Intramural – Extramural Collaboration for Advanced 3-D Tissue Models for Drug Screening (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 20, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers seeking NIH funding to develop advanced 3-D tissue models for drug screening. Applicants must include both NIH intramural (internal) and extramural (external) partners collaborating on the same project. Eligible institutions include academic medical centers, research organizations, and qualifying businesses with appropriate research capacity. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed; projects must focus on pre-clinical drug screening and tissue engineering development.
Applicants must have institutional support and access to necessary research infrastructure. This is a competitive federal grant with standard NIH eligibility requirements including demonstrated research capacity and institutional endorsement.
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Key dates
- Sep 29, 2025 Applications open
- Jun 16, 2026 Application deadline
- Apr 15, 2027 Award announced
- Apr 15, 2027 Project start
Program description
NIH intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications that will develop, validate and demonstrate the utility of advanced 3-D tissue models for testing the efficacy of various therapeutic modalities, including small molecules and biologics and accelerate the discovery and development of new therapeutics across different diseases.
The initiative will develop advanced 3-D drug screening models adaptable to high throughput assays. These non-animal models are expected to mimic structural, biochemical and mechanical properties of tissue that are representative of a drug’s behavior in a body, resulting in improved predictive accuracy. This is an expansion upon the work conducted under previous NOFOs, RFA-TR-17-007, RFA-TR-19-020 and RFA-TR-21-015, that have focused on development of 3-D skin and other tissue models for drug screening. The applicants are required to utilize the 3-D modeling/drug screening expertise and infrastructure available at the NCATS 3-D Bioprinting laboratory. 3-D tissue models in a well-based drug screening platform should be as complex as necessary to achieve physiological/pharmacological relevance, and as simple as possible to make the models robust, reliable and amenable to drug screening. Grant authorities that allow NCATS to forecast this opportunity are as follows: 42 U.S. Code § 287a – Cures Acceleration Network.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Federal Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424 (R&R) Supplement
- Project Narrative/Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches (Key Personnel)
- Institutional Support Letters (all collaborating organizations)
- Letters of Collaboration from NIH Intramural Partners
- Facilities and Resources Documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Dobrila D. Rudnicki, Ph.D.
- 📧 dobrila.rudnicki@nih.gov
- 📞 240-535-6621
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.350 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$139,753,636
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$118,592,298
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$118,098,707
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$112,138,469
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$102,903,347
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$102,422,256
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$99,978,264
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$99,894,995
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$97,784,066
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$95,644,691
Top States by Funding
- CA 13 awards $662.0M
- NY 11 awards $512.3M
- NC 6 awards $333.5M
- MA 6 awards $321.4M
- OH 6 awards $198.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.350). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $595,597,945 | |
| 2025 | $626,227,752 |
FAQ
Can a university apply without NIH collaborators?
No. This grant requires both intramural NIH partners and external collaborators. Projects must be jointly proposed.
Are clinical trials eligible for funding?
No. This program explicitly excludes clinical trials. Projects must focus on pre-clinical drug screening and tissue model development.
What types of organizations can be external partners?
Academic institutions, research organizations, nonprofit entities, and small businesses with research capacity typically qualify as external partners.
How competitive is this funding?
NIH research grants are highly competitive. Applications need strong preliminary data, clear innovation, and realistic timelines to succeed.
What is the typical funding range?
NIH R01-equivalent awards generally range from $200,000 to $500,000+ annually depending on research scope and complexity.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish your NIH intramural collaborator early. This partnership is mandatory and must be genuine and substantive.
- Focus on innovation in 3-D tissue models and drug screening methodology. Show how your approach advances the field.
- Provide strong preliminary data demonstrating feasibility and your team's capacity to execute the work.
- Address intellectual property and publication rights clearly, especially with multiple institutional partners.
- Budget realistically and align all institutional support letters with your project timeline and research plan.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Not establishing a genuine collaborative relationship with NIH intramural partners before submission. Proposing clinical trial activities, which are explicitly prohibited by program guidelines. Submitting preliminary data that is insufficient or lacks clear connection to the proposed 3-D tissue models project.
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