NIH Grant Trends

Explore funding patterns and discover how research areas have evolved over time

Search Grant Trends

Enter a research keyword to analyze NIH funding trends over time

Search Term

K24

Total Projects

1,119

Total Funding

$210,603,635

Time Period

2021-2026

Trend Interpretation

Use this summary to decide whether the keyword looks promising, stable, or too narrow to act on without broader terms.

Cooling

Current momentum

2025

Peak funding year

-65%

Funding change across range

$187,786

Latest average award

Recent activity looks softer than the earlier window. Check adjacent keywords and institute fit before ruling the area out.

Project Count by Year

Number of grants awarded annually

Funding by Year

Total funding amount annually

Funding Distribution by Year

Average funding per project by year (bubble size represents total funding)

New Awards vs Renewals

New applications (Type 1) vs continuations/renewals (Types 2, 3, 5, 7) by year. Early-career researchers primarily compete for new (Type 1) awards.

By Project Count

By Funding Amount

Weekly Updates

Latest funding activity (Week ending 2026-05-10)

New Projects This Week

2

Total funding: $1,779,084

Trending Keywords

research29 projects
alcohol26 projects
liver23 projects
induced16 projects
development14 projects

Recent Opportunity Signals

A short read on whether the latest projects in this topic look useful for job searches, mentor scouting, or lab outreach.

0

High-opportunity leads

0

Likely hiring signals

0

Training-friendly awards

50

Average opportunity score

Prioritize records with strong opportunity signals, then validate fit using abstracts, institution pages, and lab websites.

Opportunity Landscape

Plotly bubble chart for recent awards. Bubble size and color highlight which grants may be more actionable for outreach, jobs, or closer review.

