Neural Ensembles & Used Substances (NExUS) Collaboratory: Building a Multimodal Inventory of Cell Ensembles Encoding the Effects of Addictive Substances (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is soliciting applications for the Neural Ensembles and Used Substances (NExUS) Collaboratory under solicitation RFA-DA-28-013. This collaborative research program aims to decode how addictive neurobehavioral states, such as intoxication, craving, and dependence, are represented in the brain at the cell population level. The primary goal is to develop systematic, scalable methods to identify and map neurons responding to various substance classes, including opioids, psychostimulants, cannabinoids, depressants, psychedelics, and alcohol, ultimately building at least one prototype multimodal database over five years. This database will integrate physiological and biochemical readouts with molecular identity and connectivity, aligning with BRAIN Initiative taxonomies and NIH priorities for transparency and reproducibility. NIDA intends to commit 4 million dollars in FY2027 to fund multiple projects, with individual applications capped at 700,000 dollars in direct costs per year. Awards are based on scientific and technical merit evaluated through the NIH peer review system, focusing on research significance, innovation, rigor, feasibility, and investigator expertise. Eligible applicants include small businesses and other for-profit organizations, provided they maintain active SAM registration, a Unique Entity Identifier, and eRA Commons accounts. Notably, applications involving foreign subawards or subcontracts are noncompliant. Awardees must adhere to strict cybersecurity incident reporting timelines, follow NIH Data Management and Sharing policies, and participate in NExUS Collaboratory cross-project activities and steering committee meetings.