NIH R15 grants: recently funded projects and award sizes

Project length

Up to 3 years

Budget

A total direct cost limit set in each notice

Research Strategy

Usually 12 pages, including how students will take part

Who applies

Eligible institutions only (based on NIH funding history)

Limits change between notices: the notice you apply to is what counts.

• OpenRFA-AT-25-003

  HEAL Initiative: Pain Research Enhancement Program (PREP) (R15 Clinical Trial Optional)

  Deadline Nov 23, 2026(25d)Up to $375K

• OpenPAR-24-214

  Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

  Deadline Jan 7, 2027Up to $375K

• OpenPAR-27-078

  Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

  Deadline Oct 25, 2027Up to $375K

• OpenPAR-25-134

  Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

  Deadline Jan 7, 2028Up to $375K

• OpenPAR-25-148

  Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

  Deadline Jan 7, 2028

• OpenPAR-25-298

  Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

  Deadline Jan 7, 2028Up to $375K

• Mechanotransduction from the tumor microenvironment to the nuclear envelope protein emerin enables nuclear softening during cancer metastasis

  James Michael Holaska · Rowan University, NJ · NCI · $564K · Sep 23, 2026

  This project will investigate the mechanism by which mechanical signaling through the inner nuclear envelope protein emerin modulates breast cancer metastasis. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains one of the most lethal and therapeutically challenging subtypes of breast cancer due to its high propensity for…

• Investigating back pain injury mechanisms associated with chronic pain behaviors

  Kelly Roballo · Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, VA · NCCIH · $592K · Sep 17, 2026

  In this project, we propose to characterize the pathophysiology of pain from non-penetrating injuries to the thoracolumbar spinal cord. The leading causes of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) are motor vehicle accidents (29.9%), falls (29.8%), and sports-related injuries. SCI is characterized by a complex cascade of…

• Identifying the molecular differences between oncogenic BMI1 and its tumor suppressive paralog, MEL18

  Chongwoo A Kim · Midwestern University (Glendale Az), AZ · NCI · $527K · Sep 17, 2026

  BMI1 and MEL18 are two epigenetic regulatory proteins. They are paralogs, have identical structures and bind the same proteins. Yet, they have opposite effects on cancer cells. BMI1 promotes the oncogenesis of all cancers studied thus far. MEL18, on the other hand, is tumor suppressive whose expression correlates with…

• Quorum sensing inhibition as an antibacterial strategy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections

  Isabelle Taylor · College of William and Mary, VA · NIAID · $549K · Sep 17, 2026

  Project Abstract Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that is responsible for causing highly resistant infections. The ability to establish infections and evade antibiotic treatment stems from the heightened ability of P. aeruginosa to carry out collective group behaviors, such as biofilm…

• Metal-dependent Protein Phosphatases as Key Regulators of Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease

  An-Phu Tran · University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI · NINDS · $576K · Sep 17, 2026

  Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive and currently incurable brain disorder that affects movement and other functions. The disease develops as dopamine-producing nerve cells in a specific region of the brain gradually die, leading to symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, and slowed movements. Most cases of PD…

• Synaptic architecture and bidirectional signaling of retinal horizontal and dopaminergic circuits

  Jordan Michael Renna · University of Akron, OH · NEI · $425K · Sep 16, 2026

  Vision begins in the outer retina, where photoreceptors transmit graded signals through specialized ribbon synapses to bipolar and horizontal cells. These interactions establish the first computations of vision including contrast, color opponency, and adaptation. Yet despite a century of study since Cajal’s original…

• TinyML-Driven Closed-Loop Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease

  Chunxiu Yu · Michigan Technological University, MI · NINDS · $550K · Sep 14, 2026

  Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a clinically established therapy for advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD), providing symptom relief through continuous high-frequency stimulation of targeted brain regions. However, conventional open-loop DBS delivers non-adaptive stimulation that cannot respond to dynamic neural or…

