The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering up to $7.1 million for quantum-enabled sensors designed to improve drug-safety testing in nonanimal laboratory models, with development divided into two stages.
The NIH calls the contest the Quantum-Enabled and Advanced Detection Approaches for Predictive Preclinical NAMs for Toxicity and Safety (Qu-SAFE) Challenge. New approach methodologies (NAMs) are nonanimal testing tools, including organ-on-a-chip platforms and microphysiological systems, that can serve as alternatives to animal studies.
The agency says conventional assays and imaging can be noisy, invasive or insufficiently sensitive, making faint signals harder to detect and biological processes harder to follow over time. Entrants must use at least one quantum sensing method, though they may combine it with conventional approaches. The NIH and NASA contest pages describe the goals but do not report completed prototypes or measured performance results.
The planning stage offers up to $500,000, with NIH anticipating as many as 25 awards of up to $20,000 each. The prototype stage has up to $6.6 million available: up to $3 million for Milestone 1 and up to $3.6 million for Milestone 2. The latter includes up to six runner-up awards of $460,000 each and a grand prize of up to $840,000. NIH says award numbers may change depending on the quantity and quality of submissions. Teams can enter Stage 2 without taking part in Stage 1, but must complete Milestone 1 to advance to Milestone 2.
The rules require a team lead to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. A private entity must be incorporated in the United States and maintain its primary place of business there. Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents may participate on eligible teams or through eligible entities, but cannot receive prize money.
NIH lists the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NIH offices and institutes as partners. The challenge is part of the NIH Quantum Biomedical Innovations and Technologies (Qu-BIT) Program. NASA says the work supports its Biological and Physical Sciences Division and may benefit research in space and on Earth. NIH says winners may have opportunities to collaborate with NIH-supported NAMs programs and present their work at meetings.
The opening dates differ: NIH lists Dec. 31, 2026, as the start of the Stage 1 proposal period, while NASA lists Dec. 15, 2026, as the submissions opening date. Both give July 27, 2027, as the deadline. NIH's next scheduled event is an optional registrant webinar on Nov. 30, 2026.
