Exploratory Clinical Trial Grants in Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R61 Clinical Trial Required)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Maximum project period: 3 years
Combined budget for direct costs: $600,000
To facilitate clinical trials that can be completed within a limited timeframe.
Support exploratory studies addressing research questions related to NIAMS mission.
Patients with rheumatic, musculoskeletal, or skin conditions.
Research institutions and organizations involved in clinical trials.
Eligible organization types include: Higher Education Institutions, Nonprofits, For-Profit Organizations, Small Businesses, Local Governments, State Governments, County Governments, City or Township Governments, Special District Governments, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized and Other than Federally Recognized), Federal Governments, U.S. Territory or Possession, Independent School Districts, Public Housing Authorities, Faith-based or Community-based Organizations, and Regional Organizations.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply.
Applications from non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible.
Foreign components of U.S. organizations are allowed.
Must propose clinical trials that meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial.
Focus on exploratory studies that can lead to clinically meaningful improvements in prevention, diagnosis, or treatment.
Combined budget for direct costs may not exceed $600,000.
No more than $300,000 direct costs may be requested in any single year.
Application deadlines are set for November 2, 2026.
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time.
Applications must follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide.
Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit using a simplified review framework.
Applications will be evaluated by appropriate Scientific Review Groups.
Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project.
Availability of funds.
Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.
Consultation with NIAMS staff is encouraged during application development.
Applications that do not comply with submission instructions may be delayed or not accepted.
Focus on diversity in study cohorts is emphasized.
Preliminary data is not required for R61 applications but may strengthen the proposal.
Strong scientific rationale and feasibility of the proposed study.
Submitting applications that overlap significantly with others under review.
Engage with NIAMS early in the application process.
Highlight the innovative aspects of the proposed research.