Stem cell research — NIH Funding Overview
Reviewed by Dr. Meng ZhaoLast reviewed June 9, 2026Data refreshed September 5, 2026Editorial standards
Stem cell research at NIH includes induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), embryonic stem cell biology (within federal guidelines), tissue-specific stem cell biology, organoid platforms, and regenerative medicine clinical translation. NHLBI, NIDDK, NICHD, NCI, and NEI fund disease-specific applications.
Funding snapshot
Award data on this page reflects a snapshot of NIH RePORTER records last refreshed on September 5, 2026. For live numbers, use the interactive trends view.
Why this matters now
iPSC-based disease modeling and CRISPR-edited iPSC platforms have become standard tools across many NIH portfolios, while clinical translation continues in cardiac, hepatic, and ocular regeneration. The NIH Regenerative Medicine Innovation Project supports late-stage translational work.
How NIH funds this area
Mechanisms span R01, U01, P01, R21, and U24 (data/resource cores). The Stem Cell Translation Laboratory at NCATS supports characterization. Data below covers all NIH awards mentioning stem cell in title, abstract, or terms.
How to use this funding brief
Use this page to distinguish platform work in iPSCs and organoids from regenerative or cell-therapy applications. The relevant institute usually follows the target tissue, while policy and cell-line eligibility still require separate official verification.
Official source: NIH Stem Cell Information: Stem cell basics
Search tactics
- Search "iPSC" or "induced pluripotent" for iPSC-specific work.
- For organoid research, search "organoid" alongside the tissue of interest.
- NEI ocular regeneration and NHLBI cardiac regeneration are mature translational pipelines.
What the data shows
- Funding peaked in FY2025 at $4.0B. The FY2025 total of $4.0B is +26% versus FY2021.
- About 81% of FY2026 dollars so far are non-Type-1 award actions, including competing renewals, supplements, non-competing continuations, and institutional changes. This is a descriptive record mix, not a measure of renewal activity alone.
- The average FY2025 award was $608K, and R01 was the most common mechanism in the recent window.
Editorial read
Stem-cell totals are unusually sensitive to terminology. As the field rebranded toward organoids, iPSC disease models, and regenerative medicine, explicit stem-cell mentions stopped tracking the underlying activity — so year-to-year swings on this page reflect vocabulary as much as budgets. Use the mechanism mix and recent awards here as a directional read, and verify scale against narrower platform terms before citing a trend.
Yearly NIH Awards for Stem cell research
Counts and total funding per fiscal year from NIH RePORTER. Recent fiscal years may understate final totals because of reporting lag.
| Fiscal Year | Project Count | Total Funding | Avg Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | 6,112 | $3,168,680,594 | $518,436 |
| FY2022 | 6,277 | $3,329,409,836 | $530,414 |
| FY2023 | 6,285 | $3,383,964,650 | $538,419 |
| FY2024 | 6,568 | $3,536,056,931 | $538,377 |
| FY2025 | 6,573 | $3,998,800,331 | $608,368 |
| FY2026 | 4,678 | $2,646,680,428 | $565,772 |
Open the full interactive trends view for Stem cell research →
Top NIH Institutes (last 90 days)
Which NIH institutes funded the most Stem cells projects in the most recent 90-day window.
| Institute | Awards (90d) | Funding (90d) |
|---|---|---|
| NIH | 481 | $310,993,674 |
| FDA | 1 | $697,971 |
| VA | 18 | $0 |
Common Activity Codes (last 90 days)
Which grant mechanisms (R01, R21, U01, P30, etc.) appeared most often for Stem cells in the recent period.
Most Active Institutions (last 90 days)
Universities and research organizations with the most Stem cells awards in the most recent 90-day window.
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO — 19 awards
- STANFORD UNIVERSITY — 15 awards
- UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA — 14 awards
- CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR — 13 awards
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES — 13 awards
- WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY — 11 awards
- MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL — 10 awards
- UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON — 10 awards
Recently Awarded Stem cell research Grants
Twelve most recent awards mentioning Stem cells, drawn from NIH RePORTER. Click through to Find PIs for the full investigator search.
