Research on Current Topics in AD/ADRD

NIA AD/ADRD R01 Research Grant

Funds investigator-led United States research programs on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

PAR-25-332, titled Research on Current Topics in Alzheimer's Disease and AD-Related Dementias (R01 Clinical Trial Optional), is NIA's primary parent NOFO for investigator-initiated R01 research grants in the AD/ADRD space. Released December 30, 2024 and expiring November 6, 2027, the parent NOFO hosts a series of Notices of Special Interest (NOSIs) that define the high-priority topic areas eligible for funding in any given cycle. Priority areas documented via NOSI include endosomal trafficking, human cell biology of AD genetic variants, novel approaches to diagnosing AD/ADRD, selective cell and network vulnerability, epidemiology and cognitive resilience, the immune system in the aging brain, and digital technology for early detection and monitoring of AD/ADRD. FY2026 NIA policy imposes an average 16% budget reduction on competing R01 awards, with an explicit exemption for new investigators and early-stage investigators.

Eligible applicants include domestic and foreign universities, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and research institutions; individual investigators are not eligible to apply directly. R01 grants support up to five years of research. Budget requests of $2 million or more in direct costs in any project year require applicants to contact a relevant NIA program officer eight to twelve weeks before submission for prior approval. Applications are funded from NIA's dedicated congressional appropriation for AD/ADRD research — a separate and protected appropriation from NIA's core budget — and alignment with NIA's published AD/ADRD Research Implementation Milestones is an explicit factor in funding decisions.

Applications are submitted through Grants.gov with multiple standard receipt dates per year through November 2027, reviewed by NIH study sections, and brought to the National Advisory Council on Aging for final funding consideration. Applicants should read the current full NOFO text and any active NOSIs carefully, as the program was updated to align with agency priorities and specific topical scopes change across review cycles.