Kidney Precision Medicine Project Tissue Interrogation Sites

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), has announced a forecasted funding opportunity titled Kidney Precision Medicine Project Tissue Interrogation Sites. This program builds on the Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP), which began in fiscal year 2017 with the goal of ethically collecting and analyzing human kidney biopsy tissue. The purpose is to identify molecular pathways involved in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI). In 2022, the initiative expanded to strengthen both participant recruitment and tissue interrogation efforts, and an external evaluation committee in February 2025 recommended a five-year extension. This new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) proposes to continue KPMP through cooperative agreements using the U01 and U24 activity codes. It will support clinical follow-up for approximately 500 existing enrollees while also enrolling an additional 500 participants. The project’s continuation aims to accelerate discoveries in novel pathways, targets, and disease subgroups while ensuring that the broader research community can leverage KPMP data for future advancements in kidney research. The program places emphasis on rigorous scientific analysis and integration across research sites. The funding mechanism will support up to 14 U01 awards, divided between recruitment sites and Tissue Interrogation Sites. Recruitment sites will be tasked with enrolling new participants, conducting kidney biopsies, and gathering longitudinal observational data. Tissue Interrogation Sites will focus on applying advanced methodologies to analyze collected kidney tissue samples under strict quality requirements. A single U24 award will be dedicated to clinical and data coordination, integration, analysis, and sharing. Together, these sites will function collaboratively to achieve the program’s scientific objectives. Eligibility for this grant opportunity is broad and includes independent school districts, county governments, state governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, public housing authorities, small businesses, other for-profit organizations, federally recognized and non-federally recognized Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations, and other entities such as U.S. territories, eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and foreign institutions. This wide eligibility is intended to attract a diverse applicant pool with expertise in relevant clinical, academic, and research capacities. The estimated total funding available for this program is $6,000,000, with approximately seven awards expected. Specific award ceilings and floors are not yet defined in the forecast notice, and applicants will need to monitor the official NOFO for further details. Importantly, there is no cost sharing or matching requirement associated with this funding opportunity. Funding will be structured through cooperative agreements, allowing NIH staff substantial involvement in project oversight and coordination. The timeline for this opportunity is as follows: the estimated post date is July 5, 2026, with applications due by October 5, 2026. The award date is anticipated for June 1, 2027, and funded projects are expected to begin on July 1, 2027. Since this is a forecasted opportunity, applicants should note that final details may change once the official NOFO is published. Interested applicants should direct inquiries to the listed program contact, Debbie S. Gipson, MS, MD, of the NIDDK, who can be reached at 301-480-2268 or by email at Debbie.Gipson@nih.gov. Overall, this funding opportunity provides substantial support for institutions and organizations engaged in kidney disease research. By focusing on tissue interrogation and participant follow-up, it is designed to yield insights into disease mechanisms and advance personalized medicine in nephrology. The collaborative structure ensures integration of expertise across multiple domains, furthering the national goal of reducing the burden of kidney diseases.