Interdisciplinary Research Networks to Advance Biomedical Research on Resilience and Health Optimization

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, in partnership with the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, has announced a forecasted funding opportunity titled Interdisciplinary Research Networks to Advance Biomedical Research on Resilience and Health Optimization. This Notice of Funding Opportunity is planned for release in Fiscal Year 2027 and reflects the priorities of the National Institutes of Health, the Make America Healthy Again Commission, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its purpose is to expand resilience research capacity and advance understanding of health optimization in the U.S. population. Resilience, as defined by the NIH Resilience Research Working Group, refers to the capacity to resist, recover, adapt, or grow in response to stressors or challenges. Americans across the lifespan are increasingly exposed to both acute and chronic stressors including viral infections, environmental toxins, burnout, bullying, financial pressures, and natural disasters. These stressors often contribute to chronic diseases and reduced quality of life. By supporting interdisciplinary networks, the NIH aims to accelerate high-impact research that clarifies mechanisms of resilience across individual, environmental, and community domains. The funding mechanism will be cooperative agreements (U24), providing structure for research networks to conduct scientific activities, host workshops, conferences, and interdisciplinary training initiatives such as cross-training programs or visiting scholar opportunities. Networks will also be able to support small-scale pilot projects that generate preliminary data for future NIH grant applications. Beyond research generation, awardees will be expected to pursue dissemination and outreach activities, including publishing frameworks, reviews, study protocols, and best practice documents, thereby broadening the resilience science community. Applicants are expected to bring expertise from diverse domains of resilience science, including cellular, physiological, psychological, social, and environmental disciplines. Collaborations between researchers and clinicians are encouraged to ensure both scientific rigor and real-world applicability. Projects must be interdisciplinary and align with NIH priorities for rigorous, reproducible, and innovative biomedical research. The estimated total program funding available for this opportunity is $1,500,000 with approximately three awards anticipated. Award ceilings and floors have not yet been specified. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Applications will be open to a wide range of eligible organizations including state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations, small businesses, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, housing authorities, and community-based or faith-based organizations. U.S. territories and federal agencies are also eligible to apply, reflecting a nationwide eligibility scope. The opportunity is forecasted with an estimated posting date of January 5, 2026. Applications will be due May 25, 2026. Awards are expected to be made by April 1, 2027, with funded projects beginning on the same date. No pre-application steps such as Letters of Intent or concept papers are mentioned at this stage. The forecast indicates that this is a recurring program and may be offered in future funding cycles. Questions can be directed to Erin Burke Quinlan, Ph.D., at 301-480-9483 or via email at erin.quinlan@nih.gov.