Data Science Funding Opportunities

NIAID and NIH have multiple funding opportunities to support data science research, training, and technology development. These aim to support research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases. NIAID’s Office of Data Science and Emerging Technologies (ODSET) aggregated some data science funding opportunities below. More opportunities are available through the NIH Grants and Funding website. Researchers may also consider Highlighted Topics (HTs), centralized areas of interest highlighted by the NIH.

View a list of data science projects that have been awarded by ODSET and NIAID on the Awarded Data Science Projects page. For questions about data science funding opportunities, email datascience-program@niaid.nih.gov.

Notice of Funding Opportunities

Explore additional funding opportunities on NIH’s centralized Grants and Funding page. Jump to NIAID opportunities with this filtered query of NIH’s centralized Grants and Funding page.

Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) (R38 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The overall goal of the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) program is to provide resident clinicians in training with in-depth research experiences early in their careers, in order to recruit, retain and accelerate independence of a pool of clinician-investigators with both clinical

Notice Number: RFA-HL-26-012
Posting Date: August 26, 2025
Expiration Date: January 11, 2028

Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science

The purpose of this Notice is to announce the collaboration between the NIH and the National Science Foundation (NSF) on an interagency funding opportunity, NSF-23-614, Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science. The Smart Health program supports innovative, high-risk/high-reward research with the promise of disruptive transformations in biomedical and public health research.

Notice Number: NOT-OD-23-165 
Posting Date: August 28, 2023
Expiration Date: 

Building Sustainable Software Tools for Open Science (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - Upcoming

This funding opportunity is intended to provide a flexible mechanism to support the use of best practices and design principles for scientific software development/engineering and to promote community engagement for open science.

Notice Number: RFA-OD-26-034

Precision and Systems Biology to Uncover the Link Between Chronic and Infectious Diseases - Upcoming

The objective is to harness cutting-edge technologies along with longitudinal patient cohorts and biobank data for comprehensive analysis of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors leading to advances in prevention and treatment strategies for both chronic and infectious diseases. The cutting-edge technologies may include multi-omics, computational modeling, artificial intelligence, organoid-based validation systems, and integration of real-world data, alongside improved access to digital health records and advanced clinical informatics tools. The goal is to generate meaningful insights into disease progression and host-pathogen interactions.

Notice Number: RFA-AI-28-014

Data Science Highlighted Topics

Highlighted Topics (HTs) are centralized areas of interest identified by the NIH; they are not funding opportunities. Investigators must apply through parent announcements, after which they will be considered for funding by one or more NIH institutes, centers, or offices (ICOs). Below are some data-science-related HTs selected by ODSET. Learn more about HTs and View all HTs on the NIH Grants website.

Computational Modeling of Complex Processes Across Biological Scales

This topic encourages innovative research in computational modeling of complex processes across biological scales (i.e., to develop multiscale models). The topic seeks to build a collaborative community of researchers to improve the replicability and reproducibility of computational multiscale models, promoting their advancement and reuse. 

Specific NIAID areas of interest include models that can:

  • Elucidate biological mechanisms of infection and/or transmission of pathogens and inform the development of improved countermeasures,
  • Define immune system regulation and responses to triggers (commensal and pathogenic organisms, preventative strategies, environment, autoantigens, transplant),
  • Characterize trajectories of allergic or immune-mediated diseases from initiation through progression and/or resolution, including microbiome effects, and
  • Help to meet emerging needs in response to pathogenic threats.

Read more information about Computational Modeling of Complex Process Across Biological Scales including scientific contacts.

Enhancing Scientific Rigor, Transparency and Replicability

Robust, high-quality research is rooted in scientific practices that ensure rigorous and transparent experimental design, methodology, analysis, and interpretation, which improve validity and reliability of findings. High-priority areas and example topics include: tools and methods, scientific norms, and scientific forums.

