Assay Development and Screening for Discovery of Validated Chemical Hits for Brain Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 23 168

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 168

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Assay Development and Screening for Discovery of Validated Chemical Hits for Brain Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," funding opportunity number PAR 23-168 (CFDA 93.242). This program supports health-related research aimed at accelerating early-stage drug discovery tools and chemical starting points for brain and psychiatric disorders, specifically through assay creation, optimization, and screening efforts that can identify credible small-molecule "hits" and, in the process, sharpen scientific understanding of disease biology.

The core objective of the announcement is twofold. First, it is intended to drive the discovery and development of novel small molecules that can be used as research tools to study treatment-relevant mechanisms in psychiatric disorders. In practice, that means supporting work that moves beyond broad hypotheses and instead builds concrete experimental platforms (assays) that can reliably measure a biological process or target of interest, then uses those platforms to find chemical matter that modulates that process. Second, the FOA is designed to generate new insight into disease biology, particularly for mechanisms and pathways that are not yet fully validated as drug targets. This emphasis matters because many promising ideas in neuroscience fail to translate due to weak target validation; by funding assay development paired with screening, NIH is encouraging projects that can produce more definitive evidence about whether a biological process is truly "druggable" and relevant to disease.

This opportunity uses the R01 research project grant mechanism and explicitly does not allow clinical trials, so the focus is preclinical and discovery-stage. The expected outcomes are typically enabling assets such as robust, reproducible assays; screening-ready platforms; and validated chemical hits that can serve as starting points for further medicinal chemistry, probe development, or mechanistic studies. The larger aim is to help the field generate tractable chemical tools and clearer biological validation, so future therapeutic development efforts are based on stronger experimental footing.

Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant types across academia, government, nonprofits, and industry. 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 Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and additional "other" entities. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (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-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals NIH interest in drawing assay and screening innovation from many kinds of research environments, including institutions serving underrepresented communities and international groups with specialized capabilities.

Administratively, the opportunity is managed by the NIH, was created on April 17, 2023, and lists an original closing date of May 7, 2026. The provided source text does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which generally means applicants should consult the full FOA for budget guidance, scope expectations, and any institute-specific priorities or review considerations. Overall, the announcement is best understood as NIH support for the practical, experimentally grounded steps that bridge basic neuroscience ideas to credible chemical starting points, while simultaneously producing stronger evidence about which biological mechanisms in psychiatric disorders are worth pursuing as future therapeutic targets.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assay Development and Screening for Discovery of Validated Chemical Hits for Brain Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" 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 2023-04-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-07. (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 23 168

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