Neural Ensembles Used Substances (NExUS) Collaboratory : Building a Multimodal Inventory of Cell Ensembles Encoding the Effects of Addictive Substances

The National Institute on Drug Abuse, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is releasing a forecasted opportunity under the Research Funding Announcement RFA-DA-27-010 titled Neural Ensembles & Used Substances (NExUS) Collaboratory: Building a Multimodal Inventory of Cell Ensembles Encoding the Effects of Addictive Substances. This initiative reflects the agency’s mission to advance knowledge of substance use and addiction by fostering large-scale, collaborative research projects. The forecast provides early notice so prospective applicants may prepare proposals for the formal application window that will open in March 2026. The purpose of this grant program is to support the expansion of the NExUS Collaboratory, which seeks to create a knowledgebase of neural cell populations and computational processes altered by substance-related experiences. These include both neurobehavioral states that contribute to addiction and those that provide protective mechanisms against it. Projects under this initiative are expected to generate detailed datasets on cell populations tuned to substance experiences, integrate those datasets with molecular, epigenetic, and morphological data, and develop scalable analytical and visualization tools to examine ensemble composition and geometry. The program further encourages the testing of models that explain how cells or motifs are recruited into neural coding ensembles. The funding opportunity also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and coordination among awardees. Grantees are expected to contribute to shared outreach efforts, data standards, analytic methods, common spatial frameworks, and reference taxonomies. These measures are designed to foster synergies not only among NExUS-funded projects but also with broader cell atlas initiatives being conducted across the biomedical research community. The program will be administered through cooperative agreements, allowing for close interaction between funded research teams and the National Institutes of Health. It is expected that four awards will be made, with each award ceiling set at 700,000 dollars. The estimated total program funding amount has not been specified in the forecast. The anticipated project start date is April 1, 2027, with awards being issued on the same date. Applicants should plan for research efforts that align with the NIH’s mission to improve understanding of drug use and addiction mechanisms. Eligibility for this program is broad and includes a wide range of organizations such as state and local governments, federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, institutions of higher education, for-profit entities including small businesses, housing authorities, and independent school districts. Additionally, foreign institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, U.S. territories, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies may apply. This ensures that the opportunity is accessible to diverse institutions capable of contributing to the research goals. The estimated posting date for the full application is March 2, 2026, with applications due by June 2, 2026. There is no indication of pre-application requirements such as a letter of intent. The opportunity is forecasted rather than currently active, which means that applications cannot yet be submitted. Interested applicants are encouraged to prepare in advance for the expected timeline. For additional information or inquiries, applicants may contact Olivier Berton by email at olivier.berton@nih.gov or by phone at 301-827-7771. Authority for this grant is provided under Section 301 and Section 405 of the Public Health Service Act.