Neural Ensembles & Used Substances (NExUS) Collaboratory: Building a Multimodal Inventory of Cell Ensembles Encoding the Effects of Addictive Substances (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) seeks cooperative‑agreement (U01) applications to expand the NExUS Collaboratory, a national effort to create a multimodal, cell‑level atlas of neural ensembles that encode the effects of addictive substances. Awardees will develop systematic, scalable methods to identify, map, and analyze neuronal populations linked to substance‑related behaviors (intoxication, craving, dependence). The program emphasizes data sharing, integration with other modalities (molecular, epigenetic, morphological), tool development for analysis/visualization, and alignment with broader cell‑atlas initiatives. Four awards are planned, with a total estimated funding of $4 M. Successful applicants must manage large‑scale data, contribute to a shared knowledgebase, and participate in a steering committee that guides the collaborative network. • Cooperative‑agreement (U01) with NIDA, up to $700,000 per award (total $4 M). • Focus on neuroscience methods, multimodal data generation, and open‑science infrastructure. • Required data‑management and sharing plan; use of NIDA/BRAIN initiative repositories. • Annual progress reporting (RPPR) and participation in NExUS steering committee. • Open to a wide range of entities (for‑profit, non‑profit, academic, tribal, state, foreign components).