NIH PAR · NCI · R21
PAR-25-321: Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
Reviewed by Dr. Meng ZhaoLast reviewed October 16, 2026Data refreshed October 16, 2026Editorial standards
Through this engineering-oriented Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to encourage submissions of exploratory/developmental Bioengineering Research Grant (EBRG) applications to demonstrate feasibility and potential utility of new capabilities or improvements in quality, speed, efficacy, operability, costs, and/or accessibility of solutions to problems in basic biomedical, pre-clinical, or clinical research, clinical care delivery, or accessibility.
- NOFO number
- PAR-25-321
- Type
- PAR
- Activity code
- R21
- Primary institute
- NCI · National Cancer Institute
- Clinical trials
- Optional
- Posted
- Dec 10, 2024
- Opens
- Jan 16, 2025
- Expires
- Jan 8, 2028
PAR-25-321 due dates
4 application due dates remain before the NOFO expires. Dates marked * are NIH standard due dates. Check the related notices below for changes NIH made after posting.
| Application Due Date(s) | Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) | AIDS - New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision, as allowed | Scientific Merit Review | Advisory Council Review | Earliest Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 16, 2025 | March 16, 2025 * | Not Applicable | July 2025 | October 2025 | December 2025 |
| June 16, 2025 | July 16, 2025 * | Not Applicable | November 2025 | January 2026 | April 2026 |
| October 16, 2025 | November 16, 2025 * | Not Applicable | March 2026 | May 2026 | July 2026 |
| February 16, 2026 | March 16, 2026 * | Not Applicable | July 2026 | October 2026 | December 2026 |
| June 16, 2026 | July 16, 2026 * | Not Applicable | November 2026 | January 2027 | April 2027 |
| October 16, 2026 | November 16, 2026 * | Not Applicable | March 2027 | May 2027 | July 2027 |
| February 16, 2027 | March 16, 2027 * | Not Applicable | July 2027 | October 2027 | December 2027 |
| June 16, 2027 | July 16, 2027 * | Not Applicable | November 2027 | January 2028 | April 2028 |
| October 16, 2027 | November 16, 2027 * | Not Applicable | March 2028 | May 2028 | July 2028 |
Projects funded under PAR-25-321
NIH RePORTER lists 3 projects funded under PAR-25-321 in FY2022–FY2026, with $1.3M in award dollars. Counts include each project's later non-competing years, which keep the original NOFO number.
Projects funded
3
Distinct projects, FY2022–FY2026
New awards
3
Type 1 (new project) award records
NIH funding
$1.3M
Award dollars under PAR-25-321, FY2022–FY2026
Funding by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Award records | New awards | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| FY2023 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| FY2024 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| FY2025 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| FY2026 | 3 | 3 | $1.3M |
Institutions with the most funding
- J. David Gladstone Institutes$486K · 1 project
- University of California, San Diego$421K · 1 project
- Georgia Institute of Technology$396K · 1 project
Funding institutes
- NCI$1.3M · 3
Activity codes funded
- R213 records
Most recent new awards
- Engineering Targeted Delivery Vehicles for Genome Editing in Hematopoietic Stem Cells (opens NIH RePORTER)
J. David Gladstone Institutes · 1R21CA318067-01 · NCI · Notice Jul 10, 2026
$486KR21
- Synergistic blood-brain barrier indoximod delivery and selective treatment of malignant glioma using Pulsed Field Ablation (opens NIH RePORTER)
Georgia Institute of Technology · 1R21CA309231-01A1 · NCI · Notice Jul 7, 2026
$396KR21
- Understanding plant virus-based adjuvants as therapeutics (opens NIH RePORTER)
University of California, San Diego · 1R21CA309173-01 · NCI · Notice Mar 17, 2026
$421KR21
What its predecessor PAR-22-091 funded
PAR-25-321 reissues PAR-22-091. Its funding history is the best guide to who wins under this program: 12 projects and $4.6M in FY2022–FY2026.
