Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Trailblazer Award for New and Early-Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for NIH-defined New and Early-Stage Investigators pursuing research that integrates engineering and physical sciences with biomedical sciences. Applicants must have a PhD, MD, or equivalent in any field. Eligible investigators typically have limited prior independent research funding. Institutional affiliation and NIH-eligible organization status are required. The R21 mechanism supports exploratory, developmental, proof-of-concept, and high-risk projects in biomedical imaging, bioengineering, aging, cancer, and complementary health research.
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Key dates
- Jun 11, 2025 Applications open
- Feb 16, 2026 Application deadline
- Oct 1, 2026 Award announced
- Dec 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, with the National Eye Institute, the National Institute on Aging, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health intend to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the Trailblazer Award. This is an opportunity for NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators/index.htm) to pursue research programs that integrate engineering and the physical sciences with the life and/or biomedical sciences. A Trailblazer project may be exploratory, developmental, proof of concept, or high-risk high-impact, and may be technology design-directed, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the R21 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into the application of principles and techniques from engineering and quantitative sciences, such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, and computer sciences are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in trans-disciplinary research approaches with the potential to open new areas of biomedical investigation will be encouraged and these investigators should also begin considering applying for this application.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) form
- Project Narrative/Research Plan
- Biographical Sketches (senior personnel)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Current and Pending Support form
- Institutional support/commitment letter
- Human Subjects Protection documentation (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Randy King National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
- 📧 Randy.King@nih.gov
- 📞 301-451-0707
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.286 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$92,619,798
-
$53,358,966
-
$52,089,479
-
$30,836,373
-
$21,139,516
-
$20,828,185
-
$19,152,466
-
$18,841,297
-
$18,715,734
-
$18,062,337
Top States by Funding
- MA 18 awards $171.3M
- CA 15 awards $143.5M
- GA 2 awards $102.0M
- MD 7 awards $80.7M
- NY 5 awards $54.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.286). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $372,638,570 | |
| 2025 | $375,813,652 | |
| 2026 est. | $14,223,045 |
FAQ
Who qualifies as a New and Early-Stage Investigator for NIH purposes?
You must meet specific NIH criteria related to prior independent research support. Consult NIH's Early Investigator definition at grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators.
What research approaches does this award support?
Exploratory, developmental, proof-of-concept, and high-risk projects. Emphasis is on integrating engineering with biomedical sciences. Technology design, discovery, or hypothesis-driven approaches are all welcome.
When is the application deadline?
The Notice of Funding Opportunity was expected to publish in 2025-2026. The deadline shown is February 16, 2026, but confirm the exact date when the NOFO is released.
What budget size should I expect?
R21 awards are typically smaller than R01 grants, supporting shorter project periods. Exact ranges vary by institute. Check the final NOFO for specific cap amounts.
Can I include collaborators from other institutions?
Yes. Trans-disciplinary collaborations combining engineering and biomedical expertise are encouraged. Your institution must be NIH-eligible.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start building collaborations now. This is a notice of intent—use it to identify co-investigators with complementary expertise before the formal NOFO publishes.
- Emphasize the novel integration of engineering or quantitative sciences with biomedical research. Explain how your project breaks new ground.
- Highlight your status as a new or early-stage investigator. Clearly document your independent research trajectory and prior support.
- Plan for exploratory scope. R21 projects are typically shorter and broader than traditional R01 grants. Frame your research as foundational work.
- Review the participating institutes' priority areas (NIBIB, NEI, NIA, NCI, NCCIH). Ensure your project aligns with their scientific interests.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Applying without confirmed New and Early-Stage Investigator status. Verify eligibility through NIH before investing application effort. Lack of clear interdisciplinary connection between engineering/physical sciences and biomedical sciences weakens competitiveness. Teams without adequate trans-disciplinary expertise struggle to demonstrate innovation at the interface of fields.
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