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Restoring Joint Health and Function to Reduce Pain (RE-JOIN) 2.0

Funds mapping how joint tissue is wired by pain-sensing nerves, expanding a running NIH consortium.

Most treatments for joint pain target inflammation or damage in the joint itself, not the nerves that turn that damage into pain. This notice is the second phase of an NIH consortium — RE-JOIN — built to understand that wiring in detail.

The plan is to map how sensory neurons reach every tissue that makes up a joint: bone, cartilage, synovium, the joint capsule, ligament, tendon, fascia and muscl

Mapping how sensory neurons innervate joint tissue — bone, cartilage, synovium, joint capsule, ligament, tendon, fascia, muscle and peri-articular tissue — across a wider range of joints, patients and disease conditions than the first phase of the RE-JOIN consortium covered. Includes clinical pain phenotyping, preclinical and non-animal disease models, preclinical testing of joint-targeted candidates already identified, and joint atlases integrating imaging with molecular data.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.One-off
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.1 Dec 2026
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.Cooperative agreement
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.

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Last verified: 25 Aug 2026Funder reference: RFA-AR-26-006Source: www.grants.gov