• Phospho-Regulation of Centrosome Assembly and Function

  Mi Hye Song · Oakland University, MI · NIGMS · $574K · Sep 10, 2026

  Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle): Song, Mi Hye Project Summary Precise regulation of centrosome duplication is crucial for proper cell division and maintaining genomic stability. Errors in this process lead to centrosome amplification and chromosomal instability, contributing to cancer,…

• Blacklegged tick exposure and management among understudied rural human populations

  Allison Gardner · University of Maine Orono, ME · NIAID · $535K · Sep 9, 2026

  This AREA research will conduct a synthetic investigation of environmental and social conditions contributing to tick exposure and willingness to adopt tick management strategies in a rural, high-Lyme disease incidence state. Residents of rural areas are disproportionately affected by tick-borne disease in the United…

• Molecular Devices for Calorimetric Measurements

  Irina V Nesterova · Northern Illinois University, IL · NIGMS · $476K · Sep 9, 2026

  Understanding how biomolecules interact is essential for progress in biomedical research. All chemical and biochemical reactions involve heat transformations; quantitative assessment of heat is a fundamental characteristic that reveals the reaction mechanism, nature and strength of ligand/receptor binding,…

• Repurposing antifolate compounds as W. bancrofti DHFR inhibitors

  Nina M Goodey · Montclair State University, NJ · NIAID · $580K · Sep 8, 2026

  Lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting quality of life for over 100 million people, with few treatment options that effectively clear adult-stage Wuchereria bancrofti (Wb) parasites. Current treatment options rely on non-specific anthelmintics such as diethylcarbamazine, albendazole, and…

• Impact of sulfated glycans on HSV-1 mediated entry and inflammation in iris stroma derived from human eye donors

  Vaibhav Tiwari · Midwestern University, IL · NIAID · $559K · Sep 8, 2026

  (ABSTRACT) Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a significant pathogen of acute anterior uveitis, a recurrent, vision- threatening condition that can result in cataracts, glaucoma, and irreversible vision loss. The iris, a specialized tissue of the anterior segment, is particularly vulnerable to HSV-1 infection and…

• Identifying the Spinal Molecular Mechanisms of Chronic Pain Induced by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

  Han-Rong Weng · Northern California Health Services and Research Foundation, CA · NIAMS · $413K · Sep 7, 2026

  Chronic pain is a prevalent and debilitating complication for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) due to the limited efficacy and safety of currently available analgesics. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying SLE-induced chronic pain is a foundation for creating novel strategies…

• Improving the Assessment of Great Toe Function and its Association with Gait and Balance in Older Adults

  Jeff Andrew Nessler · California State University San Marcos, CA · NIA · $541K · Sep 4, 2026

  The primary goal of this project is to determine the relationship between novel measures of great toe function and established measures of gait variability and balance in both younger and older adults. A secondary goal is to develop additional methods for measuring great toe function that are more functionally and…

• Advancing tremor decomposition for personalized treatment in Essential Tremor: Moving from feasibility toward clinical application

  Steven Knight Charles · Brigham Young University, UT · NIA · $552K · Sep 4, 2026

  Tremor is the most common movement disorder, estimated to affect at least 6-9% of persons aged 60 or older in the US. Most tremor disorders manifest as oscillations of the upper limbs while at rest, maintaining a posture, and/or moving, making activities of daily living (eating, clothing, grooming, etc.) difficult or…

1. 1Brigham Young University, UT5
2. 2Rowan University, NJ5
3. 3Baylor University, TX4
4. 4Texas Tech University, TX4
5. 5University of Toledo, OH4
6. 6Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA4
7. 7College of William and Mary, VA3
8. 8East Carolina University, NC3
9. 9East Tennessee State University, TN3
10. 10Illinois State University, IL3

• How to Write an NIH Grant Application: Specific Aims, Research Strategy and the 2026 Rules