NIH SenNet Technology Projects (SenTecs) RFA-RM-27-007

What is the NIH SenNet Technology Projects (SenTecs) opportunity?

SenNet Technology Projects (SenTecs), RFA-RM-27-007, is an NIH Common Fund cooperative agreement that funds the development of new tools and technologies to identify, characterize, and understand senescent cells in human tissue. It is part of the Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet), a program launched in 2021 to map senescent cells across the human body and lifespan.

Senescent cells accumulate with age and contribute to cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, pulmonary disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. SenNet has already documented how varied these cells are across tissues. SenTecs now fund the technologies needed to explain what that variation means and to support better ways of targeting senescent cells in aging and disease.

Awards are five-year, milestone-driven, and run in two phases: a two-year UG3 phase for development and proof of feasibility, then a three-year UH3 phase for scaling, optimizing, and validating the technology in multiple human tissues. The NOFO is administered by the National Cancer Institute on behalf of NIH.

Key dates and funding

• Application due date: November 23, 2026, by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. No late applications are accepted.
• Earliest submission date: October 23, 2026
• UG3 phase: up to $400,000 in direct costs per year for up to 2 years
• UH3 phase: up to $550,000 in direct costs per year for up to 3 years
• Maximum project period: 5 years
• NIH intends to commit $5.4M in total costs in FY2027 to fund up to 9 awards
• Scientific merit review: March 2027. Advisory council review: May 2027. Earliest start date: July 2027.
• No cost sharing required. Clinical trials are not allowed.

Who is eligible?

Small businesses and larger for-profit companies are eligible to apply, along with universities, nonprofits, government entities, and tribal organizations. This is not an SBIR or STTR program, so there are no small business size or ownership rules and no required research partner.

• Non-U.S. entities and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
• Foreign subawards or subcontracts make an application noncompliant. Unfunded international collaborations, foreign consultants, and unique foreign equipment or supplies are still allowed.
• Organizations may submit more than one application if each is scientifically distinct.
• Applications must include separate Specific Aims and plans for both the UG3 and UH3 phases.

What technologies does SenTecs fund?

SenTecs fund novel tools, or the adaptation of existing tools, that are built for human systems and that help explain senescent cell heterogeneity in tissue. NIH lists the following examples, though responsive projects are not limited to them.

Multi-omics characterization

Technologies that extend senescent cell mapping beyond spatial single-cell transcriptomics into lipidomic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiling in vivo, plus genomic, epigenomic, and chromosome architecture analysis.

Models of the senescent cell niche

Multiscale models and tools that analyze the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and how it interacts with the tissue-specific niche in health and disease.

AI and machine learning tools

ML and AI approaches that define senotypes, predict where senescence will occur, and uncover clinically relevant vulnerabilities in senescent cells.

Lineage and targeting tools

Methods that predict lineage trajectories for tissue-specific senescent cells, identify targetable vulnerabilities, and predict the outcomes of senotherapies.

Imaging and analysis technologies

Tools that integrate MRI, micro-CT, photoacoustic imaging, Raman spectroscopy, histology, morphology, and mechanical imaging, or that analyze mitochondria, the extracellular space, or viral signatures.

Applications that propose only single-cell transcriptomic technologies, or technologies with no clear consideration of senescence biology, will be deemed non-responsive.

How do you apply?

Applications are submitted through NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or an institutional system-to-system solution, following the Research (R) instructions in the NIH How to Apply Application Guide.

• Complete SAM.gov (with UEI), Grants.gov, and eRA Commons registrations before submitting. NIH notes registration can take 6 weeks or more.
• Every PD/PI needs an eRA Commons account linked to an ORCID ID.
• Include an Intellectual Property Strategy attachment of up to 3 pages.
• Provide quantitative milestones every 6 months during the UG3 phase and yearly during the UH3 phase, with a Gantt chart.
• Describe how the technology will integrate with SenNet's Discovery and Validation Centers and Data Coordination and Integration Center.
• Plan to set aside about 10% of the year 5 budget for a collaborative demonstration project.

NIH is planning a pre-application webinar. Questions can be sent to the Common Fund Cellular Senescence Program at CS2@nih.gov.

Is this a fit for your company?

SenTecs suit biotech and life science tools companies building assays, imaging platforms, multi-omics methods, or AI analytics that can characterize individual cells in human tissue. Companies with a platform already proven in another field can apply if they show how it solves a real problem in senescence research. Because the deadline is close and registrations take time, teams should start now. BW&CO helps founders assess fit, structure UG3/UH3 milestones, and build a competitive application. Book a free funding fit call to see if SenTecs is right for you.

Frequently asked questions

Can a small business apply for NIH SenTecs funding?

Yes. Small businesses and other for-profit organizations are eligible to apply for RFA-RM-27-007, along with universities, nonprofits, and government entities. Non-U.S. organizations are not eligible.

How much funding does a SenTecs award provide?

Applicants may request up to $400,000 in direct costs per year during the two-year UG3 phase and up to $550,000 in direct costs per year during the three-year UH3 phase. NIH intends to commit $5.4M in total costs in FY2027 to fund up to 9 awards.

When is the SenTecs application due?

Applications are due November 23, 2026, by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. The earliest submission date is October 23, 2026, and no late applications are accepted.

Is SenTecs an SBIR or STTR program?

No. SenTecs is an NIH Common Fund UG3/UH3 cooperative agreement, not an SBIR or STTR award. NIH program staff are substantially involved, and awardees join the SenNet consortium.

How does a project move from the UG3 phase to the UH3 phase?

The transition is not automatic. At the end of year 2, awardees submit a transition application showing milestone achievement, feasibility in human systems, and active consortium participation. NIH staff review it administratively, and transition also depends on available funds.

What projects are considered non-responsive?

Applications that propose only single-cell transcriptomic technologies, or that develop technologies with no clear consideration of senescence biology, will be deemed non-responsive. Clinical trials are also not allowed.