NIH Director’s Transformative Research Awards (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

The NIH Director's Transformative Research Award (RFA-RM-27-003) is a funding opportunity under the High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program of the NIH Common Fund. It supports individual or group scientists conducting bold, exceptionally innovative, and unconventional biomedical research with the potential to create new scientific paradigms or transformative technologies. Applications are welcome in any area of the biomedical sciences, and notably, no preliminary data are required. The program intends to commit approximately 8 million dollars in FY 2027 to fund roughly seven awards, with a maximum project period of five years. Applications are evaluated based on the importance of the research regarding significance and innovation, the rigor and feasibility of the approach, and the expertise of the investigators and their institutional environment. Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations, including small businesses. Requirements for submission include active SAM registration, a Unique Entity Identifier, and eRA Commons accounts. Recipients must adhere to strict cybersecurity plans modeled after the NIST framework, comply with 45 CFR Part 46 for human subjects, and provide a Data Management and Sharing Plan. Applications are due by September 3, 2026.