Recently Approved Grants

2 grants approved in the last 7 days

Total Funding

$1,779,084

Average Award

$889,542

Top Agency

NIH

Latest Approved Projects

Mentoring in the Clinical Neuroscience of Alcohol Use Disorder

YALE UNIVERSITY, NEW HAVEN, CT

$210,453

K24

Grant Number: 5K24AA031345-03

Agency: NIH

Mechanism: Other Research-Related

PI: Kelly P. Cosgrove

Start Date: 2024-05-01T00:00:00

Terms: <Achievement><Achievement Attainment><Alcohol Chemical Class><Alcoholic Liver Diseases><Alcoholic liver damage><Alcohols><Area><Award><Biological><Blood Plasma><Body System><Brain><Brain Nervous System><Brain imaging><COBRE><Career Development Awards><Career Development Awards and Programs><Career Development Programs K-Series><Cell Body><Cells><Center of Biomedical Research Excellence><Centers of Research Excellence><Clinical><Clinical Treatment><Cognition><Collection><Data><Data Collection><Data Set><Development><Development Plans><Differences between sexes><Differs between sexes><Doctor of Philosophy><Dysfunction><ETOH level><Encephalon><Equilibrium><Faculty><Fostering><Functional disorder><Funding><Goals><Grant><History><Hortega cell><Imaging Procedures><Imaging Technics><Imaging Techniques><Immune><Immunes><Individual><Investigators><K-Awards><K-Series Research Career Programs><K24 Award><Knowledge><Liver><Maintenance><Manuscripts><Measures><Mentors><Mentorship><Microglia><Mid-Career Clinical Scientist Award (K24)><Moods><NIAAA><National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism><Nerve Degeneration><Neurocognitive><Neuron Degeneration><Neurosciences><Organ System><P50 Mechanism><P50 Program><PET><PET Scan><PET imaging><PETSCAN><PETT><Participant><Persons><Ph.D.><PhD><Physiopathology><Plasma><Plasma Serum><Positron Emission Tomography Medical Imaging><Positron Emission Tomography Scan><Positron-Emission Tomography><Postdoc><Postdoctoral Fellow><Psychiatry><R-Series Research Projects><R01 Mechanism><R01 Program><Rad.-PET><Recording of previous events><Recovery><Research><Research Associate><Research Career Program><Research Design><Research Ethics><Research Grants><Research Personnel><Research Project Grants><Research Projects><Researchers><Reticuloendothelial System, Serum, Plasma><Sampling><Scientist><Sex Differences><Sexual differences><Specialized Center><Stress><Study Type><Synapses><Synaptic><System><Techniques><Training><Treatment outcome><Woman><Work><Writing><alcohol abuse therapy><alcohol abuse treatment><alcohol induced hepatic injury><alcohol induced liver disorder><alcohol induced liver injury><alcohol level><alcohol liver damage><alcohol measurement><alcohol related liver disease><alcohol related research><alcohol research><alcohol treatment><alcohol use disorder><alcohol-associated liver disease><alcohol-induced hepatic damage><alcohol-induced hepatic dysfunction><alcohol-induced liver damage><alcohol-induced liver disease><alcohol-induced liver dysfunction><alcohol-mediated liver dysfunction><alcohol-mediated liver injury><alcohol-related liver disease><alcoholic liver injury><balance><balance function><biologic><biomarker identification><brain visualization><career><career development><class development><clinical intervention><clinical therapy><course development><course material development><density><developmental><drinking><ethanol induced hepatic injury><ethanol induced liver disorder><ethanol induced liver injury><ethanol liver disease><ethanol measurement><ethanol research><ethanol use disorder><ethanol-induced hepatic damage><ethanol-induced hepatic dysfunction><ethanol-induced liver damage><ethanol-induced liver disease><ethanol-induced liver dysfunction><ethanol-mediated liver dysfunction><ethanol-mediated liver injury><ethyl alcohol measurements><gitter cell><graduate student><hepatic body system><hepatic organ system><histories><identification of biomarkers><identification of new biomarkers><imaging biomarker><imaging marker><imaging-based biological marker><imaging-based biomarker><imaging-based marker><improved><interest><kappa opiate><kappa opioid><kappa opioid receptors><marker identification><meeting><meetings><men><mesoglia><metabolism measurement><metabolome><metabolomics><metabonome><metabonomics><microglial cell><microgliocyte><negative affect><negative affectivity><neural degeneration><neurochemical><neurochemistry><neurodegeneration><neurodegenerative><neurological degeneration><neuronal degeneration><new drug target><new druggable target><new pharmacotherapy target><new therapeutic target><new therapy target><novel drug target><novel druggable target><novel pharmacotherapy target><novel therapeutic target><novel therapy target><pathophysiology><patient centered><patient oriented><patient oriented research><patient oriented study><perivascular glial cell><positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging><positron emission tomographic imaging><positron emitting tomography><post-doc><post-doctoral><post-doctoral trainee><professor><programs><recruit><research associates><sex><sex based differences><sex-dependent differences><sex-related differences><sex-specific differences><skills><stress reactivity><student mentoring><student-led learning><study design><synapse><trial regimen><trial treatment><undergrad><undergraduate><undergraduate student><κ opiate><κ opioid><κ opioid receptors><κ-OR><κOR>

Abstract: Project Summary This K24 Career Development Award in Patient-Oriented Research seeks support for a well-established, mid- career Professor in Psychiatry at Yale who has a track record of achievement in patient-oriented alcohol research, and a long-standing commitment to mentorship. Dr. Cosgrove leads a research program devoted to using brain imaging to elucidate brain mechanisms underlying the maintenance of and recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD) to inform clinical treatment. Through this award, she seeks support for career development and training in new techniques and systems that will foster a comprehensive approach to AUD. Dr. Cosgrove has a long history as a mentor and is committed to the development of new alcohol research scientists. Her efforts in mentorship have recently increased as she assumed responsibility as Co-Director of the Translational Alcohol Research Program (TARP), an NIAAA-funded T32 for postdoctoral fellows (PhDs and MDs). The proposed mentoring plan will include continued and new mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows (including as TARP Co-Director), and junior faculty. Additionally, she is a mentor on two NIAAA-funded K01 Career Development Awards awarded to faculty at Yale. Dr. Cosgrove will provide mentoring in study design, recruitment and characterization of participants with AUD, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, manuscript and grant writing, research ethics, and career development. Dr. Cosgrove has a strong commitment to mentoring students, and as part of her career development, she will engage in training to continue to improve her mentorship skills. Dr. Cosgrove’s overall research program has focused on the clinical neuroscience of AUD using state-of-the art brain imaging techniques. The proposed career development plan consists of training and coursework in a new technique (metabolomics), and organ system (liver) in order to promote a more comprehensive approach to the study of AUD. The goal is to increase and expand proficiency in these areas that, in addition to expertise in the neurochemistry of AUD, will allow her to be a more effective mentor and researcher across a range of domains related to patient-oriented AUD research. The research plan is constructed around Dr. Cosgrove’s primary project on the Yale-SCORE, which is broadly focused on sex differences in treatments for AUD. Her project utilizes positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging to measure markers of neurodegeneration and related neurocognitive function in people with AUD. Adding techniques to this project to measure molecules and systems outside of the brain will provide a vehicle for the proposed training and mentorship plan. The proposed integrated mentoring, training, and research plans will advance Dr. Cosgrove as a mentor and investigator in patient-oriented alcohol research.

