This Trailblazer Award is an opportunity for NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators/index.htm) to pursue research programs that integrate engineering and the physical sciences with the life and/or biomedical sciences. A Trailblazer project may be exploratory, developmental, proof of concept, or high risk-high impact, and may be technology design-directed, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven. Importantly, applicants must propose research approaches for which there are minimal or no preliminary data.A distinct feature for this FOA is that no preliminary data are required, expected, or encouraged. However, if available, minimal preliminary data are allowed. Preliminary data are defined as material which the applicant has independently produced and not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal. All preliminary data should be clearly marked and limited to one-half page, which may include one figure. Applications including data more than one-half page or more than one figure will be considered noncompliant with the FOA instructions and will not go forward to review.

Education

• Private institutions of higher education
• Public and state institutions of higher education
• Independent school districts

Business

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses
• Small businesses

Government

• Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
• Special district governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Public and Indian housing authorities
• State governments

Nonprofit

• Other Native American tribal organizations
• Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)
• Nonprofits non-higher education without 501(c)(3)

Miscellaneous

• Other