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NIH Phase 1 Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R61)

Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE): Development and Validation of Model Systems to Facilitate Neurotherapeutic Discovery

Funds building animal and tissue models that behave enough like a real neurological disease to test drugs against.

Drug discovery for neurological disease keeps failing at the same point: a compound works in the model and not in the patient, because the model never really reproduced the disease.

This route funds fixing the model. It pays for developing and validating animal models and human or animal tissue systems outside the body that recapitulate the phenotypic and physiologic characteristics of a defined

Developing and validating animal models and ex vivo human or animal tissue systems that recapitulate the phenotype and physiology of a defined neurological or neuromuscular disorder, to improve the translational relevance of neurotherapeutic discovery. No clinical trial.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Multiple per year
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.20 Oct 2027
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.26 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.$750K

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Last verified: 25 Aug 2026Funder reference: PAR-25-060Source: www.grants.gov