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CTSA K12 Program at New York University

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, NEW YORK, NY

$1,568,631

K12

Grant Number: 1K12TR005770-01

Agency: NIH

Mechanism: Other Research-Related

PI: Michal L Melamed

Start Date: 2026-04-15T00:00:00

Terms: <AI system><Acceleration><Active Learning><Advisory Committees><American><Appointment><Artificial Intelligence><Award><Biomedical Research><Clinical><Clinical Research><Clinical Study><Collaborations><Computer Reasoning><Cooperative Learning><Data Science><Development Plans><Emergent Technologies><Emerging Technologies><Ensure><Environment><Evaluation><Experiential Learning><Fostering><Funding><Future><Goals><Health><Individual><Institution><Investigators><K12><K12 Award><K12 Mechanism><K12 Program><Knowledge><Leadership><Machine Intelligence><Measurable><Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Program><Mentors><Mentorship><Methods><NCATS><NIH><National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences><National Institutes of Health><New York><Persons><Position><Positioning Attribute><Program Development><Public Health><Reproducibility><Research><Research Design><Research Personnel><Research Priority><Researchers><Science><Study Type><Supervision><TL1><TNF Ligand-Related Molecule 1><TNF15><TNFSF15><TNFSF15 gene><Task Forces><Training><Training Programs><Translating><Translational Research><Translational Research Enterprise><Translational Science><Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15><United States National Institutes of Health><Universities><VEGI><Vascular Endothelial Growth Inhibitor><advisory team><career><career development><clinical translation><clinically translatable><community advisory board><community advisory committee><community advisory panel><experience><faculty mentor><improved><leadership development><member><next generation><programs><skills><study design><tool><translation research><translation research enterprise><translational investigation><translational investigator><translational research program><translational researcher><translational scientist>

Abstract: PROJECT SUMMARY The overarching aim of the K12 program at the New York University (NYU) Clinical Translational Science Institute (CTSI) is to train the next generation of clinical and translational researchers to improve individual and public health through rigorous, reproducible, and solution-oriented biomedical research aligned with national research priorities. To help realize NCATS’ strategic goal to “enable all people to contribute to and benefit from translational science”, we will build on the previous three cycles of funding for our K12. The training record for previous scholars is excellent, with all 28 remaining in research or academic leadership careers and 23 out of 28 obtaining federal funding within 2 years of the program. In this proposal, the program will be led by two new, experienced program directors with a long-standing commitment to fostering the careers of early-stage investigators, Drs. Melamed and Shaukat. Both have active clinical and translational research programs, have undergone extensive mentor training, have won mentorship awards, and have led multiple institutional career development programs. They will collaborate closely to maintain the tradition of excellence of the program. The new career development program and environment will focus on fostering the seven attributes of a translational scientist and leadership development, while emphasizing rigorous study design, research transparency, and reproducibility consistent with gold-standard biomedical science. The program is composed of didactic courses, experiential learning, and individualized leadership coaching. Each scholar will have at least two science mentors, a career mentor and a mentorship advisory committee that will meet regularly to ensure adequate progress along the scholar’s independent development plan and Scholar-Mentor Compact. Our scholars will present to members of our Community Advisory Board. NYU has shown a substantial commitment to the program by increasing the number of institutionally funded positions from two to seven. We will be guided by our long-standing External Advisory Committee which meets annually and provides supervision, direction and approval of scholar appointments to the program. Our 50 faculty mentors offer a wide range of CTS expertise, from T1 to T4 funded science. Over half of the mentors have served as program directors of NIH funded training programs (T32, K12, R25, TL1, etc.) and 5 have current mid-career mentoring awards (K24 or equivalent). We will employ rigorous evaluation methods and continuous quality improvement to refine the program and equip scholars with the tools to guide their careers, accelerating the pace of CTS and preparing them to become future mentors and leaders, including training in reproducible research practices, data science approaches, and responsible use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in biomedical research. By advancing their knowledge and expanding their skills, our K12 scholars will emerge as the next generation of leaders in CTS who will translate biomedical discoveries into measurable health improvements for the American public.

