Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 27 127
The Silvio O. Conte Centers for Basic Neuroscience or Translational Mental Health Research (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (PAR-27-127) is a National Institutes of Health grant program led by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). It supports large, team-based research centers designed to tackle ambitious questions in neuroscience and mental health that are considered too complex, risky, or wide-ranging for more typical single-project grant mechanisms. The program is built around the idea that major advances in understanding mental illness often require coordinated work across different scientific levels, for example linking molecules, cells, circuits, behavior, development, and clinical phenomena within a tightly integrated research plan.
At its core, the NOFO is looking for integrative, multi-investigator teams that use novel and creative experimental approaches to pursue high-risk, high-impact research. NIMH lays out three major scientific aims for these centers. First, centers may focus on advancing basic research on brain and behavior in ways that uncover underlying mechanisms relevant to mental disorders, such as foundational principles of neural circuit function, learning, motivation, cognition, emotion, or social behavior that could later inform how disorders emerge. Second, centers may emphasize translation and integration of basic and clinical neuroscience, particularly around severe mental illnesses, meaning proposals are expected to connect mechanistic discoveries to clinically meaningful questions, measures, or patient-relevant outcomes. Third, centers may focus on developmental trajectories of psychopathology, aiming to explain how neurobehavioral mechanisms unfold across development and how early changes may shape later risk, resilience, or disorder progression.
A defining feature of the Conte Center model is that it is meant for work that truly benefits from being organized as a coordinated center rather than as separate, loosely connected projects. In practical terms, that typically implies multiple interlocking research projects that share concepts, data streams, methods, or model systems, with clear synergy where each component strengthens the others. Reviewers generally expect strong evidence that the center structure is essential to the science, not just convenient. The NOFO also indicates that clinical trials are optional under this announcement, meaning a proposed center can include clinical trial activity if it fits the research strategy, but it does not have to.
In terms of who can apply, the opportunity is broadly available to many U.S.-based organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses, though not limited to them), independent school districts, and various units of government such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and eligible Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. However, there are strict limits on international involvement: non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined in NIH Grants Policy) are not allowed. Applicants are directed to the eligibility section of the NOFO for the full details and any additional constraints.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant mechanism under the NIH health funding category (CFDA 93.242). The original closing date listed is May 25, 2028, and the NOFO record shows it was created on September 1, 2026. The posting does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided fields, so applicants would need to consult the full NOFO text for budget expectations, scope guidance, and any institute-specific limits or review considerations.
Overall, this opportunity is meant for research teams ready to propose a cohesive, center-scale program that pushes beyond incremental progress, with a strong rationale for why integrated, cross-disciplinary collaboration is necessary to achieve major advances in basic neuroscience, translational mental health research, and/or developmental psychopathology.Apply for PAR 27 127
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Silvio O. Conte Centers for Basic Neuroscience or Translational Mental Health Research (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-05-25.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Silvio O. Conte Centers funding opportunity (PAR-27-127)?
PAR-27-127 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity for Silvio O. Conte Centers for Basic Neuroscience or Translational Mental Health Research. It uses the P50 center grant mechanism and is led by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The program supports large, team-based research centers designed to pursue ambitious neuroscience and mental health research questions that are considered too complex, risky, or wide-ranging for typical single-project grants.
Which NIH institute leads this program?
The program is led by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
What type of grant mechanism is used?
This opportunity uses the P50 center grant mechanism (P50 Clinical Trial Optional), which is designed for coordinated, multi-project center-scale research programs.
What kinds of research does this program support?
The program supports integrative neuroscience and mental health research that benefits from being organized as a coordinated research center. It emphasizes novel and creative experimental approaches and is intended for high-risk, high-impact work that goes beyond incremental progress.
What does "team-based research center" mean in this context?
It means the application is expected to be built around an integrative, multi-investigator team where multiple components (such as projects and shared efforts) are tightly coordinated. The center structure should be essential to achieving the scientific goals, not simply an administrative way of grouping loosely related studies.
What does the NOFO mean by "integrative" research?
In this context, integrative research is described as coordinated work across different scientific levels (for example, linking molecules, cells, neural circuits, behavior, development, and clinical phenomena) within a tightly integrated research plan.
What are the main scientific aims NIMH highlights for Conte Centers?
NIMH describes three major scientific aims: (1) advancing basic research on brain and behavior to uncover underlying mechanisms relevant to mental disorders, (2) emphasizing translation and integration of basic and clinical neuroscience (particularly around severe mental illnesses) by connecting mechanistic discoveries to clinically meaningful questions or outcomes, and (3) focusing on developmental trajectories of psychopathology to explain how neurobehavioral mechanisms unfold across development and influence risk, resilience, or progression.
Can a center focus on basic neuroscience without a clinical component?
Yes. One of the major scientific aims is advancing basic research on brain and behavior in ways that reveal mechanisms relevant to mental disorders, including foundational principles of neural circuit function, learning, motivation, cognition, emotion, or social behavior.
What does "translational mental health research" mean here?
It refers to translation and integration of basic and clinical neuroscience, where proposals are expected to connect mechanistic discoveries to clinically meaningful questions, measures, or patient-relevant outcomes, particularly in the context of severe mental illnesses.
Does the program support research on developmental psychopathology?
Yes. One of the highlighted scientific aims is the study of developmental trajectories of psychopathology, including how neurobehavioral mechanisms change across development and how early changes may shape later risk, resilience, or disorder progression.
Is this opportunity intended for high-risk, high-impact research?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly emphasizes novel and creative experimental approaches and supports research viewed as too complex, risky, or wide-ranging for more typical single-project mechanisms.
How important is synergy across projects in a Conte Center?
Synergy is described as a defining feature. The center is expected to include multiple interlocking research projects that share concepts, data streams, methods, or model systems, with clear evidence that each component strengthens the others.
What does the NOFO suggest reviewers will look for regarding the center structure?
Reviewers are generally expected to look for strong evidence that organizing the work as a coordinated center is essential to the science rather than merely convenient. The projects should not be separate, loosely connected efforts.
Are clinical trials allowed under this announcement?
Yes. Clinical trials are optional under this opportunity, meaning a proposed center may include clinical trial activity if it fits the research strategy, but a clinical trial is not required.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is broadly available to many U.S.-based organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (including small businesses, though not limited to them); independent school districts; and various government units (such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities), as well as eligible Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations.
Are non-U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component?
No. The information provided states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Are foreign components permitted in projects supported by this program?
No. Foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy) are not allowed.
Where should applicants look for complete eligibility details?
Applicants are directed to the eligibility section of the NOFO for full details and any additional constraints.
Is this a discretionary grant?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant mechanism.
What is the NIH health funding category and CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is in the NIH health funding category and is associated with CFDA 93.242.
What is the closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is May 25, 2028.
When was the NOFO record created?
The NOFO record shown in the provided information indicates it was created on September 1, 2026.
Does the posting specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The provided information states that the posting does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided fields.
Where should applicants find budget expectations or institute-specific limits?
Applicants would need to consult the full NOFO text for budget expectations, scope guidance, and any institute-specific limits or review considerations, since those details are not provided in the posting fields described here.
What kind of overall application is this opportunity aiming to fund?
It is meant for research teams ready to propose a cohesive, center-scale program that pushes beyond incremental progress and provides a strong rationale for why integrated, cross-disciplinary collaboration is necessary to achieve major advances in basic neuroscience, translational mental health research, and/or developmental psychopathology.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Previous opportunity: Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Education Research (NCER): Research Training Programs in The Education Sciences, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.305B
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