Key Dates
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for research on diabetes, its complications, and related endocrine and metabolic diseases.
This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.
The NOFO is expected to be published in Spring 2024 with an expected application due date in Summer 2024.
This NOFO will utilize the P30 activity code. Details of the planned NOFO are provided below.
This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights into diabetes, its complications, and related endocrine and metabolic diseases to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO to establish or continue a Diabetes Research Center (DRC). The DRC program is intended to bring together investigators from a variety of scientific disciplines in a manner that enhances and extends the effectiveness of their research. A DRC must be an identifiable unit within a single institution such as a university medical center or a consortium of cooperating institutions. DRC applications must demonstrate an existing strong base of successful external research funding in basic and/or clinical research in diabetes and/or related areas of metabolism and endocrinology within NIDDK’s mission. The DRC must have a central research focus or theme in diabetes and/or related endocrinology and metabolic diseases. The organization and structure of the DRC should not only reflect the goals of the Center, but also encourage collaboration, develop and implement Center-wide initiatives, promote the use of shared core resources and oversee the funding of Pilot and Feasibility projects. Program excellence includes a consistent and outstanding record of publications and peer-reviewed research funding in related areas. DRCs are expected to leverage relevant skills and collaborations with other institutions and affiliated agencies to demonstrate a diverse scientific base that includes well-established and funded academic diabetes researchers and multidisciplinary expertise for addressing the scientific themes proposed.
Institution, Research Base and Theme
The currently funded research base provides the major support for the those who would benefit from a Center's shared resources. The research base includes only currently funded, peer-reviewed research grants awarded to the applicant institution/consortium, including Federal and privately funded research awards. There must be sufficient Federal support within the base to fulfill the requirement for a minimum of two federally funded Center members utilizing each Biomedical Research Core. The research base for the Center, including any affiliated hospitals and proposed partners, must consist of at least $3 million per year in direct costs of peer-reviewed research projects. At least 30 percent of the total funding contributing to the research base must be secured from the NIDDK. Since "Facilities and Administration" costs vary considerably between institutions, these should not be included in the calculation of the research base. While collaboration and synergy between and among other NIDDK-funded Centers is strongly encouraged with this NOFO, overlap in the research base among NIDDK-funded Centers should not inappropriately inflate the research base of any Center
The DRC must have a central research focus or theme in diabetes and/or related endocrinology and metabolic diseases. The organization and structure of the DRC should reflect the goals of the Center, encourage collaboration, develop and implement Center-wide initiatives, promote the use of shared core resources, and oversee the funding of Pilot and Feasibility projects. The structure of the DRC can change as needed based on new scientific opportunities and partnerships thus allowing for modifications of programmatic and scientific activities to fully capitalize on the most exciting research opportunities.
DRCs are expected to have "members", and the criteria for becoming a DRC member must be clearly defined and well justified. All research base investigators must be DRC members. Suitable criteria for membership include peer-reviewed independent funding, participation in DRC-related research, and need for the use of core facilities. Designation of an individual without the need for use of core facilities as a Center member should be rare and must be well justified. Additional membership categories/subsets of members based on a researcher's degree of participation or other quantitative measures are acceptable, but eligibility criteria must be clearly defined and well justified. Given NIH's interest in diversity within the biomedical research workforce (see NOT-OD-20-031), DRCs are strongly encouraged to involve scientists from diverse backgrounds and perspectives in both their DRC leadership and membership.
Existing, competing Centers are encouraged to focus their efforts and emphasize the unique aspects that their Center brings to the diabetes/endocrinology/metabolic diseases research community. Given the limitation of available resources, DRCs that provide a more focused direction should be considered and may be necessary to avoid diluting the effectiveness of the limited Center support available. Therefore, it is not necessary for each competing Center to show growth in their research base when they have made the strategic decision to focus their Center membership rather than continuously expand. A flat or even slightly reduced research base in a renewal application is acceptable. When a reduction results in a more thematically focused DRC, with added benefit to Center members, this is appropriate and viewed as a positive development.