Projects funded
12
Distinct projects, FY2022–FY2026
New awards
12
Type 1 (new project) award records
NIH funding
$4.6M
Award dollars under PAR-22-091, FY2022–FY2026
Funding by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Award records | New awards | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| FY2023 | 6 | 6 | $1.2M |
| FY2024 | 8 | 3 | $1.9M |
| FY2025 | 4 | 3 | $1.3M |
| FY2026 | 1 | 0 | $193K |
Institutions with the most funding
- University of Tx MD Anderson Can Ctr$837K · 2 projects
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research$453K · 1 project
- Case Western Reserve University$434K · 1 project
- Massachusetts General Hospital$424K · 1 project
- Georgetown University$401K · 1 project
- Tufts University Medford$395K · 1 project
- University of Texas at Austin$390K · 1 project
- University of Kansas Medical Center$389K · 1 project
Funding institutes
- NCI$4.6M · 19
Activity codes funded
- R2119 records
Most recent new awards
- Bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma: understanding therapy resistance through imaging (opens NIH RePORTER)
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · 1R21CA297387-01A1 · NCI · Notice Jul 11, 2025
$453KR21
- IL13Ra2-targeted radioimmunotherapy for glioblastoma (opens NIH RePORTER)
University of Tx MD Anderson Can Ctr · 1R21CA294042-01A1 · NCI · Notice Jun 5, 2025
$432KR21
- Reconstituting human testicular germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS) in vitro using iPSC-derived primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) and genetically engineered human testicular cancer cells (opens NIH RePORTER)
Massachusetts General Hospital · 1R21CA290650-01A1 · NCI · Notice Apr 7, 2025
$231KR21
- 3D bioengineered microfluidic platform for research on Ewing sarcoma bone metastasis (opens NIH RePORTER)
Georgetown University · 1R21CA294025-01 · NCI · Notice Jul 2, 2024
$401KR21
- Taming two bacterial toxins into an anticancer agent with "sweets" (opens NIH RePORTER)
Louisiana State Univ A&M Col Baton Rouge · 1R21CA290139-01 · NCI · Notice Jun 17, 2024
$379KR21
- Exploring SGLTs as Theranostic Targets for Cancer Metastasis (opens NIH RePORTER)
Case Western Reserve University · 1R21CA280151-01A1 · NCI · Notice Nov 28, 2023
$236KR21
FY2026 closed on September 30, 2026, but NIH keeps posting that year's awards to RePORTER for several weeks. FY2026 figures reflect records available on October 16, 2026 and may rise slightly at the next refresh.
Participating institutes
2 NIH institutes and offices take applications under PAR-25-321. Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your research before applying.
- NCI · National Cancer Institute
- none
Related notices
Mar 31, 2025 · NOT-OD-24-084
This funding opportunity was updated to align with agency priorities. Carefully reread the full funding opportunity and make any needed adjustments to your application prior to submission.April 4, 2024 - Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25,…
Aug 31, 2022 · NOT-OD-22-198
Implementation Changes for Genomic Data Sharing Plans Included with Applications Due on or after January 25, 2023. See Notice NOT-OD-22-198.
Aug 5, 2022 · NOT-OD-22-189
Implementation Details for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy. See Notice NOT-OD-22-189.
Notices of Special Interest (NOSIs)
NIH has attached 1 NOSI to PAR-25-321; none are active now. A NOSI flags a topic an institute wants to fund through this NOFO.
Award terms
- Application types allowed
- NewResubmission The OER Glossary and the How to Apply Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO.
- Award budget
- The combined budget for direct costs for the two-year project period may not exceed 275,000. No more than 200,000 may be requested in any single year.
- Project period
- The maximum project period is 2 years. NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.
- Funds available and number of awards
- The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Summarized from the NOFO text; the full NOFO governs eligibility, budget, and review.
Related NOFOs
- Reissue of PAR-22-091.
Other open NOFOs for R21
- PAR-25-346Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)NCI · next due Oct 16, 2026
- PAR-25-070Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk with Use of Incretin Mimetics (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)NCI · next due Oct 16, 2026
- PAR-25-244Basic Research in Cancer Health Disparities (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)NCI · next due Oct 16, 2026
- PA-25-253Exploratory Grants in Cancer Control (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)NCI · next due Oct 16, 2026
- PAR-25-143Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)NCI · next due Oct 16, 2026
- PAR-25-044Mechanisms that Impact Cancer Risk after Bariatric Surgery (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)NCI · next due Oct 16, 2026
About this page
GotGrant gathers the NOFO, its participation and change notices, and its NOSIs from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, and counts funded projects from NIH RePORTER by the opportunity number each award was made under. Data refreshed October 16, 2026; the NIH Guide is the authoritative source. See our data methodology.