Academic-Industrial Partnerships (AIP) to Translate and Validate In Vivo Imaging Systems (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 25 079

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 079

The Academic-Industrial Partnerships (AIP) to Translate and Validate In Vivo Imaging Systems (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (PAR-25-079) is a National Institutes of Health grant run through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that focuses on pushing promising imaging-related discoveries out of the lab and into practical, validated tools. The core purpose is to accelerate the translation of scientific and engineering advances in in vivo imaging systems, along with closely related areas like data science and spectroscopic technologies, into methods that can meaningfully address current challenges in cancer and, where relevant, other diseases. NCI is looking for projects that move beyond basic concept development and instead concentrate on building, refining, integrating, and validating technologies so they are credible and usable for studying fundamental biology, assessing risk or likelihood of disease development, improving diagnosis, informing treatment decisions, and monitoring disease status over time.

A central theme of the program is partnership, especially academic-industrial collaboration. The structure is intended to encourage teams that combine the strengths of academia (discovery, mechanistic insight, early innovation, rigorous evaluation) with those of industry (engineering for reliability, manufacturability, usability, scalability, regulatory and quality considerations, and pathways to real-world deployment). While the title emphasizes “in vivo imaging systems,” the description signals a broad interest in imaging, data science, and spectroscopy approaches that can be translated into usable tools or workflows. In practice, that can include improvements to hardware, software, acquisition methods, processing pipelines, analytic or AI-enabled interpretation, and integrated systems that produce actionable biological or clinical information.

The award mechanism is an R01, with “Clinical Trial Optional” status. That means applicants can propose either non-clinical-trial research or research that includes a clinical trial component, as long as it fits the goals of translating and validating in vivo imaging systems. The intention is not simply to fund exploratory imaging ideas, but to support work that demonstrates performance, reliability, and relevance in the settings that matter for adoption, which may include preclinical validation and/or clinical evaluation depending on the maturity and intended use of the technology.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under NIH with activity areas spanning education and health, and it is associated with CFDA numbers 93.394 and 93.395. The opportunity is open to a wide range of applicant types, reflecting NCI’s interest in broad participation and cross-sector collaboration. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, and township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The NOFO also explicitly calls out additional eligible groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations.

Key dates and funding details provided include a creation date of 2024-11-06 and an original closing date of 2027-01-07, indicating a multi-year window for submission cycles under this announcement. The listed award ceiling is $500,000, signaling that budgets are expected to be on a moderate scale consistent with focused translation and validation work, though actual awarded amounts typically depend on project scope, NIH policies, and the specific budget justification. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided listing, which is common for NIH opportunities where awards depend on application volume, merit, and available appropriations.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NCI’s push to move imaging and related computational or spectroscopic innovations toward real-world impact: building systems that are validated, reproducible, and fit for answering pressing questions in cancer biology and cancer care, ideally through well-structured partnerships that speed engineering refinement and adoption.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academic-Industrial Partnerships (AIP) to Translate and Validate In Vivo Imaging Systems (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394, 93.395.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-07.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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