At a glance
This program funds early-stage development of medical devices, diagnostics, and research tools for heart, lung, blood, and sleep-related diseases and disorders, including prototype testing, disease target identification, assay development, and tool improvement. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, colleges and universities, governments, tribal organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, for-profit organizations, small businesses, and foreign organizations are not eligible to apply. Awards are for a combined R61/R33 project period of up to three years, with direct costs capped at $300,000 per year in each phase, and the R33 phase requires a non-Federal cash match of at least 0.25 to 1 of the requested Federal direct costs. Up to 24 new awards are expected across FY 2026 to FY 2028, and clinical trials are not allowed.
What it funds
Official description from grants.gov
The goal of the NHLBI Catalyze Program is to provide a comprehensive suite of support and services to facilitate the transition of basic science discoveries into viable diagnostic and therapeutic candidates that have been cleared for human testing, and to develop translational researchers fluent in product development and entrepreneurship. This specific Catalyze Product Definition initiative will provide the early stage translational support needed for the activities required to develop and test device prototypes, identify diagnostic disease targets and develop associated assays, and develop research tools to treat HLBS diseases and disorders. This is a phased initiative for early stage projects. The R61 phase provides support to identify and test initial prototype designs, to identify a disease target and generate experimental design, and to identify, test and pilot research tools. The R33 phase provides support for continued prototype development and testing, in addition to modifying design features and user feedback, diagnostic product generation, exploration of assay components, and characterization of a load design, and research tool improvement, large trial testing and data integration. Following successful completion of the program, it is expected that the potential products will be poised to move forward for in vivo testing (optimization, safety, efficacy) with additional support from NIH and/or other federal and private programs. This initiative has a companion initiative that supports development of therapeutics and combination products and is also part of a suite of innovation grants to advance projects to the point where they can meet the entry criteria for the NHLBI Catalyze Preclinical Program.
Who can apply
- City or township governments
- County governments
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education)
- Others
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Small businesses
- Special district governments
- State governments