromes including, but not limited to polypharmacy, fatigue, anemia, incontinence, and delirium.
  • Development of new interventions for age-related chronic conditions; prevention and treatment of multiple chronic conditions in older adults.
  • Development of scalable, effective individual, dyadic, or group interventions including, but not limited to, those that: promote healthy lifestyle practices and relationships, enable aging in place, support caregivers, assist those living with chronic illness and disabilities, facilitate advance care planning and medical decision-making, and improve medical management and adherence.
  • Development of effective interventions for health system organizations and institutions including, but not limited to, those that: support provider and health care systems to improve health care and promote health at older ages, promote evidenced-based geriatric care, dementia care, palliative care, and end of life care; those that develop models of care; and those that characterize economic costs of aging-related conditions and care.
  • Enhancement of clinical trial design and methods, including but not limited to: recruitment/retention strategies, and trial outcome measure development (e.g., neuropsychological, biological, and biomarker measures).
  • New biomarkers, including but not limited to imaging, digital, and fluid biomarkers.
  • Factors influencing longevity and maintenance of health over the life span, including the effects of aging mechanisms on risk and progression of multiple aging-related conditions.

Clinical Trials Types of Trials Supported

Pharmacological interventions include but are not limited to: 

  • drugs and small molecules
  • biologics
  • nutritional supplements
  • repurposed drug candidates for AD/ADRD treatment

 Non-pharmacological interventions include but are not limited to: 

  • lifestyle
  • environmental
  • behavioral (e.g., exercise, diet, and sleep)
  • devices
  • cognitive training
  • mindfulness/stress reduction
  • social
  • economic

NIA generally will not consider:

  • Projects outside of NIA’s mission or without a clear focus on aging, older adults, age-related conditions, or AD/ADRD.
  • Intervention trials with the goal of developing drug therapies for Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or other motor disorders.

Clinical Trials Project Period Considerations

Project periods should be appropriate to the proposed research activities. Applicants should adhere to any project period limitations noted in the NOFO.

If approved, the project period for phased CT NOFOs might be up to 7 years (in rare or special circumstances), and up to 5 years for the standard Research Project (R01).

Clinical Trials Budget Considerations

Project budgets should be appropriate to the proposed research activities. Applicants should adhere to any budget limitations noted in the NOFO.

Clinical Trials Contacts

[email protected] 

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