New ARPA-H Research Programs and Initiatives (Updated 5/5/26)

NEW ARPA-H RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES 

Investigators planning to apply to ARPA-H must notify the CAO Office as early as possible by contacting Research Program Manager Ruchi Chauhan, PhD (rchauhan@bidmc.harvard.edu). The CAO Office may help navigate BIDMC resources to support your submission. 

Please note: All ARPA H applications are highly competitive, and proposals are most successful when developed by multi partner team with required expertise. In addition, some applications require institution level coordination limiting submissions, which may involve the CAO Office.

We highly recommend joining the “Proposer’s Day” as it is a great way to learn more about this opportunity, and connect with the ARPA-H Program Manager, and other teaming opportunities.

In addition, please visit the link provided for program of your interest.  

Current open programs and initiative are listed below. 

1. Programs Portfolio

• One Comprehensive Universal Radiotherapy for Everyone (1-CURE) program will develop a single, rapid, low-cost, and accessible radiotherapy approach to battle all types of cancer, including local, metastatic and RT-resistant cancers. This bold strategy integrates two core innovations: (1) multifunctional smart radiotherapy biomaterials (SRBs) that enable precise image-guided targeting and sustained delivery of immunoadjuvants, enabling therapeutic efficacy against not only localized tumors but also cancers that  have spread throughout the body or resisted traditional RT. (2) an Abscopal Treatment Planning System (ATPS), which integrates SRBs and ultra-high dose rate (FLASH)-RT to optimize and reliably achieve effective abscopal responses across diverse cancer types.

Please visit https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/programs/1-cure for details. 

• BioStabilization Systems (BoSS) program aims to make the seemingly impossible problem of room temperature biologics possible by pioneering new technologies to produce, store, and ship cells at room temperature, without any need for refrigeration. Organisms in nature have found ways to survive extreme conditions and BoSS will adapt these strategies using similar protective molecules and advanced materials. 

Program Link here: https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/programs/boss for details.

• Critical Illness Immunological Reprogramming and Control Point Learning Engine (CIRCLE) aims to develop new digital twin capabilities to treat critical illness using the latest in AI and diagnostics. This innovation will determine immune system control points that can enable better use of existing immunotherapies as well as next-generation interventions for critical care. 

CIRCLE seeks to unlock the ability to track and modulate the body’s immune response on a massive scale, giving clinicians AI-based tools for better diagnosis and care of critically ill patients. For further details about the proposal, please visit the following link: https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/programs/circle.

• Developing self-monitoring ecosystems to “know thyself” (DELPHI) will enable all Americans to take ownership of their own health. Program will spur a new development ecosystem that provides quick access to cutting-edge bioelectronics and sensing strategies. This approach will spur innovation with tiny, smart, next-generation “chiplets” that optimize delivery of real-time insights of important internal signals like hormones, immune markers, and therapeutic drug levels. The “chiplet” platform will be designed to mix and match across a range of wearable and ingestible biosensors with a variety of sensing functions. This technology will enable clinicians to track a broad range of biomarkers, and thereby detect the earliest signs of disease and remotely fine-tune treatments. Link is here: https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/programs/delphi
• Systematic Targeting of MicroPlastics (STOMP) program will advance three technical areas across two phases. In phase 1, STOMP will (a) develop best-in-class lab-based measurements that can accurately characterize nano-sized microplastic particles even in complex biological tissue, and (b) image and characterize microplastics in animal organs and cells, illuminating the complex mechanisms of microplastic trafficking and toxicity.

In phase 2, STOMP will (a) translate best-in-class microplastic measurement techniques into affordable, scalable systems that can quantify a patient’s microplastic burden in a clinical setting, and (b) draw on measurement methods and mechanistic understanding to develop solutions that can remove microplastics from the human body. Link is here: https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/programs/stomp

2. Initiatives and Sprints

• Technology InteGrator and AcceleratoR (TIGAR) Exploratory Topic (ET) is an ARPA-H initiative to accelerate research and overcome the current barriers to preserving complex human tissues. TIGAR aims to rapidly evaluate early-stage, high-risk preservation technologies and explore what is possible to stabilize tissues across different temperature ranges, store them for longer periods, and rapidly restore them to a functional state after storage. Check for the information on link: https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/initiatives-and-sprints/tigar

• Evidence-Based Validation & Innovation for Rapid Therapeutics in Behavioral Health (EVIDENT) seeking multimodal, longitudinal data (e.g., psychological, social, digital, biological) collected in registered clinical trials testing the effects of rapid-acting interventions for behavioral health (e.g., neuroplastogens, neuromodulation, digital therapeutics). The data from this solicitation seeks to improve providers' ability to identify when a specific therapy will be most effective and monitor rapid treatment effects when they are occurring. Please visit for all details here - https://arpa-h.gov/explore-funding/initiatives-and-sprints/evident

3. ARPA-H Mission Office Innovative Solution Openings (ISO) provide a way to seek funds for individual research projects that fall outside the scope of an ARPA-H program or initiative, but that still aligns with an ARPA-H research focus areas. These are accepted on a rolling basis. Before applying to a Mission Office ISO, you should do three things:
4. Familiarize yourself with the ARPA-H research portfolio: Review all research in the ARPA-H Program Portfolio and Initiatives & Sprints to ensure your idea falls outside the scope of existing research. A submission to a Mission Office ISO may be rejected if it’s within the scope of an existing program or initiative.
5. Review the solicitations: Read each of the four ISOs linked below to determine which research focus area is the best fit for your idea.
6. Submit a Summary: If you determine your idea is a good fit, you must first submit a brief Solution Summary outlining the key features, goals, and the potential impact of a proposed solution or project. Summaries are required and proposers must receive written feedback from ARPA-H before submitting a full proposal. A proposal submission may be rejected if submitted without having received a response from ARPA-H.

Available Mission Office ISO Opportunities: Learn more about each opportunity and its requirements through the solicitations linked below. 

• Health Science Futures Office ISO (ARPA-H-SOL-24-104): Research that removes scientific and technological limitations that stymie progress towards the health care of the future.
• Proactive Health Office ISO (ARPA-H-SOL-24-106): Research that focuses on preventative programs that reduce the likelihood that people become patients.
• Resilient Systems Office ISO (ARPA-H-SOL-24-103): Research that builds robust and integrated health care systems.
• Scalable Solutions Office ISO (ARPA-H-SOL-24-105): Research that addresses challenges to geography, distribution, manufacturing, data and information, and economies to promote equitable solutions.