View Full Project Details →

How to Read NIH Funding Trends

NIH funding trends show how many grants were awarded and how much money was allocated to a research area over time. A rising project count usually means growing interest from both applicants and review panels, while a flat or declining count may reflect shifting priorities, terminology changes, or consolidation into larger awards.

When you search a keyword on this page, the tool queries NIH RePORTER for all projects matching that term across the years you select. The results are grouped by fiscal year and displayed as line charts (project count), bar charts (total funding), and scatter plots (average award size). Together, these views help you understand whether a field is expanding, contracting, or holding steady.

It is important to compare at least five years of data before drawing conclusions. A single-year spike or dip can reflect reporting delays, one-time initiatives such as ARRA or COVID supplemental funding, or changes in how NIH categorizes projects. The trend interpretation panel above the charts provides an automated summary to help you contextualize the numbers.

What Affects NIH Funding Patterns

Several factors drive year-to-year changes in NIH funding for any given topic. Congressional appropriations set the overall NIH budget, which then gets distributed across 27 institutes and centers. Each institute publishes funding opportunity announcements that signal which research areas they want to support. When an institute increases its emphasis on a topic, more investigators apply and more awards are made.

Terminology evolution also plays a role. A field that was once called "gene therapy" may now appear under "cell and gene therapy" or "genetic medicine." If you search only one term, you may miss related projects that use updated nomenclature. Try searching multiple related terms and comparing the results to get a fuller picture.

External events such as public health emergencies can cause rapid shifts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NIH redirected significant resources toward infectious disease research, which temporarily reduced funding in other areas. Understanding these context-dependent shifts prevents misreading a short-term dip as a permanent decline in interest.

Using Trend Data in Grant Applications

Trend data can strengthen the significance section of your grant application. If you can show that NIH investment in your research area has grown steadily over the past five years, reviewers are more likely to see your project as aligned with current priorities. Conversely, if funding is declining, you may need to frame your proposal in a way that connects to a growing adjacent area.

Use the opportunity landscape plot on this page to identify which institutions and agencies are most active in your area. This information helps you target the right NIH institute for your application and identify potential collaborators or letter-of-support writers at well-funded institutions.

Remember that trends are one input among many. A growing field also means more competition, while a niche area with stable funding may offer better odds for a well-positioned application. Pair trend analysis with study section preferences, recent RFA/PA announcements, and conversations with program officers for the most complete picture.

Frequently Asked Questions About NIH Trends

How often is the trend data updated?

The data comes from NIH RePORTER, which updates as new awards are processed. There can be a lag of several weeks between an award decision and its appearance in public records. Our tool queries the API in real time, so you always see the latest available data.

Why does the project count differ from what I see on NIH RePORTER?

Differences can arise from search scope, keyword matching, and fiscal year boundaries. Our tool searches project titles, abstracts, and terms fields. Direct NIH RePORTER searches may use different default fields or include subprojects that we filter out for clarity.

Can I compare multiple keywords at once?

This page supports one keyword per search. To compare topics side by side, use the Compare Topics tool, which shows overlay charts for 2-3 keywords with the same year range.

What do the bubble sizes mean in the scatter plot?

Bubble size represents total funding for that year. Larger bubbles indicate years with higher overall investment. The vertical position shows average award size, so a large bubble high on the chart means both high total funding and high per-project awards.

What these charts are for

Trend charts help you see whether a topic has sustained NIH activity, not whether a single future application will definitely be funded.

Use them to understand direction, institute attention, and mechanism mix before you make a strategic decision.

Avoid common misreads

A single-year drop can reflect terminology changes, reporting lag, or normal cycle variation. Compare multiple years and recent awards together.

For a deeper explanation, read Understanding NIH Grant Trends.

Recommended next step

After reviewing a trend, open the weekly award feed or PI search for the same keyword. That confirms whether the same signal appears in current project data.

Methodology details are documented in Data & Methodology.

Related guides

Read these guides to interpret what the trend lines actually mean before acting on them.

Data Analysis11 min read

Understanding NIH Grant Trends: What the Data Tells You and What It Does Not

A methodological guide to reading NIH funding trends responsibly, comparing years, and avoiding false conclusions from noisy data.

