Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 335
The NIH funding opportunity "Discovery of cell-based Chemical Probes for Novel Brain Targets (R21)" (PAR-17-335) is a discretionary research grant aimed at accelerating early-stage discovery work that produces high-quality, cell-based chemical probes for previously underexplored brain targets. It is designed for investigators who are ready to move beyond initial screening and can already demonstrate a credible starting point for medicinal chemistry. In practical terms, applicants are expected to come in with validated hit compounds in hand and with established, relevant bioassays that can be used to test newly synthesized analogs during an optimization campaign. The goal is to push those starting hits toward becoming useful, selective small-molecule tools that can interrogate biology in a cellular context, rather than simply reporting another set of screening results.
The scientific emphasis is on using small molecules as research tools to illuminate brain biology and disease mechanisms aligned with the missions of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The FOA encourages projects that either (1) discover and develop novel small molecules that help researchers understand biological processes relevant to these institutes, or (2) discover and/or validate novel biological targets that can reshape or advance how brain diseases and disorders are studied mechanistically. Review interest is particularly strong for applications that can convincingly show how the proposed probe will generate new insight into disease-relevant targets and pathways, meaning the work should be clearly connected to an important biological question rather than focusing mainly on chemistry for its own sake.
A defining feature of this FOA is that the centerpiece must be cell-based chemical probe discovery. That generally implies probes with measurable activity in cells, appropriate potency for the intended experiments, and evidence of on-target engagement or functional effects that map back to the proposed target or pathway. The program is positioned as an R21, which typically supports exploratory and developmental work, making it a fit for teams that have credible preliminary leads and want to rapidly optimize and demonstrate utility as a cellular probe. At the same time, the announcement signals a boundary: projects that primarily aim to develop in vivo chemical probes are steered toward the companion R01 mechanism (PAR-17-336), which is better suited for more advanced, resource-intensive in vivo probe development and validation.
Administratively, this is an NIH grant opportunity in the health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.173, 93.242, 93.866, and 93.867. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. The original closing date shown in the source information is 2020-09-07, and the FOA creation date is 2017-07-24. The opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health, and while the number of expected awards is not specified in the provided data, the structure and ceiling indicate a targeted, early-stage probe-development program intended to catalyze specific, high-value tool compounds rather than fund large-scale, multi-year translational efforts.
Eligibility is broad and spans many organization types, which lowers barriers for cross-sector and multi-institutional teams. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city governments; 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; non-federally recognized tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and even non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). Taken together, the eligibility language suggests NIH is encouraging participation from diverse institutional settings, including those that may bring specialized chemistry, assay platforms, target biology expertise, or disease-model knowledge into a probe discovery collaboration.
Overall, PAR-17-335 is best read as a focused call for teams that already have credible hit matter and assays and can execute a tight, hypothesis-driven optimization plan to produce cell-active probes that clarify brain-relevant biology. The most competitive projects are likely to be those that couple a clear medicinal chemistry strategy with robust cell-based testing and a strong rationale for why the target or pathway is novel, important, and meaningfully connected to mental health, aging-related neurobiology, or communication disorders.Apply for PAR 17 335
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Discovery of cell-based Chemical Probes for Novel Brain Targets (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.242, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-07. (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 $200,000.00 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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FAQs: NIH "Discovery of cell-based Chemical Probes for Novel Brain Targets (R21)" (PAR-17-335)
What is PAR-17-335?
PAR-17-335 is an NIH funding opportunity titled "Discovery of cell-based Chemical Probes for Novel Brain Targets (R21)." It supports early-stage research focused on discovering and optimizing high-quality, cell-based chemical probes for previously underexplored brain targets.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The goal is to accelerate early discovery work that produces selective, useful small-molecule tools (chemical probes) that can interrogate biology in a cellular context. The emphasis is on advancing beyond initial screening and delivering probe-quality compounds rather than reporting additional screening results.
What type of grant mechanism is this?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which typically supports exploratory and developmental research. In this FOA, it is positioned for teams that already have credible starting points and want to rapidly optimize and demonstrate utility as a cell-based probe.
What scientific areas or institute missions does the FOA align with?
The FOA emphasizes brain biology and disease mechanisms aligned with the missions of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).
What kinds of projects does the FOA encourage?