Investigating lipid droplet regulation and function in the developing neural tube
1R21HD123148-01Lee Niswander · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, CO · $430,375 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · R21Summary The prevalence of lipid abnormalities and metabolic syndromes has increased significantly in recent years in the United States. These metabolic disorders affect not only the adult living with them but can also adversely affect the embryo and fetus during pregnancy. Maternal type two diabetes and obesity are associated with an increased risk for…
Using miRNA to identify new therapeutic pathways for dilated cardiomyopathy
5R00HL165099-04Francesca Briganti · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, CA · $247,482 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · R00SUMMARY Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) associated heart failure is a leading cause of death and new therapeutic strategies are needed. Pathogenic variants in over 50 genes contribute to DCM, but the molecular mechanisms of disease are poorly understood. Much remains to be done to understand disease mechanisms and translate the basic science into therapeutic…
Human pulmonary neuroendocrine progenitors in lung injury and disease
5R01HL172049-02Christin Kuo · STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CA · $743,672 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · R01PROJECT SUMMARY Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (NECs) are rare airway neuroepithelial cells with diverse sensory, signaling, and stem cell functions. NECs have recently become one of the better studied rare cell types of the mammalian lung, most notably through mouse studies. Ours and others’ single cell anatomical mapping, lineage studies, and…
Development of CRISPR/Cas9-based exon-skipping strategies for the treatment of USH-associated deafness
5R01DC019404-04SUSAN BLANTON · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, FL · $666,228 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · R01Abstract: Usher syndrome (USH) is the most common form of inherited deaf-blindness, with a prevalence of 1/6.000. Inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, it affects about 15,000 people in the United States and is responsible for 6% of early childhood deafness. Usher syndrome is classified under three clinical subtypes (USH-1, -2 and -3) according to the…
Deep learning to assess cardiovascular disease risk from chest imaging
5K01HL168231-03Vineet Raghu · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL, MA · $175,230 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · K01PROJECT SUMMARY Vineet Raghu, PhD is a computer scientist whose career goal is to improve early detection and prevention of chronic disease by applying artificial intelligence to large datasets of medical imaging, genomics, risk factors, and outcomes to better estimate risk and derive insight into etiology. Dr. Raghu is an Instructor of Radiology at Harvard…
Transfer learning leveraging large-scale transcriptomics to map disrupted gene networks in cardiovascular disease
4DP5OD036170-04Christina Theodoris · J. DAVID GLADSTONE INSTITUTES, CA · $945,000 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · DP5PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Mapping the gene regulatory networks driving human disease enables the design of network-correcting treatments that target the core disease mechanism rather than merely managing symptoms. I previously developed a framework for mapping disease-dependent gene networks to enable network-based screening leveraging machine learning and…
Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea(REACH): A Phase I/II Pilot Study of Hyroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
3U01HL133883-10S3Russell Ware · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR, OH · $196,803 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · U01ABSTRACT Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is among the world’s most common inherited blood disorders, and causes severe morbidity and early mortality. SCA is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting over 300,000 births annually, with an estimated 30% increase in the next generation. To address the burden of SCA within Africa, neonatal screening is needed…
Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea(REACH): A Phase I/II Pilot Study of Hyroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
3U01HL133883-10S5Russell Ware · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR, OH · $19,975 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · U01ABSTRACT Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is among the world’s most common inherited blood disorders, and causes severe morbidity and early mortality. SCA is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting over 300,000 births annually, with an estimated 30% increase in the next generation. To address the burden of SCA within Africa, neonatal screening is needed…
Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea(REACH): A Phase I/II Pilot Study of Hyroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
3U01HL133883-10S2Russell Ware · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR, OH · $178,823 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · U01ABSTRACT Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is among the world’s most common inherited blood disorders, and causes severe morbidity and early mortality. SCA is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting over 300,000 births annually, with an estimated 30% increase in the next generation. To address the burden of SCA within Africa, neonatal screening is needed…
Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea(REACH): A Phase I/II Pilot Study of Hyroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
3U01HL133883-10S1Russell Ware · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR, OH · $282,506 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · U01ABSTRACT Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is among the world’s most common inherited blood disorders, and causes severe morbidity and early mortality. SCA is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting over 300,000 births annually, with an estimated 30% increase in the next generation. To address the burden of SCA within Africa, neonatal screening is needed…
Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea(REACH): A Phase I/II Pilot Study of Hyroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
3U01HL133883-10S4Russell Ware · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR, OH · $244,008 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · U01ABSTRACT Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is among the world’s most common inherited blood disorders, and causes severe morbidity and early mortality. SCA is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting over 300,000 births annually, with an estimated 30% increase in the next generation. To address the burden of SCA within Africa, neonatal screening is needed…
Chip phosphorylation stimulates the degradation of mutant transthyretin to attenuate cardiac amyloidosis
5R01HL169273-03Mark Ranek · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, MD · $674,753 · awarded Aug 28, 2026 · R01PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Cardiac amyloidosis can be caused by a mutation in transthyretin (TTR) (e.g. valine 122 to isoleucine, VI) [ATTR- CM] that will aggregate when taken up by the myocardium, resulting in cytotoxicity and ultimately dysfunction. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ATTR-CM remain unknown. Further, methods to enhance the…
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