Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) Program: Phase 2

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is issuing a Phase 2 funding opportunity for the Single Cell Opioid Responses in the Context of HIV (SCORCH) program. The goal is to advance mechanistic understanding of substance use disorders (SUD) and HIV interactions in the central nervous system using cutting‑edge single‑cell and spatial omics technologies. Up to eight cooperative agreements will be awarded, each with a ceiling of $1 million and total anticipated funding of $5 million. The research will focus on subcellular, cellular, and circuit‑level analyses, including RNA splicing, non‑coding RNAs, epigenomics, proteomics, spatial interactions, and cell‑cell communication. Applicants are expected to propose hypothesis‑driven studies and data‑mining projects that identify novel therapeutic targets for SUD/HIV comorbidity. • Funding mechanism: Cooperative Agreement (CA) • Estimated total funding: $5 M; up to 8 awards, $1 M ceiling each • Anticipated start: 04/01/2028; award decision: 04/01/2028 • Eligible entities: wide range including state/local governments, tribal entities, nonprofits, for‑profit firms, higher‑education institutions, etc. • No cost‑sharing required • Focus areas: single‑cell genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, spatial transcriptomics, neurocircuitry, HIV‑SUD interplay.