NIAID encourages applications that strengthen rigor, reproducibility, replicability, and transparency of research on immunologic, allergic, and infectious diseases. Areas of interest include:

  • Leveraging interoperable data standards to integrate multimodal data (e.g., real-world and experimental data), with provenance and metadata on collection, processing, and variability to enable reproducibility.
  • Supporting benchmarking frameworks and metrics to enable reproducible analytical workflows, software, and models aligned with recognized repositories.
  • Establishing frameworks to characterize biospecimens, including metadata to assess quality, collection conditions, and assay suitability.
  • Supporting data and assay standardization, including benchmark development to improve measurement consistency.
  • Conducting studies to validate preclinical and clinical protocols in immunology and infectious diseases, reducing variability and improving cross-study reproducibility and replicability.

Read more about “Enhancing Scientific Rigor, Transparency and Replicability” including scientific contacts.

Advancing “Science of Science” Research to Understand and Strengthen the Biomedical Research Ecosystem

NIAID Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Strategies to promote rigorous training for clinical trials
  • Long-term approaches to enhancing research capacity and organizational structure to support long-term and impactful training program
  • Fostering approaches to recruit and retain scientific talent at all levels of the biomedical workforce
  • Strategies to spur research and training innovation, including through team science approach
  • Secure long-term support for bench to bedside training and research programs
  • Strategies to promote rigorous and reproducible research and scientific accountability and integrity in training

Read more about Advancing “Science of Science” Research to Understand and Strengthen the Biomedical Research Ecosystem including scientific contacts.

Strengthening Biomedical Research, Promoting Trust, and Improving Health through Bioethics Research

This topic aims to advance bioethics research projects that are actionable, build trust, and enable better integration of bioethical principles into biomedical and behavioral research. Specific research areas of interest include:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Research Engagement
  • Informed Consent
  • Return of Research Results
  • Other Cross-cutting Issues

NIAID research mission includes infectious diseases, organ transplantation, immunologic diseases and countermeasures, clinical trial design, implementation science, and projects related to public health surveillance and care delivery. Follow the website link for full details on the topic and NIAID interests, plus scientific contacts.

Read more information about Strengthening Biomedical Research, Promoting Trust, and Improving Health through Bioethics Research including scientific contacts.

Research on Short-Lived and Long-Lived Plasma Cells in Humans

This topic encourages applications to understand the biology of Short-Lived Plasma Cells (SLPC) and Long-Lived Plasma Cells (LLPC) through characterization of plasma cell phenotypes and function in human health and disease. This topic encourages applications that include:

  • Ex vivo analysis of human samples
  • New approach methodologies (NAMs)
  • Computational modeling of plasma cells in human health and disease

Read more about Research on Short-Lived and Long-Lived Plasma Cells in Humans including scientific contacts.

NIAID Research Career Development Awards

K01: Mentored Research Scientist Development Award

Qualified applicants must have a research or health-professional doctoral degree. This award provides support and “protected time” (3 to 5 years) for an intensive, supervised career development experience in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences leading to research independence. Check NIAID’s Funding Opportunities list for current K01 funding opportunities.

K25: Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award

Qualified applicants must have an advanced doctoral degree in a quantitative science field and must be at a postdoctoral to senior faculty level. Additionally, they must demonstrate productivity in their field and must demonstrate intentions to expand their research such that their contributions to behavioral, biomedical, bioimaging, or bioengineering research will increase. Note that there may be restrictions based on past NIH funding - details can be found in the parent K25 notice of funding opportunity.

More Funding Opportunities Resources

NIH Common Fund Programs

The NIH Common Fund supports research spanning NIH research domains. Explore the list of current programs to find active or future funding opportunities indicated on each project’s page.

View all NIH Common Fund funding opportunities

All NIAID Funding Opportunities

This linked query identifies NIAID funding opportunities. Browse, search, or filter by subject to identify opportunities in data science, computational biology, bioinformatics, and related topics.

NIH Highlighted Topics

NIH highlighted topics represent research priorities at one or more NIH Institutes, Centers, or Offices. Researchers are encouraged to apply to relevant parent funding announcements, reach out to scientific contacts, or take other appropriate next steps outlined on the Highlighted Topics page in order to submit their related research for funding consideration.

View all NIH Highlighted topics

Contact Information

For questions about data science funding opportunities, email datascience-program@niaid.nih.gov.

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