Understanding and Modifying Temporal Dynamics of Coordinated Neural Activity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 21 175

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 175

Understanding and Modifying Temporal Dynamics of Coordinated Neural Activity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) is an NIH R01 grant opportunity (PAR-21-175; CFDA 93.242) focused on a very specific question in systems and translational neuroscience: if you deliberately change the timing patterns of coordinated brain activity, can you reliably improve cognition, emotion-related functioning, or social processing in living organisms. The emphasis is not just on observing neural rhythms, but on intervening in them in vivo, using a clear, testable rationale for why a particular electrophysiological pattern matters for a particular function.

The core scientific aim is to support projects that move beyond correlation and directly test causality. Applicants are encouraged to design studies in animals and/or humans that modify electrophysiological activity patterns such as oscillations, synchrony, coherence, phase relationships, cross-frequency coupling, or other temporal coordination features across neural populations and brain regions. A central expectation is that proposed interventions are grounded in a rational model of how these temporal dynamics help the brain route information, coordinate communication across circuits, or gate how incoming signals influence local computation. In practical terms, strong applications will typically connect a specific neural rhythm or coordination pattern to a mechanistic theory of information flow or circuit function, then show how an intervention that shifts that pattern should lead to measurable changes in cognitive performance, affective regulation, or social behavior.

Because the FOA is “clinical trial optional,” it can support both non-clinical and clinical work. Projects may include clinical trials if the research question and design meet NIH’s clinical trial definition, but a clinical trial is not required. That flexibility opens the door to a wide range of approaches, including animal studies using invasive recordings and perturbations, human studies using noninvasive recording and neuromodulation, or hybrid translational pipelines where an animal mechanistic discovery is used to justify a targeted human intervention study. The announcement also notes that a companion R21 is expected, signaling that NIH is likely supporting both shorter, exploratory/high-risk efforts (R21) and larger, more definitive hypothesis-driven programs (R01), with this R01 intended for projects that are ready for deeper mechanistic testing and stronger outcome validation.

In terms of fit, the FOA is aimed at research that actually modifies coordinated neural activity rather than simply measuring it. That can include a wide variety of electrophysiology-linked strategies, as long as the proposal clearly explains (1) what temporal dynamic is being targeted, (2) why that dynamic is functionally important for the domain being tested (cognitive, affective, or social), (3) how it will be modified, and (4) what outcomes will demonstrate improvement. Typical outcome measures could include behavioral performance metrics, symptom-relevant readouts, or task-based indices of cognitive control, learning, memory, emotion processing, or social interaction, paired with neural evidence that the intended electrophysiological pattern was actually changed in the predicted direction.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types beyond traditional research universities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; 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 other categories. The FOA explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. This breadth signals an intent to encourage participation from diverse institutional settings and communities, including those historically underrepresented in biomedical research funding.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant mechanism under NIH, with an original closing date of January 7, 2025, and a creation date of March 18, 2021. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the supplied source text, which typically means applicants should consult the full FOA and NIH institute/center participation details for budget expectations, project period norms, and any institute-specific priorities or limits.

Overall, this FOA is designed for investigators who can connect circuit-level timing mechanisms to functional outcomes and who are prepared to test whether targeted manipulation of coordinated neural activity can produce meaningful improvements in cognition, affect, or social function. The best-aligned proposals will look like a tight loop between theory, measurement, intervention, and validated outcomes: identify a temporal coordination feature that plausibly drives a functional bottleneck, change it using a well-justified method, confirm that the neural dynamic changed as intended, and demonstrate that this change leads to improved processing in the domain of interest.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Understanding and Modifying Temporal Dynamics of Coordinated Neural Activity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-07. (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 PAR 21 175

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