Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

US · MD · Bethesda National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant open #PAR-25-101

Response due Aug 11, 2027 · 00:00 UTC

Summary

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) program under the R21 mechanism, which supports exploratory and developmental research projects. This funding opportunity encourages innovative, high-risk/high-reward basic research that may optionally include a clinical trial component. The program aims to foster novel scientific directions and preliminary investigations that could open new areas of biomedical inquiry. The opportunity is open from December 2024 through August 2027, allowing multiple submission cycles.

What they want

Applicants must propose cutting-edge basic research projects under the NIH R21 exploratory/developmental grant mechanism. Clinical trial components are optional but permissible. Projects should reflect innovative, high-impact basic science with potential to advance understanding in relevant biomedical fields. Specific scientific priority areas, detailed deliverables, and programmatic requirements would be defined in the full Program Announcement (PAR-25-101) on NIH's grants portal.

Technical requirements

Must follow NIH R21 exploratory/developmental grant mechanism requirements
Clinical trial component is optional but must comply with NIH clinical trial policies if included
Full application must conform to PAR-25-101 program announcement requirements

How they evaluate

Scientific and technical merit (standard NIH peer review criteria apply under R21 mechanism)
Innovation
Significance
Approach
Investigators
Environment

Submission: Electronic submission via Grants.gov federal grants portal

Risks & flags

Minimal detail provided in the synopsis — full programmatic requirements, priority areas, and scoring criteria are only available in the complete PAR-25-101 announcement
Long open window (2024–2027) suggests a standing/recurring opportunity with multiple due dates not captured in this notice

Market context

inferred from NAICS

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

NAICS 541714

US market size: $2.0T
Typical award: $25K – $50M

Typical buyers

All federal civilianDoDStates

Commonly required

8(a)WOSBSDVOSBPE/PMP

Sector-level estimate — full code lookup not yet in catalog.

Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA)…

Due Aug 11

Onboard ↗