New Center applications are encouraged and are expected to bring diverse perspectives, novel thematic focus, innovative resources, and unique collaborative opportunities to the NIDDK Diabetes Centers Program. Unique aspects of a new Center application may include: 1) a geographical area that includes underserved populations with a high burden of diabetes (i.e., prevalence, incidence) and related metabolic diseases; 2) collaborations with programs that support IDeA centers; 3) thematic focus that synergizes with and/or adds to those already supported by the current DRCs; and 4) opportunities to impact support of a diverse base of diabetes researchers. For current Diabetes Centers, see https://diabetescenters.org/
Center Structure and Activities
Biomedical Resource Cores
The minimum number of Cores is 2 and the maximum number is 5; to include Cores at the DRC institution as well as an additional opportunity for the establishment of a Regional/National Shared Resource Core that is located at a different institution and serves a wider scientific community on a geographic or national level.
Diabetes Research Centers are designed around Research Cores that provide shared, specialized technical resources and/or expertise that enhance the efficiency, productivity, and multidisciplinary nature of research performed by Center-affiliated investigators. The goal of the Diabetes Research Center program is to make state-of-the art technologies and resources readily accessible to a broad spectrum of investigators who are pursuing studies in relevant topic areas. Cores are intended to facilitate basic and, clinical research in diabetes, endocrinology and metabolic diseases in order to accomplish the stated goals of the individual Center and of the NIDDK Centers program.
Administrative Core (includes an Enrichment Program)
Each DRC must include an Administrative Core responsible for allocation and oversight of Center resources. The Administrative Core is expected to ensure the coordination and integration of DRC components and activities. Administrative Core personnel provide support for the required External Advisory Committee and the internal committee structure of the Center. The Administrative Core must support an Enrichment Program that will build a community of diabetes researchers by providing enrichment activities to foster multidisciplinary approaches to diabetes research and to attract new investigators or investigators with relevant expertise to diabetes research.
Pilot and Feasibility Program
The Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) program provides modest support (typically up to $50,000 direct costs per year for 1-2 years) for new initiatives or feasibility research studies in Diabetes Center topic areas. At least 25% of the overall Center direct costs, exclusive of equipment and consortium Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs, should be devoted for support of P&F projects. The minimum number of P&F programs is 1 with the option of 2 P&F programs if a Center proposes to serve a wider scientific community by expanding the Diabetes Center P&F program to a different institution(s)
The P&F program is particularly directed at early-stage or new investigators to provide them minimal support for collecting required preliminary data sufficient to support a grant application for independent research in diabetes/metabolic disease focused area. The P&F program should also focus on strengthening biomedical research workforce diversity and supporting emerging physician scientists. Pilot and feasibility study support is not intended for large projects by established investigators that would otherwise be submitted as separate research grant applications or to support or supplement ongoing funded research.
Cooperation, Coordination, and Integration
To leverage resources funded through NIDDK (and across NIH) cooperation, coordination and integration with other Centers across the institution(s) where the DRC is housed as well as with other DRCs regionally (or even potentially nationally) is an important component of the DRC structure. Applicants from institutions with an NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program (https://ncats.nih.gov/ctsa) are strongly encouraged to utilize the CTSA as a resource for enhancing clinical research programs within the Diabetes Research Center. Diabetes Research Center directors should also seek opportunities for collaboration and synergy not only with other NIDDK-funded Diabetes Research Centers and their programs but also with other NIDDK-funded Centers. Examples of these include: the Centers for Diabetes Translation Research (http://www.diabetes-translation.org,) Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (http://www.norccentral.org,) the Digestive Diseases Research Centers (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/research-funding/research-programs/digestive-disease-centers,) and the Cystic Fibrosis Research and Translation Centers (https://www.cysticfibrosiscenters.org/.) Synergy with other DDEM programs and consortia that take advantage of existing NIDDK resources to enhance thematic focus and reach, such as the Human Islet Research network (HIRN insert link), the MMPC-Live (https://www.mmpc.org/ ); as well as new and established clinical studies/trials such as TrialNET (https://www.trialnet.org/), TEDDY (https://teddy.epi.usf.edu/) or RADIANT (https://www.atypicaldiabetesnetwork.org/) are strongly encouraged.
Funding Information
$7,500,000
TBD
93.847
Private Institution of Higher Education
Nonprofit with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)
Small Business
For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)
State Government
Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)
County governments
Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization (Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
U.S. Territory or Possession
Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)
Regional Organization
Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
Applications are not being solicited at this time.
Inquiries
Please direct all inquiries to:
Corinne M. Silva, Ph.D.
Division Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Telephone: 301-451-7335
Email: silvacm@mail.nih.gov
and Human Services (HHS)