Read guide
Data Analysis11 min read

How to Use NIH Trend Data to Scout Emerging Research Opportunities

Learn how to read NIH funding trend data without overreacting to noise, and use it to scout stronger research, collaboration, and job opportunities.

Read guide
Data Analysis12 min read

How to Use Recent NIH Award Data to Time Your Application

A practical workflow for reading recent NIH awards, funding trends, and institute behavior to pick a stronger submission cycle — without overreacting to noise.

Read guide
Funding Strategy24 min read

Understanding NIH Funding Trends: How to Position Your Research for Success 2025

How to use NIH funding patterns to position a project, choose institutes, and avoid overreading noisy trend shifts.

Read guide

Featured Research Topics — Last 12 Months

A snapshot of NIH activity across high-interest research areas, drawn from the public RePORTER feed. Counts and example awards refresh daily. Click any topic to open a full trend analysis.

Alzheimer's disease

Neurodegeneration, biomarkers, and disease-modifying therapies.

4,060 NIH awards in the last 12 months

Recent example awards

  • CONGAS: "Caribbean Omics 'N' Genomics for Alzheimer Study"
    Carlos Cruchaga · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, MO · $101,153 · Feb 25, 2026
  • CONGAS: "Caribbean Omics 'N' Genomics for Alzheimer Study"
    Carlos Cruchaga · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, MO · $3,086,339 · Feb 19, 2026
  • Alzheimer Disease Genetic Analysis to Identify Potential Therapeutic Targets (ADAPTT)
    Jonathan Haines · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, OH · $1,256,627 · Feb 4, 2026
See full trend for Alzheimer's disease →

CRISPR & gene editing

Therapeutic gene editing, base editing, and prime editing.

3,777 NIH awards in the last 12 months

Recent example awards

  • CRISPR for tauopathy
    Claire Clelland · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, CA · $680,792 · Jan 30, 2026
  • Orthogonal CRISPR GEMMs
    MICHAEL MCMANUS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, CA · $629,170 · Jan 26, 2026
  • Asymmetric CRISPR Approach for Nucleic Acid Quantification
    Changchun Liu · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT, CT · $643,849 · Mar 30, 2026
See full trend for CRISPR & gene editing →

Cancer immunotherapy

Checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T, TIL therapy, and beyond.

621 NIH awards in the last 12 months

Recent example awards

  • Cancer Immunotherapy: Basic Mechanisms Informing Clinical Applications & Combinations
    TERRY SHEPPARD · KEYSTONE SYMPOSIA, CO · $5,000 · Mar 3, 2026
  • Gut Microbiome and Cancer Immunotherapy Outcomes in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma
    Veronika Fedirko · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR, TX · $927,329 · Mar 3, 2026
  • The GPR171 pathway in cancer immunotherapy
    Yuwen Zhu · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER, CO · $355,706 · Apr 2, 2026
See full trend for Cancer immunotherapy →

GLP-1 & metabolic disease

Diabetes, obesity, and weight-loss therapeutic mechanisms.

248 NIH awards in the last 12 months

Recent example awards

  • Synaptic and circuit mechanisms of central GLP-1 signaling in energy balance
    ZHIPING PANG · RUTGERS BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES, NJ · $479,051 · Apr 23, 2026
  • Bone metabolism in adolescents undergoing GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy
    Madhusmita Misra · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, VA · $471,776 · Apr 24, 2026
  • Remote Loading of Melanocortin and GLP-1 Peptides in Polymers for Treatment of Obesity
    STEVEN SCHWENDEMAN · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR, MI · $231,000 · Apr 17, 2026
See full trend for GLP-1 & metabolic disease →

Long COVID

Post-acute sequelae and chronic infection-driven illness.

123 NIH awards in the last 12 months

Recent example awards

  • Lymphotoxin-dependent control of long COVID
    Alexei Tumanov · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER, TX · $234,715 · Feb 13, 2026
  • REVERSE-Long COVID: A Multicenter Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Immunomodulation (with Baricitinib) for Long COVID Related ADRD
    E ELY · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, TN · $6,778,156 · Feb 6, 2026
  • The neuroimmune mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 on synaptic transmission and plasticity
    Jianyang Du · UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCI CTR, TN · $385,080 · Dec 10, 2025
See full trend for Long COVID →