Interdisciplinary Research to Understand the Complex Biology of Resilience to Alzheimers and Related Dementias Disease Risk

The National Institute on Aging, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health, has announced a forecasted opportunity for interdisciplinary research on the biology of resilience to Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias. The notice signals the intent to publish a full Notice of Funding Opportunity in the near future. This program is part of the federal government’s long-term investment in data-driven approaches to aging and cognitive health research, and it reflects NIH’s mission to advance fundamental knowledge about aging processes and to improve health outcomes for older adults. The purpose of this forecasted funding opportunity is to support collaborative research projects that integrate epidemiologic, genomic, and mechanistic approaches to better understand why some individuals demonstrate resilience to Alzheimer’s and related dementias despite underlying risk factors. The program emphasizes the generation and integration of high-dimensional molecular data from both brain and peripheral tissues, as well as the collection of longitudinal data. Applicants will be encouraged to leverage systems-based methods, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to discover determinants and predictors of resilience. The scope of this initiative includes supporting large-scale, data-intensive projects that cross disciplinary boundaries and encourage collaboration across epidemiology, molecular biology, genomics, and computational modeling. The goal is to enable dynamic modeling of resilience mechanisms in diverse populations. Although this is a forecasted opportunity, NIH has indicated that the award mechanism will use the U01 activity code, which represents a cooperative agreement requiring substantial federal involvement in project administration. Specific spending rules and restrictions are not yet listed, but awards will be made under the terms of NIH’s cooperative agreement structure. Eligibility for this program is broad. Entities that may apply include state, county, city, and township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; public housing authorities; independent school districts; small businesses; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribal governments and organizations; nonprofits both with and without IRS 501(c)(3) status; special district governments; and other eligible applicants such as faith-based organizations, federal agencies, U.S. territories, and foreign institutions. This reflects NIH’s aim to attract a wide range of qualified applicants with diverse expertise and resources. The estimated posting date for the full funding announcement is February 26, 2026, with an anticipated application due date of June 5, 2026. The estimated award date is April 5, 2027, with funded projects expected to begin the same day. Since this is a forecasted opportunity, no applications are being accepted at this time. The notice is provided specifically to allow potential applicants sufficient time to form meaningful collaborations and begin project planning. The primary contact for this opportunity is Suzana Petanceska, Ph.D., who can be reached by phone at 301-496-9350 or by email at petanceskas@nia.nih.gov. Interested applicants should monitor Grants.gov for the official Notice of Funding Opportunity when it is posted. The current notice serves as early guidance and does not yet include finalized details on funding amounts, review criteria, or application instructions.