BRAIN Initiative: Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DA 24 042

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 24 042

The NIH BRAIN Initiative funding opportunity "Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization: Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)" supports early-stage, planning-focused projects that prepare teams to pursue a larger, full research program later (for example, a U01 or similar NIH award). The central idea is to help researchers build the scientific and technical foundation for a next-step project that can measure behavior in much richer, more precise ways and then turn those measurements into integrated, dynamic models that can ultimately connect to brain activity and neurobehavioral function.

The NOFO is centered on two tightly linked goals. First, it aims to advance tools and methods for minimally invasive, multi-dimensional, high-resolution measurement of behavior at the level of the whole organism. This is not just about tracking behavior itself, but doing so in a way that captures multiple dimensions of behavior at once (for example, posture, movement dynamics, facial or body features, vocalizations, and other organism-level readouts), with enough resolution to support serious quantitative modeling. A key emphasis is synchronization: applicants are expected to capture behavior while also recording changes in the organism's social environment (such as interactions with other individuals) and/or physical environment (such as context, objects, or relevant environmental variables) at the same time, so the resulting data reflect the real behavioral context rather than isolated actions.

Second, the NOFO prioritizes data science and computational approaches that can integrate these complex behavioral and environmental datasets across multiple timescales. The goal is not simply to store or visualize large datasets, but to develop methods that can fuse heterogeneous streams of information (behavioral measures plus environmental context, potentially at different sampling rates and timescales) into an organized framework. The end product NIH is pushing toward is a conceptual and/or computational model of behavior as a complex dynamic system, meaning a model that treats behavior as something evolving over time with feedback loops, context dependence, and structured variability, rather than as a set of simple labels or isolated events.

Even though the grant is focused on organism-level behavior and environmental context, the opportunity is clearly designed to complement neuroscience. Projects are expected to be designed so they can eventually integrate synchronously recorded neural data and/or directly inform existing models of neurobehavioral function, including work supported by the NIH BRAIN Initiative. In practice, that means applicants should be thinking ahead about compatibility with neural recording approaches, alignment of timestamps and experimental structure, and how behavioral models could map onto neural dynamics, even if the R34 phase is primarily about planning and feasibility work rather than a fully powered research study.

Because this is an R34 planning grant, the funded activities are meant to establish the groundwork needed for a later, larger application. The NOFO highlights planning and development of the research framework, study design, and overall approach. It also emphasizes generating feasibility, validity, and other technically qualifying results. In other words, reviewers will be looking for a credible plan to de-risk the future U01-scale effort: demonstrating that the measurement approach is practical and minimally invasive, that the behavioral and environmental measures are reliable and meaningful, that synchronization is technically workable, and that the computational integration strategy is plausible and well-justified. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation means applicants may propose clinical trial elements if appropriate, but they are not required to do so.

A major compliance requirement in this NOFO is the Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP). This is not an optional attachment. NIH states that the PEDP will be evaluated as part of peer review, and any application that does not include a PEDP will be treated as incomplete and withdrawn. Applicants are encouraged to follow the NOFO instructions closely and use NIH's PEDP guidance materials. Practically, this means proposals should explain how the project will incorporate diverse perspectives in a way that strengthens the science, such as through team composition, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, training and mentoring structures, data practices, or research design choices that broaden relevance and participation.

The opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-24-042. It is a discretionary grant mechanism, and it spans multiple CFDA program areas (including 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867), reflecting its cross-cutting relevance. The original closing date listed is 2024-02-15. The award ceiling is $450,000, indicating the expected maximum budget level for the planning effort rather than a large-scale, multi-year research buildout.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other applicants that meet NIH eligibility rules. The NOFO also explicitly calls out additional eligible or encouraged applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, tribal governments other than federally recognized, and non-domestic entities (foreign organizations). This broad eligibility aligns with the program's emphasis on diverse perspectives and the need for interdisciplinary teams that combine behavior measurement, engineering, computation, and neuroscience.

Overall, the grant is best understood as a structured on-ramp to a more ambitious BRAIN-aligned program: first use the R34 to plan, prototype, validate, and demonstrate feasibility for synchronized, high-resolution behavioral and environmental quantification and integrated modeling, then use those results to compete for a larger award that can scale the tools, datasets, and models and connect them more directly to neural measurements and neurobehavioral theory.

• 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 (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $450,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

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