NCCIH Research Blog

As coordinator for the small business research programs at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), I recently had the chance to participate in an informative webinar on Small Business Opportunities for Innovative Women’s Health Research. In this blog post, I want to share key points from the webinar and highlight some notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) that might be a good fit for your small business’s interests.

Research on health conditions of concern to women is a high priority for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A recent notice of special interest on women’s health research explained NIH’s interest in receiving research applications on conditions that are specific to women, that predominantly affect women, or that occur or progress differently in women than in men.

NCCIH’s whole person health framework, which recognizes that health issues are connected biologically, behaviorally, socially, and environmentally, is a particularly good fit for women’s health research. It’s crucial to consider factors unique to women in the different domains of whole person health—ranging from hormonal changes across the lifespan, to the distinct psychosocial stressors faced by women, to the unique aspects of women’s experience of pain. Research in these areas can include studies funded through NCCIH’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. 

Our small business programs support research on innovative, commercially promising products that can facilitate the integration of complementary health approaches into the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases or symptoms or the promotion of health and well-being. Several small business projects recently funded by NCCIH focus on conditions that affect women more than men, including irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis, anxiety disorders, and functional dyspepsia. These projects emphasize digital or device-related therapies and mind and body interventions, but we would also welcome proposals for projects related to natural products to improve women’s health. We see that as a growth area for our small business portfolio. 

If you’re planning an application, you may already be aware of the SBIR/STTR Omnibus Solicitations (Parent Announcements). Most small business applications to NIH are submitted in response to these NOFOs. If you’re new to entrepreneurship, please also consider the Small Business Transition Grant NOFOs. Your application could be more competitive in this program, and the grants may fund some expenses related to career development and mentoring. 

Please also check out Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Translation of BRAIN Initiative Technologies to the Marketplace (NOT-MH-24-115) to see if it matches your interests. We haven’t received any applications recently in response to this notice, and we would like to. 

Have questions? The NIH small business program’s FAQs are a great place to find answers. If you have a draft specific aims page ready, please email one of us in the NCCIH Division of Extramural Research. We can help you determine whether your idea is a good programmatic fit for our Center.

For More Information

Small Business Opportunities for Innovative Women’s Health Research (webinar recording)

SBIR and STTR Funding Opportunities (NIH)

NOSIs on current funding opportunities:

• Notice of Special Interest: Women’s Health Research
• Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Innovative Technologies for Research on Climate Change and Human Health
• Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Translating Biomaterials-Based Technologies to Commercially Viable Products
• Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Synthetic Biology for Biomedical Applications