The FOA encourages projects that (1) discover and develop novel small molecules to help researchers understand biological processes relevant to NIMH, NIA, and/or NIDCD, or (2) discover and/or validate novel biological targets that can reshape or advance mechanistic study of brain diseases and disorders.
What is meant by "cell-based chemical probe discovery" in this FOA?
The centerpiece must be discovery and development of chemical probes that show measurable activity in cells. This generally includes appropriate potency for intended cellular experiments and evidence of on-target engagement or functional effects that connect back to the proposed target or pathway.
Is this FOA focused on chemistry alone?
No. Review interest is described as particularly strong for applications that convincingly show how the proposed probe will generate new insight into disease-relevant targets and pathways. The work is expected to be tightly connected to an important biological question, not primarily chemistry for its own sake.
What stage of research is this FOA aiming to fund?
This FOA is designed for investigators who are ready to move beyond initial screening and can already demonstrate a credible starting point for medicinal chemistry. Applicants are expected to begin with validated hit compounds and relevant bioassays suitable for iterative testing during optimization.
Do applicants need preliminary compounds before applying?
Yes, the FOA expectation (as described) is that applicants come in with validated hit compounds in hand and established, relevant bioassays that can evaluate newly synthesized analogs during an optimization campaign.
Do applicants need to have bioassays already established?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes that applicants should already have established, relevant bioassays that can be used to test newly synthesized analogs as part of the medicinal chemistry optimization effort.
What is the expected deliverable by the end of the project?
The intended outcome is to push starting hit compounds toward becoming useful, selective small-molecule tools that can interrogate biology in a cellular context, with evidence supporting on-target engagement or functional effects tied to the target/pathway.
Are in vivo chemical probes the main focus of PAR-17-335?
No. The FOA highlights that projects primarily aiming to develop in vivo chemical probes are steered toward a companion R01 opportunity (PAR-17-336), which is described as better suited for more advanced in vivo probe development and validation.
What is the companion FOA for more advanced in vivo probe development?
The companion mechanism mentioned is PAR-17-336 (R01), positioned for more advanced, resource-intensive in vivo probe development and validation.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is described as health.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
Is the number of expected awards provided?
No. The provided information does not specify the number of expected awards.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The FOA is associated with CFDA numbers 93.173, 93.242, 93.866, and 93.867.
What is the FOA creation date?
The FOA creation date shown is 2017-07-24.
What closing date is listed in the provided information?
The original closing date shown in the provided source information is 2020-09-07.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, including state, county, and city governments; 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; non-federally recognized tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations).
Are U.S. territories or possessions included in eligibility?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly included among eligible applicant categories.
Does the FOA encourage participation from specific institution types?
Yes. It explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, and tribally controlled colleges and universities, among others.
Are collaborations across sectors implied or supported by the eligibility language?
Yes. The broad eligibility across academia, nonprofits, for-profits, small businesses, governments, tribes, and foreign organizations suggests NIH is encouraging participation from diverse institutional settings, including cross-sector or multi-institutional collaborations that combine chemistry, assay platforms, target biology expertise, or disease-model knowledge.
What kinds of targets are prioritized?
The FOA emphasizes previously underexplored (novel) brain targets, with a strong preference for projects that show the probe will illuminate disease-relevant targets and pathways connected to mental health, aging-related neurobiology, or communication disorders.
What makes an application competitive based on the provided description?
Based on the description, the most competitive projects are likely to combine (1) credible hit matter and a clear medicinal chemistry optimization strategy, (2) robust cell-based testing using established bioassays suitable for iterative analog evaluation, and (3) a strong rationale for why the target or pathway is novel, important, and meaningfully connected to NIMH, NIA, and/or NIDCD-relevant biology.
What kinds of projects are less aligned with this FOA?
Projects that mainly report additional screening results (without a credible medicinal chemistry starting point and an optimization plan) and projects primarily focused on in vivo probe development (rather than cell-based probes) are described as outside the central focus of this FOA.
What is the intended role of small molecules in this program?
Small molecules are intended to serve as research tools (chemical probes) that help interrogate biology in cells and clarify mechanisms relevant to brain function and disease, rather than serving as primarily translational or large-scale development candidates in this R21 program.
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